Results 3,581-3,600 of 3,902 for speaker:Michael Collins

Private Rental Sector Standards: Motion [Private Members] (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this important motion. I thank my colleagues in Sinn Féin for tabling it. The housing issue facing Ireland is beyond crisis point. Viewing the "RTÉ Investigates: Nightmare to Let" programme, it was appalling to see the situations in which some people have been forced to live by rogue landlords. Tenants' lives are being put at risk by...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: 365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of extending maintenance grants to all students at the current 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% rate and at the current special rate. [46334/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Funding (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: 366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a deadline will be set for the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills to make a recommendation on the future funding of higher education. [46335/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: 367. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of restoring SUSI grant rates and thresholds to pre-2011 levels; and the number of estimated additional students that would be eligible under the scheme if grants were restored to these levels. [46336/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Reform (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: 368. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of increasing SUSI grant thresholds by an additional 10% on top of the pre-2011 threshold if those were to be restored; and the number of estimated additional students that would be eligible under the reformed scheme. [46337/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Information and Communications Technology (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Collins: 934. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the options that will be available to farmers that do not have Internet access for 2018 when applying for area aid in view of the fact the application is due to move to an online procedure from now on. [46431/17]

National Planning Framework: Statements (26 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this important matter. Last week, I raised my concerns about the MacKinnon report by means of a Private Members' motion on behalf of the Rural Independent Group. This report comes under the new national planning framework. Ireland 2040 is supposed to provide a framework for national planning, pulling together relevant Government policies and...

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I raise an issue of huge concern to both my constituents in Cork South-West and people all over the country. I speak of people who have been left hurt, sick and frustrated by the incompetence and delays on the part of the Health Service Executive, HSE. For the many reasons I will outline, elder care is at an all time low. Yesterday, a 90 year old man from Bantry, west Cork, travelled...

Leaders' Questions (25 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. In regard to the 90 year old gentleman who, as I said, is currently on a five-hour journey to west Cork having had his operation carried out in Kingsbridge Hospital, Belfast, why is it not possible to have procedures of that type carried out in Cork or, at least in the South of Ireland? Why can our health service not treat our elderly in the same way as...

Finance Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. During my statement on the budget three weeks ago, I warned that what appeared to be a soft budget would prove quite different when the finances were broken down over the following weeks. I hate to say "I told you so" but as we are trashing out the Finance Bill to implement all of the proposed budgetary measures and as there has been...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Transport Costs (24 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: 125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the remote area grant for school children living in remote areas of the country in order to increase the payment rates and bring them in line with transport costs (details supplied). [44652/17]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harbour Fees (24 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: 289. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which the cost of renting moorings by fishermen varies (details supplied). [44653/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Lower Lee (Cork City) Flood Relief Scheme: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: The witnesses are very welcome to the committee. I represent the constituency of Cork South-West, which knows plenty about flooding. There are many very successful schemes under way and currently planned in Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen. I have heard many of the issues raised by the witnesses discussed on the airwaves. While it does not affect my constituency, it is of interest to me...

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I would like to start by thanking the emergency services, the councils and the ESB.

Questions on Promised Legislation (18 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: It would be under health and safety, I suppose. I thank them all for their excellent work in recent days. In west Cork along the coastline we had a storm with winds reaching a peak of 190 km/h and waves at 50 ft high. Fishing equipment has been severely damaged and lost, such as pots and so on. It cannot be insured. Will there be a replacement compensation package put in place for...

Local Authority Boundaries Review: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I move:That Dáil Éireann recognises that: — there is an attempt by agencies in the private sector and State bodies to encroach on county boundaries; — the National Planning Framework document seems to imply that changes in county boundaries are a distinct possibility; — the reform of Cork City’s boundary is the most significant reform of local...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (11 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I welcome aspects of yesterday's budget but the devil could well be in the detail. The €9.6 million for transport and road infrastructure needs further examination. Is that €9.6 million going into the greater Dublin area or will there be serious funding for roads in west Cork? Our N71 route through Innishannon, Bandon, Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Ballydehob is choked of any...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Budget Statement 2018 (10 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: While I welcome many aspects of the budget, I fear the devil will be in the detail and we will not see what will really happen until the coming weeks, as has been the case many times previously. I sincerely hope the Government's actions to relieve the pressure on housing will work. Whether one lives in Castletownbere, Bantry, Bandon, Dunmanway or Clonakilty, the story is the same - there...

Water Services Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I am happy to speak on this very important topic this evening. Like many of my colleagues, I was very much opposed to the introduction of water charges in this country. I welcome the fact that this Bill provides for the discontinuation of the domestic water charges fiasco that was set up under the 2014 Water Services Act. It also sets out provisions for the refunding of payments made to...

Vacant Housing Refurbishment Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (4 Oct 2017)

Michael Collins: I am very happy to be able to speak on this important issue. I commend my colleagues in the Fianna Fáil party for bringing this legislation forward. The housing crisis is one of the major challenges facing the current Government and to have faced its predecessor. Recent figures show there are 1,442 families homeless in the State at present. This represents an increase of 25% since...