Results 621-640 of 3,850 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Mick Wallace
- Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Ireland is an unusual country.
- Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: There is a lot of different legislation going through the House at different times and for different reasons. Neither I nor any other Member believe that people should be allowed to drive when over the blood alcohol limit. To do so is indefensible. No Member would try to defend such behaviour because that would be unfair to those who may suffer because of it. It is positive that a practice...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Speaking of charges, there needs to be a reform of the system. It lacks consistency in how search and retrieval fees are estimated or applied across various State bodies or Departments under FOI. Certain Departments are looking to charge crazy fees and it acts as a deterrent. Even though the Minister is telling me that the numbers are up, I would like to see what exactly is being...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Another area worth looking at is the recording of records. Neither the FOI Act nor the National Archives Act 1986, which covers Departments' records, specifically require Departments or State bodies to make records in the first place. We now have a situation where civil servants are recording less and less and are not taking minutes of meetings all the time or notes of calls. I was...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: The previous Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, gave permission for NAMA to destroy information a year after staff had left. Would the Minister consider looking at that, if he was not aware of it? I get the impression from the Minister's previous reply that he thinks information should be on record. It is in the public interest that it is available. NAMA is a public body. Would the...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: 9. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has satisfied himself with the functioning of the freedom of information system in place under the Freedom of Information Act 2014; if he will consider amending section 44 of the Act to confer power on the Minister to instruct the Information Commissioner to carry out a review of the operations of the Act; and if he will make a...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: 18. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has satisfied himself that section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014 is functioning properly; if all agencies that come under freedom of information legislation following the Act are applying fees and charges for FOI requests in an open and transparent manner; if guidelines are issued to the agencies with regard to...
- Other Questions: Freedom of Information Legislation (14 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: The questions relate to the current freedom of information legislation. Is the Minister satisfied that the legislation is functioning properly? Will the Minister consider amending section 44 of the Act so that he can instruct the Information Commissioner to carry out a review of the operation of the Act? My interactions with numerous freedom of information departments, State bodies and...
- European Council Meeting: Statements (13 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Yes. Would Deputy O'Sullivan like to go first? I do not mind.
- European Council Meeting: Statements (13 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: The Lisbon treaty provides that a group of member states can strengthen their co-operation in defence matters by setting up a permanent structured co-operation, which is known as PESCO. When we pointed out that there was not nearly enough debating time on this matter and that the public is not aware of it, the Government pointed out that as the provision was in the Lisbon treaty, it has been...
- Other Questions: Syrian Conflict (13 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: The western powers, with the prompting of Saudi Arabia and Israel, wanted regime change and interference has made the situation in Syria 100 times worse than it would have been without external interference. The centre for Syrian studies at the University of St. Andrews has stated that the reduction in living standards and aid dependency as a result of the sanctions is empowering the regime...
- Other Questions: Syrian Conflict (13 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Sanctions allow governments and international organisations such as the EU to appear to be doing something about war at times. At the end of the day, however, sanctions are a foreign policy tool which do not take account of the humanitarian needs of the citizens affected by war. It is obvious that the sanctions imposed on Syria have not had the intended effect on the Assad regime. It is...
- Other Questions: Syrian Conflict (13 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: While I have no intention of defending Assad, he is not the only one killing people in Syria as there are many other groups involved. A report commissioned by the UN, Humanitarian Impact of Syria-Related Unilateral Restrictive Measures, was never published because of its findings. However, it was leaked. It found US and EU economic sanctions on Syria are hitting civilians the hardest and...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (12 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, told us this was a structured initiative, to opt into and to opt out of what we want. We already have an opt in-opt out facility so why do we need to join a group to have more opt-in and opt-out? We are not opting in but joining. Ireland's neutrality is a matter of Government policy rather than a requirement of...
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (12 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: We are increasing defence spending but not building any houses.
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (12 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: We are not building enough of them, either.
- Other Questions: Defence Forces Expenditure (12 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: There has been no public debate.
- Climate Change: Statements (7 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: Ireland made a commitment at the Paris climate change conference in November 2015 to provide at least €175 million in public funding in support of climate action in developing countries between 2016 and 2020. Since then, our State, acting in its function as a tax haven, has robbed multiples of this amount from the developing countries. Even with conservative estimates of the tax...
- Climate Change: Statements (7 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: How much money is in it? The Government is still not building houses. Only three local authority houses will have been built in Wexford this year.
- Climate Change: Statements (7 Dec 2017)
Mick Wallace: There are over 3,000 on the list.