Results 1-20 of 399 for going forward speaker:Mattie McGrath

Dentistry Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (22 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...fact that dental services are not available to them is truly shocking. It is not the first motion of its kind and it will probably not be the last. The motion calls for legislation to be brought forward by September but there is little hope of that. It is a situation that affects every one of us, our children, our grandchildren and all of the families throughout the country. My...

Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...s folderol with the so-called BER rating and the whole lot, including insulation, and the cost of oil. The price of oil was increased and then the Government put on a carbon tax. It is backwards the Government is going instead of forwards. While it is in hock to big development and big business, we will not get houses for the Irish people. I know dozens of couples, as do my...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...of a particular country or region are assured access to healthcare. That is currently a pipe dream in this country, unfortunately. Our health system is broken, and I do not know what it is going to take to fix it. How are we getting the most basic things like providing our citizens with a decent level of healthcare so wrong? We currently have a health system in which our most...

Road Safety and Maintenance: Motion [Private Members] (15 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Ar an gcéad dul síos, I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this very important motion. It is an issue we have to deal with. My God, my own county was devastated last year with young deaths and we have had some this year again. This is a very important motion. There is not a simple solution. The Garda traffic corps has been decimated and we need those situations...

Dublin and Monaghan Bombings: Motion [Private Members] (14 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Ba mhaith liom ar an gcéad dul síos fíorfháilte a chur roimh na daoine agus na clanna go léir a fuair bás in the Monaghan and Dublin bombings. I want to welcome the families here and empathise with them. My welcome is not much good to them; they need justice. Unfortunately, they are not going to get it. I compliment Sinn Féin on bringing forward the...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) (No. 2) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ..., must regularly supply key operational data to HIQA, as drafted in the Bill. I have often spoken to HIQA. I do not have a lot of faith in HIQA, as the Minister of State is aware, and I have good reason for that. The whole saga of what went on in the nursing homes during Covid was diabolical. I am not blaming the nursing homes in most cases. The HSE literally abandoned them and...

Progressing Special Education Provision: Statements (9 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall mo chuid ama a úsáid. I wish the Minister of State well in her post and look forward to engaging with her. The whole situation is very sad. There is nothing more frustrating than young children and adult children waiting for services who cannot get them. Money is being pumped into the system. There is not doubt about that, but there...

European Union Migration and Asylum Pact: Motion [Private Members] (1 May 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...buíochas le Brian Ó Domhnaill and Triona in my office and my colleagues for putting down this motion. On behalf of the Rural Independent Group, I make no apologies to anyone for putting this motion forward. The Minister mentioned that a number of debates have been held. I think three of them were forced by us, after months of begging. We have used our Private Members' time...

Petrol and Diesel Excise Rate Increases: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (30 Apr 2024)

Mattie McGrath: I also compliment Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion that will try to deal with the cost of living issue for people and in this case, excise on fuel. The Government made a big hoo-ha about giving the excise rebates and they were very welcome. However to put the excise on now, especially for rural Ireland, the farming community, hauliers and everybody else is heartless and...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...this big sweeping brush the Minister has brought down from the, well, I cannot say the hills of County Cavan, but perhaps the boggy land or the turf areas of the county. One broom sweeps all. This is going to have a disproportionate impact on businesses, especially ag an am seo. Businesses are just hanging on by their fingernails at the moment. Deputy Collins raised this issue with the...

Ceapachán an Taoisigh agus Ainmniú Chomhaltaí an Rialtais - Appointment of Taoiseach and Nomination of Members of Government (9 Apr 2024)

Mattie McGrath: .... I acknowledge that unlike what I said this morning about his abysmal time in health. Recently, it has not only been Fine Gael that has been far too left for far too long. In my opinion all three Government parties and most of the Opposition occupy that left-wing space even though it is the private sector that generates our national income and wealth and even though 80% of employees...

General Practice and Local Health Services: Motion (20 Mar 2024)

Mattie McGrath: I too thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. It is a simple matter of fact that all services across the regions have been diminished and the lack of accountability is shocking. What happened recently in Nenagh with St. Conleth's nursing home was nothing short of blackguarding. Deputies Lowry and Cahill are both claiming that they got this centre to be a step-down facility...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (20 Mar 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...but I think the Taoiseach will be seen as a lame-duck participant this time because of the situation he has announced today. In any case, my long-time and continuing concerns relate to what really goes on at these meetings. I have asked the Minister of State this question before. Does he really bring the concerns of this House to these meetings? We have seen from the recent...

Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (27 Feb 2024)

Mattie McGrath: Gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion tonight. I sympathise with Deputy Michael Collins, his partner, Val, his own children, Eileen, Marie and young Michael, and his sister, the mother of that young man. I know how the Deputy was so fond of him. I was present when he had many phone calls with him over the past number of months. I know how hard Deputy...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Oversight of RTÉ's Expenditure of Public Funds and Governance Issues and Plans for Longer-term Support and Funding for Public Service Media: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (27 Feb 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...you briefed the presenter or the research team that you were prepared to answer this question, so it was a leading question to dismiss her publicly or throw her under the bus, as has been said. Going forward, how can you feel confident or what confidence can you give us or the public, who I think have switched off from watching this anyway because they are disgusted with it, as they are...

Healthcare Provision in Rural Communities: Motion [Private Members] (21 Feb 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...loss and to his brother Danny and the mother of the young man. I thank Tríona and Brian Ó Domhnaill in our office for putting this motion together. I am disappointed because, as usual, the Government has put forward a countermotion. Everyone knows that something is wrong. Somebody quoted figures earlier and said that spending has increased by €800 million, or 40%,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...manager have been employed in that location since the 1980s. Tipperary had a lot of hammer blows last week with a number of restaurants closing. On one hand the task force does great work and yet Government State agencies do this. An Post said it will advertise to get a private contractor or perhaps co-locate in a shop but we have no idea where, or who would be interested in this...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jan 2024)

Mattie McGrath: ...but there is now confusion and no clarity from the Department or TII. It is supposed to be a single carriageway route. It just beggars belief that in this day and age in 2024, they would design, go to all this fuss, upset all the landowners and householders with debates and consultants and so on, and contemplate building a single carriageway road. We must engage in forward planning and...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Mattie McGrath: Councillor Fitzgerald replaced his late dad on the council, so the service in the family goes back even longer. I wish his mum, who is in her 95th year, well too. I have minor concerns about the ten-year cycle for the development plans. It is very long. I know the plans can be amended but they seldom are and it is an arduous task. We will be submitting amendments on these issues....

Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (22 Nov 2023)

Mattie McGrath: ...to do an impact assessment on many of the schemes it has brought out. I welcome many of the schemes, but the councils do not have the staff to deal with them. The flow of information back and forward is too slow and untimely. On the proposal for renters, the cost of rent is outrageous. If we listened to the Minister's colleagues, we would think everything was hunky-dory. My own...