Results 3,901-3,920 of 9,293 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: He didn't inhale.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I agree 100% with the comments made by Senator Paul Daly. He passionately explained the crisis that faces tillage farmers across the country. The crisis is not just confined to that sector. The common denominator across all of the farming sectors is price, an raise raised whether talking to farmers at the National Ploughing Championships or, as I have done in the past week, in Donegal....

Seanad: Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement: Motion (5 Oct 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. I commend Senator Alice-Mary Higgins and the Civil Engagement group for tabling this important motion and welcome the chance to speak to it. I am glad to see that it has received broad support from other Senators. I wish to outline my deep reservations concerning the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I echo the comments made by colleagues on the extension of the deadline for slurry spreading. The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine dealt with this in recent weeks. It is a major issue for the farming community and this is a practical way farmers can be assisted through the difficult times they face. The substantive issue I want to raise today is na...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Regional Airports (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister will be aware that the City of Derry Airport serves not just Derry but the entire region of 500,000 people. It is the only region on the island that has no rail link, no motorway link and, now, no air link to our capital city, Dublin. In the City of Derry Airport, 40% of the passengers, approximately 140,000 to 150,000 per year, are from Donegal. Since 2010, the Irish...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Regional Airports (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Apologies, it was my fault.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Regional Airports (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It would be helpful if the Minister of State could do that. I would appreciate it if the Minister could meet Senator Ó Donnghaile and I to discuss this issue. I ask the Minister and Minister of State to meet the board and management of City of Derry Airport. The Minister of State mentioned Donegal Airport in Carrickfinn, which is a fine airport that should be supported. However, if...

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is reassuring for us.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion and, in particular, to argue in favour of Sinn Féin's amended motion. Our amended motion reflects the experience of workers under the last Government. I recall the workers in Lagan Brick, Vita Cortex, TalkTalk, La Senza, Clerys, Dunnes Stores and many more companies who were denied basic rights and had to engage in sit-in protests....

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It should indicate how we can have strong public services paid for by fair general taxation, offering a coherent alternative to the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael conservatism that has failed so many people in our country and their brothers in other countries.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is my appeal. We can heckle at each other or we can take on board the appeal from Senator Higgins.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit: Discussion with Mushroom Industry (27 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I was particularly taken by Mr. Wilson's contribution on the challenges of the big four and food deflation. This is a common denominator no matter what sector is before us. We had the various farming organisations here a fortnight ago. Ultimately, there will have to be an intervention around prices at European level. I would be interested to get Ms Dwyer's view from the IFA concerning what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit: Discussion with Mushroom Industry (27 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I asked whether the IFA had engaged with the Department of Social Protection on subsiding particular sectors as an alternative to not increasing the minimum wage.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Brexit: Discussion with Mushroom Industry (27 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I referred to the family income supplement as an example. I also mentioned JobsPlus and the back-to-work allowance. I gave examples of intervention schemes and I apologise if I was unclear. Have the witnesses engaged with the Department about an intervention that would subsidise particular sectors and provide assistance during temporary or long-term crises? I hope the current crisis is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (27 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Following on from Deputy McConalogue's earlier questions on aquaculture licensing, I receive regular feedback of considerable frustration around the length of time it takes to make decisions on these matters. Are there resource issues within the Department? The Minister has just talked about trade delegations, planning two and three year budgets and looking at new market opportunities....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (13 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I wish to raise two issues, the first of which relates to prompt direct payments. During August, a number of the farming organisations raised concerns about late payments and delays in notifying farmers of problems, be it in the context of the basic payment scheme, the ANC scheme, TAMS or whatever. This was despite commitments made by the Minister or in the farmer's charter. What is the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (13 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Some of my colleagues have commented on the processors, meat factories and multiples. This issue has been raised by farmers for years. I would like to get a sense from the witnesses of the view throughout the farming organisations. I have always heard tea and sympathy for this point of view across the political spectrum but I would like to know from the witnesses, working in co-operation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (13 Sep 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the delegation for their patience. They had a long wait before making a presentation. Mr. Kent referred to the problems with the computerised payment system in the Department. Several organisations raised this in August. There is a farmers' charter and the Minister has committed to getting payments delivered ahead of time, in line with recent EU agreements. What is the experience...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2016)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In terms of economics, it seems like an eternity ago during the first week of the general election campaign that every person in the country was speaking about the fiscal space and exactly what it was and meant. Given that the Department of Finance now advises that the figure of adjustment over the next five budgets will be €11.3 billion, we in Sinn Féin consider that this space...