Results 2,081-2,100 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (3 Nov 2020)

Michael Collins: 1022. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will liaise with the third level sector in relation to advance payment for accommodation by students; if refunds will be offered to any student who has paid upfront for his or her accommodation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33046/20]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme (3 Nov 2020)

Michael Collins: 1544. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way the increase in funding in budget 2021 for the organic farm scheme will be allocated; the number of farmers that did not get into the scheme in 2018 but continued to farm under organic practises; the number of farmers who were registered as organic farmers in 2019 who were not recipients of the scheme payment (details...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Challenges for the Forestry Sector: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Nov 2020)

Michael Collins: We discussed this matter a number of weeks ago from a different perspective. Forestry policy is a complete and utter mess and an embarrassment. There are no winners because nothing is working. Until this issue is resolved, anyone who wants to plant will run a mile. Over the past number of weeks, I have said in the Dáil that perhaps only 2,000 ha will be planted. The Government's...

Forestry (Planning Permission) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank Deputy Martin Kenny for introducing this Bill, which I fully support. It is only a few weeks ago that we were discussing forestry here in great detail. The Minister of State was not prepared to take any amendments at the time. It looks like she is in the same frame of mind right now, that it is her way or the highway. Does she realise that there are 12,000 jobs at risk in rural...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. She said that for very many people in Ireland, being able to attend mass in their local church with their family and friends is a major source of comfort. That is certainly true but the problem is that people are not allowed to do so at this time. Ireland is the only country in Europe that has banned mass and the same restrictions apply to the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing Deputy Mattie McGrath and me to raise this important issue. The Government is seeking to coerce people and now issue fines to anyone who attends mass or prayers in their church. When the Republic of Ireland originally went into lockdown in March, public worship was suspended. From the beginning, church authorities have worked with the Government...

Level 5 Response to Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I concur with Deputy Fitzmaurice that the Minister might come back and give us clarity on the important issue of the marts, unless the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, can do so. On the confusion the Minister of State mentioned about students coming back from college, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, was on the radio yesterday evening and caused that confusion.

Level 5 Response to Covid-19: Statements (Resumed) (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: This is very disturbing. I thank Deputy Carthy for highlighting it. We certainly need answers. This news will be quite disturbing for many people. It is amazing. A neighbour of mine in west Cork, Mr. Pat McCarthy, has been telling me for a while that products we have been rubbing on our hands are highly dangerous. I did not listen to him, but I will certainly listen to him from now on....

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: Deputy Cullinane is right. Deputies are voting but they do not have a clue on what they are voting. They are just running along. In west Cork, we call such people "Yes boys" or "Yes girls". What is wrong with them? Surely they should know what we are voting for here. What fines will be applied and to whom? College students in Cork city or elsewhere might have next week off and wish to...

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I want to refer to questions I asked the Minister on the marts. I was here in the Chamber.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I will talk on the amendments.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I will talk on the amendments.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: The coronavirus is a deadly disease and a curse that has hit our country. I have always believed it is a massive danger but that we should also be doing everything in our power to bring people with us and not dictate to people. There will always be people who will break the law. We will never be able to rectify that in our political careers. Certainly, there are elements of danger but we...

Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act) 2020 - Part 3: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I support my colleagues. The Government wanted to change the format and the layout in which we speak in the Dáil. I saw with the railway Bill that went through the Dáil yesterday that Government Deputies never turned up. We are then left in the desperate situation because we are awaiting our slots which are pushed and the Bill is passed. It is the same thing that is happening...

Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act) 2020 - Part 3: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: They are not here.

Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act) 2020 - Part 3: Motion (Resumed) (22 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: I am glad to take up my slot to speak as others do not. I will not be agreeing with this vote this evening, tomorrow or whenever it is. It means that the Government is now moving from a co-operation phase to a surveillance and oversight phase to enforce Covid-19 compliance. People are scared. The elderly people are on their own and are scared alive of the media reports on top of them...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (22 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: 1 o’clock I wish to address the crisis relating to primary medical certificates, which confirm that a person is severely or permanently disabled. In June, the families of two disabled children won a Supreme Court appeal challenging a refusal to allow them to avail of the scheme. Both of the children were wheelchair users. One of the parents told me that when her son visited the...

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: The failure to record the deaths and burials of so-called illegitimate and abandoned children who died in various institutions during the last century is appalling. Now the Minister wants to bury any actual records that are there for the next 30 years so as not to acknowledge at all the lives of these babies. The reason archives are important is because they are evidence of events in the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: Up to 25 businesses and private residences were destroyed by floods in and around the square and quays areas of Bantry on Monday night. This left tens of thousands of euro worth of damage to property. There is no accountability here. Flood defence works have been promised to the people of Bantry for decades but there has been no delivery. This is the second time Bantry has been severely...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (21 Oct 2020)

Michael Collins: It is a cod.