Results 541-560 of 3,850 for speaker:Mick Wallace in 'Dáil debates'

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: When was the last time the Minister of State voted against Fine Gael?

Other Questions: Defence Forces Deployment (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: The planes are not being inspected; we do not care what the Americans do in Shannon. Yesterday was the fifteenth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. The role this country has played in facilitating the destruction not just of Iraq but several other countries in the region is an absolute shame. We are still doing so. We should learn some lessons from Iraq and should remember it. Not only...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: Many Members of the Dáil have been raising the issue of Ireland's participation in EU battle groups for a while now and how our involvement is in accordance with our stated principles of neutrality, but the Government's response is to always hide behind intentionally opaque language. Last month, we even had the Taoiseach translating the term "battle group" into the French term "force...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: That vote does not give me any comfort given that the two largest parties in the State are both of a hawkish nature. The Minister of State is saying that the term "battle group" is unfitting. That reminds me a little of PESCO. The Government pretends when it comes to this but the Europeans do not pretend in the same way. They are a bit more open about it. They do not call it a battle...

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: 35. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the details of the proposed participation of Defence Forces members in the German-led EU battle group; the rationale for same; the expected number of Defence Force participants in the battle group; if Army Rangers will be deployed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10382/18]

Other Questions: EU Battle Groups (21 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: Again, we are facing the prospect of Irish troops taking part in an EU battle group. It has been reported that the Army Rangers will be taking part in their first overseas deployment since the peacekeeping mission in Chad in 2008. Will the Minister of State outline the range of military equipment that our forces will be using? How does he consider that such training and activity is...

An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I support the Bill and I support the repeal of the eighth amendment. Should the referendum pass I will support the recommendations of the committee and, for the most part, the contents of the Government’s policy paper. The first step, however, is dealing with the eighth amendment and this needs to be differentiated from the legislation to follow should the referendum pass. I have...

Sustainable Seaweed Harvesting: Motion [Private Members] (7 Mar 2018)

Mick Wallace: I give my full support to this important motion, which addresses a specific situation that has being unfolding, in particular, in the west of Ireland, for many years. There is not a tradition of harvesting seaweed off the coast of my area in south Wexford but, as I swim on Bannow Island on a regular basis and have to wade through 40 m or 50 m of seaweed before I get to clear water, I...

Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (22 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: 12. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the contract her Department has in place with Pobal; the services Pobal provides on behalf of her Department; if the contract was awarded following a tendering process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8999/18]

Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (22 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: This question relates to the State agency and registered charity, Pobal, which administers funds on behalf of the State. The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has the majority of contracts with Pobal. Can the Minister outline the services Pobal provides on behalf of her Department, the fees charged by Pobal and, most important, if the contract with Pobal was awarded following a...

Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (22 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Minister. An internal audit of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs completed in March 2014 examined the role played by Pobal and found some serious problems. I acknowledge the Minister was not in office at the time but I have to hand a copy of the audit report and it is pretty worrying. It states those involved understood that the Department employed Pobal without a...

Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (22 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: Did the Department of Children and Youth Affairs get legal advice on Pobal being outside of the rules of the EU procurement directives? If so, when was the legal advice given? Will she publish it?

Other Questions: Departmental Contracts (22 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: The Minister said it is independent. We have not seen the legal advice on that. Does the Minister not think that not seeking tenders and dealing with one contractor is bad business? In 2016, €204 million was disbursed via Pobal on behalf of the Minister's Department. Even though Pobal is a State agency, it does not do this work for free and charges fees. It was paid €13.5...

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: I had the pleasure of reading the plan over the weekend. It was tough going and there was a lot of repetition in it. I would probably have been better off reading some real fiction. The idea of long-term planning makes sense as we are all too aware that just about every Government in the history of the State has worked from election to election, with the vested interests of politicians in...

Project Ireland 2040: Statements (Resumed) (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: Come on lads, try to pull together.

Public Service Superannuation (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: I will take the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's point on board. I thank him for his tolerance. I appreciate it. Deputy Flanagan is the Minister for Justice and Equality now. He needs to be more proactive if we are to get a better functioning Garda Síochána. The Minister for Justice and Equality can hold An Garda Síochána to account. Things are not being done particularly...

Public Service Superannuation (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: Is the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, a hands-off Minister? Is he prepared to just let it all go on as normal because I was under the impression that the new Taoiseach has an appetite for doing things differently and I have no reason to believe otherwise?

Public Service Superannuation (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: How much time am I allowed?

Public Service Superannuation (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: We will try to get out of here before nightfall.

Public Service Superannuation (Amendment) Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Feb 2018)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I respect his ruling 100%. While we may also have been disappointed, we knew that Deputy Sherlock had every right to speak for as long as he chose to and we did not complain. Deputy Clare Daly and I also support being allowed to appoint a Commissioner over 60 years. It would be terrible if people over 60 years would be disqualified. Considering the...