Results 3,241-3,260 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Questions on Promised Legislation (8 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: The programme for Government commits to make older years the better years for the elderly. After the Labour Court hearing yesterday, it looks like long-running problems in Bandon Community Hospital might be at an end. Will we see respite care made available to the people of the Bandon hospital catchment area? Most of them, if not all, have been refused over the past year.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill. Although some of its measures are important, it goes a step too far. I support the proposal to bring in a minimum pricing per gramme of alcohol. It is far too easy to get huge amounts of alcohol below cost price, which is causing huge damage to the pub trade.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: I am sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. The Bill places huge and unnecessary restrictions on alcohol advertising and sponsorship. The proposals set limits on how alcohol may be portrayed in advertisements. However, it could be detrimental to the sponsorship of events such as the Guinness Pro14 by alcohol companies. Where are we going with this? Why are we in here week after week...

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: It is more serious.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: If Deputy Shortall had her feet on the ground she would know that it is more serious. She will have her time to speak on the Bill and so will the Minister but this is my time.

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: Drugs are a very serious issue that is being ignored in the House and should be discussed in more detail. Perhaps we should lay off the drinks industry and see if we can create a few jobs and try to keep rural Ireland and communities alive. I would like time to be spent on seeing how we can help businesses such as hotels and pubs to survive. Earlier today, the Rural Independent Group...

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: I acknowledge that, but the Minister is a member of Cabinet-----

Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: ------and he should sit down at the Cabinet table and tell his fellow Ministers to stop attacking those who are selling drink and those who are trying to provide jobs in this country and, rather, see if we can do something to turn it around. A person whose insurance has increased from €80,000 to €230,000 cannot be expected to survive in business. The insurance costs for the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: The programme for Government states the Government is committed to delivering a schools capital programme for extensions and refurbishments. Parents of children seeking to go to the hugely popular school, St. Brogan's of Bandon, have been on tenterhooks for the last number of months as it looks like it will not be able to take over 50 students seeking admission. Some living just across the...

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: Temporary portakabins were promised from another school but, due to collapse of Carillion, this will not happen. Will the Taoiseach personally intervene in this crisis and ask the Department of Education and Skills to source temporary portakabins elsewhere to resolve this nightmare for parents and children in Bandon and the surrounding areas?

Questions on Promised Legislation (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: I appreciate that.

Leaders' Questions (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: On January 17, the Taoiseach spoke in the European Parliament. Following his speech, he faced questions from the leader of the Greens-European Free Alliance, Philippe Lamberts, who told him that Ireland was the worst country for tackling climate change in Europe and was very likely to miss its 2020 targets, which might potentially cost this State €400 million. In reply to his...

Leaders' Questions (7 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: The Taoiseach said that the money does not come from Minister Donohoe's Department as such but that it comes from the taxpayers. The people of Cork South West have been taxpayers for many, many decades and have got absolutely nothing back when the amount of tax they have paid for their roads is taken into consideration. I do not believe that the Taoiseach fully realises the crisis that has...

National Broadband Plan: Motion [Private Members] (6 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak to this important motion. However, I have yet to be convinced that it will help to have broadband provided in rural Ireland any more speedily. Areas in which there is an efficient broadband service in my constituency of Cork South-West are few and far between. Before I continue, I acknowledge and thank the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, for...

Order of Business (6 Feb 2018)

Michael Collins: On page 101 of the programme for Government, under the heading "Crime Prevention, Justice and Equality", there is a promise on the part of the Government to launch a pilot scheme to reopen six Garda stations in urban and rural areas. One of these Garda stations is in Ballinspittle in west Cork. When can we expect the Ballinspittle Garda station to be reopened? It is in a coastal area that...

Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (31 Jan 2018)

Michael Collins: I am very grateful to have the opportunity to speak to this important Bill and commend my colleagues in the Labour Party for bringing it forward. It aims to update and reform the criminal law in a technology neutral way as it applies to online and offline communications. These recommendations came from the Law Reform Commission's detailed report entitled, Harmful Communications and Digital...

Questions on Promised Legislation (31 Jan 2018)

Michael Collins: Page 112 of the programme for Government addresses the agrifood sector. In the light of the recent revelations published by The Irish Fieldexposing the practice whereby the Irish Horse Board changed the status of equine passports to have equines excluded from the food chain declared fit for consumption simply by placing a label over the stamp "Not fit for human consumption", can the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Pobal: Review of Past Performance, Current Issues and Future Strategies (31 Jan 2018)

Michael Collins: I welcome Mr. Leamy and Mr. Murphy. Having been involved in many boards and committees on a voluntary basis, I would have liked an opportunity to review the 23 programmes being rolled out by Pobal because I would be able to connect to many of them. Some years ago, a new social inclusion programme was introduced which focused initially on farmers and fishermen. It subsequently changed,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Pobal: Review of Past Performance, Current Issues and Future Strategies (31 Jan 2018)

Michael Collins: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Pobal: Review of Past Performance, Current Issues and Future Strategies (31 Jan 2018)

Michael Collins: On that basis, we lost a specific worker. There is a huge terrain of countryside in south-west Cork and at that time we lost our worker who was specifically dealing with low-income farmers and low-income fishermen. He was moved on to do some other job that did not relate to any issue of great concern to the people of west Cork. Unfortunately, we lost that worker. It was a huge loss to...