Results 321-340 of 3,086 for speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is a bitter disappointment that witnesses from the Department of Social Protection are not here. The reason is that it would be very interesting to have witnesses from both Departments in the same room. Do both Departments often get into the same room to discuss energy poverty given that we are talking about two sides of the same coin? The Department of the Environment, Climate and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I am heartened to hear that. Is the seniority of the officials attending those meetings sufficient to make things happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Very good. When I am thinking about the green and digital transitions, I think of the words of William Gibson, which I have used here before. He said: "The future is already here – it's just not very evenly distributed". That is very true and retrofit is a good example of it. I know the many programmes outlined by the witnesses are very welcome but it will take a long time before...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: What is the title of the European Commission report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I will surely find it from that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I will stick with the theme of smart technology and smart meters, in particular. Small meters could be installed in the short term rather than the medium term. The installation of smart meters has been rolled out and the penetration is very good at this point. Trying to understand the best energy package to suit someone's data is not straightforward. It is something that could be very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: If there was an officer in every county council whose role was to advise people in social housing or with HAP tenancies on their best electricity usage and what plan was best for them, such an initiative would be incredibly powerful as it does not involve the building of infrastructure and a lot of good jobs would be created but they would take time. I wish to ask one last question and I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Has uptake of that tax relief been really poor?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Am I correct that loan scheme will be available at the end of next month?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Teaching Qualifications (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: The autonomy of the universities is one thing but this gateway around designation as a centre of excellence has effectively locked the likes of SETU out of this sector. Another aspect I draw the Minister's attention to is SETU's capacity to be a Gaeltacht university. We have a Gaeltacht in Waterford and an area where there is a real need is teachers teaching subjects through the medium...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Teaching Qualifications (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered designating any further universities, including technological universities, as centres of excellence for the purposes of teacher training education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6340/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Teaching Qualifications (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I have put this question to the Minister, Deputy Harris, on a number of occasions in his role as Minister for further and higher education. It relates to the designation of universities or technological universities as centres of excellence for the purposes of teacher training education. As it stands, only a certain number of universities are sanctioned as centres of excellence. It means...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Teaching Qualifications (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank the Minister for her response. I am hearing a status quoresponse as opposed to the opportunity to change. The Minister will know this landscape well. For primary teacher education, you will be looking at the three colleges in Dublin or at Limerick. It is a little more open in terms of secondary school education. To be parochial about it - not parochial but regional - there are...

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is not his Bill.

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is Minister Chamber's Bill.

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is the Minister of State's Bill.

Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I very much welcome the provisions of the Bill. My children at home, three lads, are at a point where we are trying to give them a little more independence and let them go to the shop by themselves to pick up sweets or whatever it is. We are trying to drum into them road safety and how they should be safe on the roads. While I was thinking about the Bill, I realised the language I am using...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 117. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered the reintroduction of the qualifications allowance for teachers at primary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6341/24]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Pay (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 428. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 889 of 17 January 2024, if her Department has taken steps to engage with all stakeholders including the Citizens Information Board (CIS), the employer and staff CIS representatives and the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan and Reform in relation to the WRC pay...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: School Meals Programme (13 Feb 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: 433. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the current number of schools and students enrolled in the free hot school lunches primary schools programme, broken down by county; anticipated additional schools and students to be added with the expansion of the scheme in April 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6172/24]