Results 2,201-2,220 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (24 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank our guests. Taxi drivers are suffering. Many taxis operators in the constituency of Cork South-West and throughout the country have been in contact with me prior to this ten-minute packaging and other things that they feel are not steering their way. Taxi drivers are suffering extreme stress and anxiety during the Covid-19 pandemic as they have seen their incomes wiped out....

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: A Dáil vote is taking place in the Convention Centre. We are in here, but we are meant to be voting as representatives of our constituencies in the Dáil. A bad mistake is being made here. In future, we cannot miss our Dáil activities because they are clashing with the activities of the committee. I respect this is a very important committee but we should be allowed to vote.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Maybe we should write to the Business Committee in the future to see that we are not losing our right to vote. We are elected by our constituencies to do that and to be here. I know this is a difficult time but we cannot be in two places at the same time. I thank our guests for being here today. As I said earlier, taxi drivers are suffering extreme stress. Taxi drivers and private bus...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Impact on Public Transport (Resumed) (24 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Ms Hanlon absolutely has. The impact of Covid-19 on the finances of coach tour operators has been disastrous. Such operators traditionally plan their finances on the basis that they need to cover their operating costs throughout the winter period until the tourist season commences the following March. The timing of the outbreak of Covid-19 has meant that many of those operators have no...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I appreciate that. I was in the same position as a previous Deputy. We got our wires crossed.

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: That people over 70 will have a better chance of getting a medical card is very important but we must also look at other areas where those over 70 are suffering quite a bit. For example, people in west Cork are seeking cataract procedures and we have taken over 50 bus trips to Belfast because our older people are suffering. They cannot get a cataract procedure in Cork or Kerry. Deputy...

Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: This is my first opportunity to wish the Minister and the Minister of State the very best in their new roles. I look forward to working with both of them in this very difficult but important area. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important issue of amendments that will provide for the expansion of GP care without charge on a phased basis to children of primary school age and...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: The previous Government promised and failed to deliver a new fair deal Bill. Farmers and business families are being penalised due to the current fair deal scheme. Will the Government address the shockingly unfair deal? When will it introduce legislation on a new fair deal?

National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: From the Seanad (22 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I wish to make some comments on the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provisions of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020. The National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, exists in its present form to ensure that Ireland maintains its minimum stockholding requirements for oil and petroleum products. It is there to ensure our national security of energy supply in case of global disruptions....

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (22 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Today we are discussing what effectively seems like a cut to the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, budget. How is this seen as a good deal? Rural Ireland and farmers in particular have in the past number of years suffered severely because of very bad deals being done and we are now looking at a further cut in forthcoming budgets that will mainly affect Irish agriculture. I need to know how...

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (22 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I suppose the worst thing-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses before us today. I will address my initial questions to Ms Ní Sheaghdha. How early was testing carried out of residents and staff in care of the elderly facilities? Should it have commenced earlier? Did the failure to carry it out earlier lead to staff and residents being at higher risk?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: We still have situations in community hospitals where the HIQA standards on single bed occupancy have not been met. Did multi-occupancy rooms lead to the spread of Covid-19?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I understand that Ireland has the highest Covid infection rate for health workers in the world and that one in every ten Covid cases reported involves a healthcare worker. Given that more than €1 billion will be spent on PPE in Ireland this year, how is it possible that healthcare workers did not have access to adequate supplies of it?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses for coming in. When Covid-19 was first identified internationally in late 2019, what steps did the HSE take to procure additional PPE? Was additional PPE ordered internationally? If so can, anyone give me dates and quantities?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: When Covid-19 was first diagnosed internationally, was a risk assessment done by the HSE? Did it identify the at-risk groups, and what steps were taken to safeguard them? On what dates were those actions taken?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Many people feel that if the HSE had been quicker in responding to Covid, fewer people would be affected and more lives would have been saved. The public has been asking whether the HSE was behind the curve on this. Was it?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Apart from EKO in Ennis, County Clare, what other Irish companies have been commissioned to produce PPE as an essential element of protecting our healthcare workers in the ongoing battle against Covid?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: Are healthcare staff better prepared to deal with a second wave of Covid? Based on what we have learned from dealing with this virus, how will the second wave be managed differently?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Infection Rate among Healthcare Workers (Resumed) (21 Jul 2020)

Michael Collins: We are aware that the UK and many EU countries put systems in place for the children of healthcare workers to ensure that these very valuable workers could continue to work. This was largely not the case in Ireland, where no proper childcare facilities were made available to the healthcare workers. Is there a plan in place for children of healthcare workers should we be hit with another wave...