Results 361-380 of 886 for speaker:Mark Wall

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Local Link Transport Services: Discussion (10 May 2023)

Mark Wall: Is there co-operation between the local authorities and the NTA? Are there constant conversations? One thousand into 12,000 does not really go, as Mr. Gaston has said. What can we do to speed things up?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Local Link Transport Services: Discussion (10 May 2023)

Mark Wall: Last week, we attended the national fare strategy launch in Buswells Hotel across the road from here. Mr. Gaston mentioned fares being based on the distance as the crow flies. Does he think this will have a knock-on effect on rural transport? Some of the routes involve loops and so take longer than a route as the crow flies. It is very important. Pricing was mentioned in the opening...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Local Link Transport Services: Discussion (10 May 2023)

Mark Wall: We will wait and see.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2023)

Mark Wall: I welcome the guests in attendance today. I wish to thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation to Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, Larry McCarthy, to address the Chamber just over a week ago. One of the final things the uachtarán mentioned was the fact that GAAGO was available for €79. Unfortunately, since then, I have been contacted by a number people and, as...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2023)

Mark Wall: There is one other issue I want to raise. I understand that the Minister of State at the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media with special responsibility for sport and physical education, Deputy Thomas Byrne, is meeting today with representatives of the three largest national sporting organisations. That is very important, and something I have raised before. We...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Apprentices) Bill 2023: Second Stage (3 May 2023)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House, and I look forward to his response to this very important Bill. I put on record the Labour Party's thanks to Senator Sherlock for her considerable work on preparing and bringing forward this Bill. As has been said, there has been a drop of more than 300 apprenticeship registrations, down from 8,607 in 2021 to 8,286 in 2022. To put it simply, the...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Apprentices) Bill 2023: Second Stage (3 May 2023)

Mark Wall: The Minister of State, without interruption.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by GAA President, Mr. Larry McCarthy (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I welcome the uachtarán, his wife Barbara, children Conor and Shane and the rest of his family. I welcome also the GAA officials and everyone who is here with the him. I welcome him as a proud member of Castlemitchell Gaelic Football Club in Athy, County Kildare. The Cathaoirleach has already referred to it, but it is especially pleasant to stand here today after our victory in...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by GAA President, Mr. Larry McCarthy (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: We even have Hollywood copying us now and that shows the power of the GAA as well. I use this opportunity to say comhghairdeas to a good friend of mine and fellow Athy person, Hilda Breslin, uachtarán of the Camogie Association. Integration and how important it will be has been mentioned and the uachtarán has lead on that, but I wish Mary McAleese the very best. It is important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I thank the Chair and welcome Mr. McKeon and Mr. Molloy to the meeting this morning. I wish Mr. Molloy the best in his new role. I spent 20 years working on appeals in social welfare. I have always found them to be fair. I have also always found that it is an important mechanism for public representatives working on social welfare payments. However, since the Covid-19 pandemic, I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: Good.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I was just looking to come back. I was not rolling my eyes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Draft Regulations on the Operation of the Social Welfare Appeals Office: Discussion (26 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I was not rolling my eyes. I was trying to catch the Cathaoirleach's attention. I am also a member of the Joint Committee on Autism and we get this day in, day out. This question is probably more for Mr. McKeon than Mr. Molloy with regard to documents and their complexity but it feeds into the appeals process as well and the concerns people have. If a person can handle online, I am all...

Seanad: Report of the Independent Review Group on Dignity and Equality Issues in the Defence Forces: Statements (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House to discuss this important report and the urgent actions needed to address the major and worrying concerns raised throughout the report. As colleagues have said, it is right that the report also acknowledges that the Defence Forces have a proud and rich legacy that is recognised and highly respected at home and abroad. It is a legacy on which many in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy (Resumed): Discussion. (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I thank Ms Dada for her presentation. I would like to touch on her schooling and how it affected her diagnosis or lack thereof. Did she get any help when going through primary school or secondary school?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I welcome all three Ministers here. This is a very important discussion we are having. I continue to receive calls on a daily basis from people looking for housing.. Unfortunately, where I live in County Kildare, people are still seeing that houses are not being delivered quickly enough. We all want houses delivered quickly enough. The Minister has stated that the Government is doing it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: It was announced today that the scrapping of the development levies will cost €308 million. Is the Government going to fund the local authorities for that money. Can the Minister confirm this?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: One of the biggest issues that comes up when I talk to Kildare County Council in particular, is availability of land for social housing development. What are the plans to make land available to support local authorities in purchasing land? Much of the land they have at the moment is simply not suitable for housing development.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing for All: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2023)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister. I want to take up a point that Deputy Higgins raised and which I also raised with the Minister the last time he was in the Seanad regarding the housing adaptation grants. I am informed through a Commencement matter that this report has been on the Minister's desk since January of this year. The Minister might check with his officials if that is true or not. What are...