Results 21-40 of 3,759 for speaker:Michael Collins

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: We need a discussion about education, school size, class sizes and the capitation grant. Many schools are under immense pressure. I have been requesting statements in the Dáil. We also need a discussion about immigration and migration with regard to Citywest. I would appreciate if we could find time this week to discuss those issues.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Data (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: 796. To ask the Minister for Health the number of GPs reimbursed (PCRS), per month, for first and second consultations for terminations of pregnancy, from January to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33884/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services (24 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: 871. To ask the Minister for Health whether the HSE mental health facility at Perrot House, Coolnagarrane, Skibbereen is closing (details supplied). [34295/25]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (19 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: My constituents are deeply concerned about the proposed closure of Perrott House mental health care facility in Skibbereen, County Cork. This residential care facility, which is staffed for 24 hours, has been home to many long-term residents, providing them with essential programmes like horticulture, music, poetry and art, as well as access to the local library, church and shop in...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (18 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I will do my best. I cannot do any more.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (18 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The Minister will know I am not a man who is interested in theatrics or Government back-pats, but a Deputy elected by the people of west Cork to speak truthfully and plainly about the reality we face in the absolute failure this emergency RPZ Bill represents. This legislation is not a solution. It is a symptom of a Government chasing...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht – Questions on Policy or Legislation (18 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: The Government yesterday announced the purchase of Citywest, the main hotel and conference centre, at a cost of €148 million. What are the projected running costs? Will the State still be renting the CityArk complex, which has 400-plus rooms, from Tetrarch? The cost per person per night is €84. How much is that per year? Doubling the capacity of the site would mean the...

Public Transport Experience: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: Connecting Ireland is disconnecting quite a number of places, but I do not want to start with a major criticism. There have been great successes in my constituency, Cork South-West, in relation to Ardgroom, Bantry to Sheepshead, Crookhaven, Goleen, Lowertown, Skull to Skibbereen, and Baltimore to Skibbereen, where a second bus has been put on the route is so popular. These are the routes...

Emergency Action on Housing and Homelessness: Motion [Private Members] (17 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: During the election, Independent Ireland said a housing emergency needed to be declared and everyone ran away. Now it seems as though we are rushing through legislation in the Dáil this week in a frantic bid to try to overturn the emergency that is there. There are 15,000 people without homes, which is a huge emergency for those in that dire situation. I am inundated every weekend...

Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (17 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: Local property tax was set out to be tax for local authorities. I am not totally opposed to any tax as long as it delivers on exactly what it was meant to be. I will outline to the Minister exactly where it did not deliver in County Cork in recent years. A road at Allihies collapsed and there is no longer a lead road into that community. The council does not have money and has basically...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: We need statements on education. Primary schools are going through a serious crisis. I met with representatives of the INTO last week, as others probably did too. We need to look at class sizes, but the capitation grant was the big issue. Basically, schools cannot pay the electricity bill. If we cannot at least give them proper funding to allow them to continue their proper functions as...

Fisheries: Statements (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. This may be the first time we have been face to face. I appreciate his recent invitation to Castletownbere. Unfortunately, I was at another meeting and could not get there, but I will certainly meet him soon. I listened to some of the Deputies speaking in the Chamber earlier. I do not like talking about Deputies when they are not present, but Deputy...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: Wellman International in Mullagh, County Cavan, a pioneer in fibre manufacturing since 1973, faces an uncertain future. The company was placed in examinership on 3 June. It has just 100 days to find an investor or buyer to save 217 highly skilled jobs that are vital to the communities of east Cavan and north Meath. Local Independent Ireland councillor Shane P. O'Reilly, a strong...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: This country is crying out for accountability from regulatory bodies as we stumble from one scandal to another. Last week, I attended a public meeting in Oranmore, Galway, with Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice and Councillor Declan Kelly and met with parents whose children had been scammed by a local orthodontist and neglected by the Dental Council of Ireland. These parents paid large sums...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. He speaks about dental regulation, the Dentists Act and developments in 2024 or 2025. These people were hit hard in 2022. They have lost €2 million. How can any of them have confidence when we see the regulatory bodies fail the very people they are paid to protect? What does the Tánaiste say to the parents and children in their...

Proposed Approval of the Agreement Between the European Organization for Nuclear Research and Ireland: Motion (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I support the motion for Ireland to become an associate member of CERN, the European organisation for nuclear research. I do so on behalf of Independent Ireland with a clear sense of what this should mean for the Irish people. Let me be straight. My party is no cheerleader for big, wasteful public spending or for projects that line the pockets of consultants while ordinary people get no...

Ending the Central Bank’s Facilitation of the Sale of Israel Bonds: Motion [Private Members] (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: We will be supporting this motion to end the Central Bank of Ireland's facilitation of Israeli bonds. As a representative of the people of west Cork, which was profoundly impacted by the Great Famine, I have a personal connection to the suffering of the Gazans today. I repeat myself when I say we are here to protect life and dignity without taking sides. Ireland is trusted because we do...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: I will ask a number of questions and ask the witnesses to make note of them and answer afterwards. If I stop after every question, I will not get through what I need to. Obviously, the issue of waiting times is a huge one in many areas. It can be up to 11 months in west Cork, where I come from, in Skibbereen. It is a large geographical area from Castletownbere out to the Sheep's Head...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: Mine will be yes-no questions, if the witnesses do not mind, because we are tight on time. Will the RSA open a new centre in west Cork, seeing as Skibbereen is flooded? A waiting time of 11 months is outrageous and I cannot see it coming down in the near future. Is there a possibility of opening one in Bandon or somewhere?

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Michael Collins: On educating our children, it is important to get into our young peoples' minds. We have a motor school in Bantry, which is fantastic. Will the RSA work with the Department of education to make the theory test part of school exams to teach students because 99% of them are going to drive anyway? Is that something that will be investigated?