Results 101-120 of 399 for going forward speaker:Mattie McGrath

Ballymurphy Inquest: Statements (18 May 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...Laverty and John James McKerr, were innocent. Things went on in Northern Ireland and we will never get a final peace if we cannot have honesty and reconciliation, and acceptance by the British government that barbaric acts happened there. There were many other events, including the killing of Aidan McAnespie in Aughnacloy, for which there was no proper investigation. There was a...

Residential Property Market: Motion [Private Members] (11 May 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. The Minister for Housing Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, Deputy John McGuinness, mé féin and Senator David Norris, with the help of Edmund Honohan, the highly respected Master of the High Court, brought forward the Affordable Housing and Fair Mortgage Bill in 2018. The skullduggery and blackguarding...

Europe Day: Statements (11 May 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am very disappointed with the Minister, mar níl sé anseo. I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, but I used to listen to a radio programme many years ago that was known as "Dear Frankie". The Ceann Comhairle may remember it. It seems Frankie has been put forward to answer everything in here. It just goes to show that the Government has no respect for...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 May 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am not. I look forward to a robust debate with the Minister. We understand each other and have no hard feelings, and the same goes for all the members of the Rural Independent Group. Deputy O'Donoghue asked me to ask the Minister when, like "Living with Lucy", the Minister will visit Limerick with him. This is perhaps the most far-reaching piece of legislation to come before the...

National Autism Empowerment Strategy: Motion [Private Members] (29 Apr 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...spent more than €8,000 on consultants and advisers from Deloitte and other companies but there are 5,018 people waiting for an assessment. The trauma, stress, anxiety, fear and desperation that parents go through with autistic children - some families have more than one - is heart-rending. As elected representatives, we feel powerless to help. It beggars belief that a town the...

Common Agricultural Policy Reform: Motion [Private Members] (22 Apr 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I offer my sincere thanks to Deputy Pringle for his hard work in bringing forward this motion. It is very timely because this is a three-card trick as far as I am concerned. I am from the Golden Vale and proud of it. I will declare an interest. I happen to own land with lots of heather on it, which was reclaimed by my forefathers. They earned their living from it and fought for freedom...

Ireland's participation in MARSUR III: Motion (22 Apr 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to have an opportunity to speak to this motion on the European Defence Agency. The Government is good at bringing these motions forward and having them passed in the House. Like other Deputies, I have the utmost respect for our Army and navy. We need to support, respect and pay their members. We are doing none of that other than paying lip service to it. We have seen...

Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Order for Second Stage (21 Apr 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...on all aspects of our lives, especially in rural Ireland, and on jobs all over our country. The very fabric of the essence of the survival of the farming sector and many rural economies is going to be an undermined with this legislation. It is rushed and ill-conceived, and it looks grand and dandy and is nice to pander to the public and to our friends in Europe and elsewhere, but...

Project Ireland 2040: Motion [Private Members] (1 Apr 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...powers given to the Office of the Planning Regulator. We have much rethinking to do. Those of us in the Rural Independent Group will be forced to take a legal challenge if this is not recognised. I am disappointed that the Government is not accepting the good intent of the motion. Amendments have been put down, which is somewhat ridiculous. The motion refers to chronic...

Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (31 Mar 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...) Bill. We are almost fiche bliain ag fanacht ar an mBille seo. It is important for us to have a review of legislation and we discussed the point on reviews of legislation here some weeks ago when Deputy Pringle put some amendments down, I believe, to the Children (Amendment) Bill. Clearly, there were inadequacies, weaknesses and flaws, not by design or deliberate action, but this can...

Caring for Carers: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (31 Mar 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I too compliment Deputy Cullinane and Sinn Féin on putting forward this motion. We could not talk about a more sensitive, deserving and needy group of the population. They give all they can to those they care for, who are normally elderly but can also be vulnerable young people. I salute the carers and Councillor Richie Molloy, an independent councillor in Clonmel, and his team who...

New Decade, New Approach Agreement: Statements (24 Feb 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to speak on this today. I salute the architects of the Good Friday Agreement and the peace that we now enjoy. I look forward to the New Decade, New Approach agreement. I happened to be in the residence of the British ambassador in Washington two years ago, on the day before St. Patrick's Day. The most senior civil servant in Northern Ireland at the time, whose name eludes...

Counterfeiting Bill 2020: Second Stage (11 Feb 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...get the trust of the people. I am not calling those people who provide the information "informers", because that word has gone out with the Flood; they are civic-minded people telling about things going on that should not be going on. We must support them. I salute the community gardaí, such as those under Sergeant Moloney in the Cahir district, namely, Garda Jenny Gough and...

Counterfeiting Bill 2020: Second Stage (11 Feb 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...so I thank him in anticipation, if that is all right. I will make a number of brief comments on this Bill. I have questions to ask the Minister of State. Is í an chéad cheist ná cén fáth go bhfuil an Bille seo ceithre bliana déanach? Why has it taken four years and are we four years behind? I know that the current Minister of State was not in office...

Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Feb 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...The aviation industry is very important. People can criticise Ryanair and its chief executive's style but it did transform the industry and introduced competition into it. People were able to go away to holidays in places that they never dreamed of because of competition. We need competition; it is the spice of life. I also salute Aer Lingus. I have travelled a few times with it but...

Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (27 Jan 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am happy to speak on this Bill. I want to send my good wishes to the Minister for Justice. Looking at the Bill and listening to the Minister of State, when the European masters want something done, we jump. They say jump and we ask how high. However, there is much legislation languishing in the bowels of the Department of Justice that has not been implemented. The Minister of State is...

Covid-19 (Special Educational Needs Provision): Statements (21 Jan 2021)

Mattie McGrath: I am here, like everybody else, trying to help. I believe that for those with special difficulties in education, we must find the road map forward. Deputy Ó Cuív and others have suggested the Minister would go into a tunnel with the teaching bodies, the SNA representatives and the parents’ representatives. I know of some traumatic situations for parents, as we all do....

Covid-19 (Education): Statements (14 Jan 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...Buildings at 6.20 p.m., having been there from 4 p.m. meeting the Taoiseach. By the time I reached Bray, the Government's decision had been overturned. We were assured that special schools were going to reopen and that leaving certificate students were going to be brought back. However, within 20 minutes, that decision was pulled and there was utter confusion. I am delighted to hear...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (14 Jan 2021)

Mattie McGrath: The Tánaiste might be playing little games with Sinn Féin, but I want to go back to the banks. When is this Government going to deal with the banks? The Government removed the moratorium and thousands of small businesses and homeowners are now being threatened and intimidated. Many of them are trying to engage with the banks but they can get no clarity on what is going to happen...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (13 Jan 2021)

Mattie McGrath: ...he will demonstrate the same fury now in rooting out the evil person who maliciously leaked this report to the media before any of the victims could see it. It is shocking. We have too much of that going on today, with spin doctors all over the place scurrying around for bits of information and not minding how sensitive, hurtful or wrong that information is. Those are highly paid...