Results 3,861-3,880 of 24,391 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I wish to offer my sympathies to Senator Fitzpatrick. I was not aware when I made my earlier contribution. I had the pleasure of knowing Dermot, who was a gentleman. I wish her and her family my deepest sympathies.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Aviation Industry (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: The Minister of State is very welcome. I appreciate his being here. I know this is not his area of specialty as a Minister of State. The aviation industry and the hospitality sector have been decimated in the past two years. I welcome the opportunity with this Commencement matter to raise the need for an aviation and hospitality tourism recovery task force strategy. My Commencement...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Aviation Industry (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. The critical point is, first, that there are no plans and, second, that we have a new national aviation policy being rewritten. The pivotal point from which we should start is that our airline and aviation sector has changed considerably, as I said. We have seen profound change. Tourism is our largest indigenous employer, responsible for over...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I ask that we invite the Minister for Health to the House as a matter of urgency. Prior to our recess we saw the dismantling of NPHET. I said at the time that it was a mistake and still believe it was a mistake. I could ask cynically where Dr. Tony Holohan and Dr. Cillian de Gascun are now given that we have seen a resurgence of the new wave of Covid-19. I made the point in this House...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to the House. I thank her for her work, commitment and engagement. While my contribution will be critical it will not be critical of the Minister of State and I want to make this quite clear at the beginning. This is very important legislation. The Minister of State to her credit deserves our support for bringing it forward and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank our guests for being with us. Senator Horkan's questions and Mr. Blevings' answers helped to clarify matters. There is a need for clarification around the cost being experienced by the consumer and Mr. Blevings gave a good explanation. However, there was, and is, annoyance. I hope that the witnesses can see why that frustration and annoyance was felt. We need greater transparency...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: On the basis of that answer and the earlier comment that electric cars remain out of the reach of many, what can the Government do to put us on the right trajectory? The figure of 12% applies to new cars. How can the Government move back onto the correct roadmap towards the electrification of the motor fleet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: That is what we are trying to do. However, an integrated and positive transport policy can be difficult to attain for rural Ireland, given that people in those areas may be a distance from a bus stop or bus service. Mr. McPartlan mentioned overdependence on Russian oil. Surely the nub of the problem is that we do not have an integrated strategy and are overly reliant on Russian oil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: May I ask Mr. McPartlan one quick question about his contribution? I thank him for his contribution. He mentioned NORA and the issue of the 90-day stock. Should the stock be for more than 90 days?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Do our guests have any comments on carbon tax? Should its application go ahead or be delayed? Should it go ahead in May?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Would anybody else like to comment on that to give us an overarching view?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the witnesses for that. The last contribution is telling in that it is about the future and how we can ensure that we move towards a different type of automobile economy. It is also a matter of the committee considering the fighting on the back. From his engagement with the Government, does Mr. Blevings believe we could be successful in this regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Has there been any other engagement with Mr. Blevings’ counterparts in Europe on the change to the VAT rate and so on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the witnesses. This engagement is important. There is a need for us to engage further and to have greater transparency on the issue of pricing. There was much frustration and anger among consumers. I know from talking to retailers in Cork that there was also a lot of anger and frustration on their side. To be fair, we are all caught in the storm that is the crisis we are in. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I will not land the Chairman in jail either but I thank all our guests for their very fine contributions. As Senator Horkan alluded to, we should return to the various recommendations as a committee. I thank Mr. Kavanagh, in particular, for attending. David O'Brien of Cork Coach Hire, a commercial operator, been strong in his advocacy. Will Mr. Kavanagh elaborate on his comments...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I apologise for interrupting. Was it just because of the carbon element that they were deemed not to be acceptable?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: The other part of my question is whether there is a threat to the ongoing provision of school transport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Fuel Prices: Discussion (23 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I have another meeting at 4:30 p.m. and I apologise to the witnesses that I must leave shortly.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: I pay tribute to Senators McGahon and Horkan for their very sincere tributes. I pay tribute to the late Mr. David Hill and to both Senators, who I know have been very shaken by the events. Our thoughts are with them as well. We thank them for their solidarity here today. We send our deepest sympathies to the Hill family. I ask that we have a debate on customer care and customer service....

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Mar 2022)

Jerry Buttimer: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. This is important legislation. We should remember we are talking about men and women of An Garda Síochána who serve to protect us all. If we ever doubt the value of the role of members of the Garda, we saw it in Covid and see it every day. Senator McDowell made a telling reference to a...