Results 1-20 of 1,154,737 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Rory O'Hanlon OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Seán Sherlock OR speaker:Joe McHugh OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Cathal Berry OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Louise O'Reilly OR speaker:Johnny Mythen OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae OR speaker:Catherine Connolly OR speaker:Pearse Doherty OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Thomas Gould OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Pauline Tully OR speaker:Dara Calleary OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Alan Farrell OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Patricia Ryan OR speaker:Noel Grealish OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Alan Dillon OR speaker:Neale Richmond OR speaker:Paschal Donohoe OR speaker:Neasa Hourigan OR speaker:Richard O'Donoghue OR speaker:James Browne OR speaker:Steven Matthews OR speaker:Ruairi Ó Murchú OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Aengus Ó Snodaigh)

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the Minister and her officials before the committee. What appears to be the most significant part of the Supplementary Estimates is the significant additional capital allocation of €517 million in respect of the schools building programme. I very much welcome the significant activity on the part of the programme, not just in my constituency but throughout the country. The...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: How is the school building unit doing in terms of projects coming in on time and on budget? Sometimes we only hear of capital developments by the State that do not come in on time and on budget, but am I correct in saying very many of them do come in on time and on budget?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister mentioned already the provision of accommodation for children with special educational needs. I think I am right in saying it is now the case that any new schools being developed will automatically have special educational needs classrooms.

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: What is the Department's role in trying to facilitate and assist schools that have been there for a longer time and may have difficulty in identifying space for SEN classrooms?

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (22 Oct 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: This is not a question but a comment. I am not sure whether the Minister has had an opportunity yet to look at the new school on Harcourt Terrace. Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School is an absolutely fantastic building. I commend the planning and building unit on it and hope to see the Minister out there shortly so she can see the benefit of the good work being done by her...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I wish to add my own voice of sympathy to the Minister, Deputy Burke, who is not here. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, for being here albeit under sad circumstances. I have a number of questions. I have not brought the Estimate with me but I should be able to do it from my notes. If I get a bit lost, bear with me. Regarding the funding under jobs and enterprise...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for that response. It is not just me but others, namely, business representative groups, have classed the ICOB grant as falling far short. They use the word "failure". They say this grant scheme will be another failure if it mirrors exactly the other model. In the discussions regarding this measure, was consideration given to making a significant contribution...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: Can I ask about the funding decreases for the jobs and enterprise development programme and the enterprise, innovation and commercialisation programme? My notes show decreases of 26% and 4%, respectively. Will the Minister of State account for these decreases? I know some of them will be because there is no ICOB scheme in the budget. Beyond that, is there a different or another reason for...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: That will be rolled over to next year.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: What was the reason for the delay?

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: That is good. I had thought that but I wanted to be sure.

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: There is an estimated 39% increase in spending on policy reviews, consultancy services and research. That seems like a fairly hefty increase. Will the Minister of State give us a flavour of what kind of work will be funded and why that work cannot be done in-house? She is here with her officials, all very capable, competent people, as we know. Why can that work not be done in-house? What...

Select Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 32 - Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Louise O'Reilly: On that, we have had hearings on AI and you would nearly terrify yourself. I understand AI moves very fast, etc. Is there work under way in the Department to skill people up? This is not an area I suspect will be a flash in the pan. I do not think this is a passing fad. I suspect this is something for the future.