Results 421-440 of 1,154,797 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Holly Cairns OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Michael McNamara OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Ciarán Cannon OR speaker:John Brady OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Marc Ó Cathasaigh OR speaker:Róisín Shortall OR speaker:Brendan Howlin OR speaker:Ruairi Ó Murchú OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:Claire Kerrane OR speaker:Michael Moynihan OR speaker:Francis Noel Duffy OR speaker:Leo Varadkar OR speaker:Kieran O'Donnell OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:Colm Burke OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:John Lahart OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Joe O'Brien OR speaker:Anne Rabbitte OR speaker:Mary Butler OR speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Ossian Smyth OR speaker:Paul McAuliffe OR speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice OR speaker:Eamon Ryan OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:Cathal Berry OR speaker:Thomas Byrne OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:Denise Mitchell OR speaker:Réada Cronin)

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: The principal officer is the most senior grade in that team.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: There are 21 people. Is there a technical staff there too, as well as administrative staff?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Is there any formal process within that team which evaluates requests that come in from people who occupy the OPW’s buildings?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Dunsink Observatory is one of the OPW’s properties. If Dunsink Observatory and DIAS, which I know well, asked for a gold-plated train to bring it to the city centre I am sure the OPW would reject that, right? What are the criteria by which the OPW assesses requests?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: I agree, yes.

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Has the OPW provided bike-parking facilities in other office buildings for other Departments?

Public Accounts Committee: Appropriation Accounts 2023
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (22 Oct 2024)

Paul McAuliffe: Then comes the opportunity to spec it. There is approximately €120,000 for steelwork and glass; around €50,000 for groundworks; and around €40,000 for the granite paving. Then there are two figures for preliminaries and day works. As Deputy Murphy said, I can somewhat justify that the materials in the glass and the steel could come to that figure but I have a real...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I remind members to ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as they interfere with the broadcasting equipment, even when on silent mode. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the following representatives from the USI: Mr. Chris Clifford, national president; Mr. Bryan O'Mahony, deputy president and vice president, academic affairs; Ms Emma Monahan, vice...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I want to put a couple of questions, especially about students' working, which is something I am coming across more and more. When students are in college they should be in full-time education and focused on getting their degree or qualification but they are working one, two and three jobs in order to try to make ends meet. That is having a pretty severe impact on their education. Could I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Joint Committee (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: Apologies have been received from the Chair, Deputy Paul Kehoe. We will go briefly into private session.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: That should not be what we are aiming to do at all if people want to work over the summer months or even have a small part-time job. I remember working in a bar when I was in college. That was fine, as it did not impact on my studies. It was something like two evenings at the weekend. However, 40 hours a week is different. We have to accept that the primary job when in college is to get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is the worst of both worlds, paying for accommodation that still involves travelling. There is no benefit to that at all.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I echo Deputy Farrell's comment about the great work that USI does. I thank the witnesses for coming and sharing their insights and experiences. It is extremely important to us as committee members to hear people who are much closer to the issues than we are. It has been very beneficial. We will suspend for a changing of the guard, to let the witnesses from USI out and the departmental...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: On behalf of the committee I welcome Mr. Keith Moynes, assistant secretary, higher education policy division; Ms Ann Gorman, principal officer, higher education policy division; and Mr. Éamonn Dunnican, principal officer, corporate services and capital division, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; and Mr. Philip Connolly, director of services;...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank Mr. Moynes and call Deputy Jim O'Callaghan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I want to return to the issue of purpose-built accommodation. Mr. Dunican can remain in the hot seat despite his recent appointment. A key issue is around a borrowing framework for technological universities. All of the universities Mr. Dunican outlined are universities rather than technological universities. I am obviously speaking from a particular bias where South East Technological...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: We were given to understand, or certainly I was as a Member of the Oireachtas, that we were a lot closer. In terms of the process Mr. Moynes is talking about, are we still 12, 18, 24 months away from finding a way to a resolution?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: We have got those courses but there have been no build projects as of yet.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: It is very badly needed. SETU is a particular example in that it functions as the university for the south east. We do not have a second option. On the make-up of the 30% at below market rates, the term "cost rental" is thrown around to such a degree that it is difficult to understand what it actually means. I have heard it applied to purpose-built student accommodation. I do not know...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Financial Supports for Tertiary Level Students: Discussion (22 Oct 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: There are concerns because, as we have seen with purpose-built student accommodation developed off campus, although perhaps not with that developed on campus, it can be much more expensive than standard accommodation. Very often, it is aimed at those coming here from abroad. The funding model in our third level institutions sees people coming from outside of the EU as the cash cow that pays...