Results 2,861-2,880 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Nov 2018)

Michael Collins: It is stated on page 74 of the programme for Government that "Carers are the backbone of care provision in this country". For the carers and their families, the reality is quite different. For example, a person who is caring for someone who is admitted temporarily to hospital will have his or her carer's allowance stopped if the patient is in hospital for 13 weeks or longer, even though in...

Water Services: Motion [Private Members] (6 Nov 2018)

Michael Collins: My colleagues in the Rural Independent Group and I have put forward this motion on wastewater services this evening. The Environmental Protection Agency carried out a report in 2017. It found that: the wastewater treatment in 28 of Ireland's 179 large urban areas failed to meet European Union standards; raw sewage from the equivalent of 88,000 people in 38 towns and villages flows into the...

Vulnerable Persons Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (25 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. It is very poor for the Government to dismiss this Private Members' Bill as it has. I have stood up here in the Dáil many times to advocate for the rights of vulnerable people and the elderly. I support the Bill because it seeks to protect the financial autonomy of vulnerable persons, specifically elderly people who lack the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: With considerable confusion over Brexit and the ever-growing possibility of a hard Brexit looming over us, where does the cross-border directive stand? Up to 3,000 people from the Republic of Ireland will go to Northern Ireland for urgent operations such as cataract, knee and hip surgery this year. Can the Tánaiste assure us that the cross-border directive will work after next March?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Business of Joint Committee (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I second Senator Grace O'Sullivan's proposal.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I thank Ms Hanlon for her presentation. There are a few issues of concern. I would love to talk about rail services, but, unfortunately, there is no rail service west of Cork city. I cannot talk about it being early or late because we do not have one. When we had a discussion with representatives from Bus Éireann, they gave an indication that they would link bus services with rail...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: There are places that have no service at all.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: There is no service or support in west Cork.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Regional and Rural Transport Policy: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: That is perfect. I appreciate it.

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: With regard to improving the lives of people with disabilities, only a few months ago Ireland signed the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. This was positive news for many of those with disabilities who had poor or no services. Since being elected to the Dáil more than two and a half years ago, I have pleaded with the Taoiseach, his predecessor, Deputy Enda...

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: Exactly. Thank God women have freedom of speech and that party had freedom of speech today, and that gentleman had it too.

Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Bill 2018: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill today. There is no doubt that this Bill, regardless of one's position on it, will go down in history and will be spoken about for many years to come. Hundreds of people were here last night to express their serious concerns about this legislation. I am conscious of the fact that people have strongly held views on both sides and we must...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Creative Ireland: Discussion (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses for their presentation. I come from a very rural peninsula and a rural constituency and I worry about how accessible funding like this is to rural communities. We saw last week that with €60,000, Sherkin Island can deliver a massive arts programme. Some communities can deliver quite a lot, even with very little. It is important that the Creative Ireland arts...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: Over recent years, Ireland has experienced an explosion in the number of bluefin tuna feeding in our waters during annual migration, but Irish fishermen have no commercial quota to target this valuable species. In fact, they must actively avoid catching these fish while fishermen from France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Malta and Cyprus are allowed a catch allowance. Quotas for bluefin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42- Department of Rural and Community Development (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I thank the Minister for his presentation, which was of interest to rural Deputies. I congratulate Deputy Seán Canney on his appointment as Minister of State at the Department. I have known him since I was elected to the Dáil and he has a great interest in and understanding of rural communities. I echo the sentiments expressed by Senator Coffey regarding it being an excellent...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42- Department of Rural and Community Development (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: On LEADER funding, if a person has a set amount that should be spent in 2018 but it will not be spent, what is the position with the underspend?

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I am delighted to get the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the budget that was announced yesterday. Last night, I lay awake thinking of it. This is a sugar-coated budget. It looks sweet and nice on the outside, but when one scratches the surface, it has not provided adequately for the people of Ireland, especially the hard-working people of rural Ireland. This budget merely...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Value-Added Tax (9 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: West Cork is reeling in shock after this news today. It is an increase not of 1% or 2% but of 4.5%. It is an absolute disaster for rural Ireland. This budget has turned its back on rural Ireland just as previous budgets did. Who else is running the show here? It is the Minister, Deputy Ross. That Minister has already turned his back on the people of rural Ireland. He has been doing it...

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I am pleased the Minister is on our side this time in opposing the amendment.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (3 Oct 2018)

Michael Collins: I knew that sooner or later he would understand this was one step too far. I am pleased that his party colleagues or someone has brought him to his senses to some degree.