Results 5,781-5,800 of 20,894 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I wish to support the amendment tabled by Deputy McNamara. I reiterate that I do not believe this legislation has anything to do with reopening the pubs or a roadmap for the pubs. It is just giving more power to the State to do what it likes. The sunset clause is not adequate. As I stated earlier, a lot can happen before the sun goes down. We do not know when the sun will go down on this...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: This is fundamentally flawed and it is grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented, GUBU, territory. I support Deputies Boyd Barrett and Barry in their opposition to the section but it appears the Minister is not for turning. It is always the sledgehammer at a time when we are trying to bring the people with us. Ní neart go cur le chéile. The people have been with us but...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I will be brief because I know time is short for amendments and the debate. This is more draconian legislation. I have heard regularly from people of machinery being stopped on the road. The Road Safety Authority checks on a machine to see if it is working and use ceases for the day. Such a person has the chance to go back. However, if a licensed premises is closed like this, it would...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: In support of that, I was at the Business Committee-----

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I am really disappointed with the Minister. I defer to Deputy Howlin, who has had a long service in the House and, as a Minister in a number of Governments, was in that seat putting through legislation and dealing with the Teachtaí Dála who wanted to make amendments or whatever. He is dead right. We are down to a matter of two words. On Sunday, I heard a representative of an...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I am aghast that the Minister will not remove the words by accepting the amendment. Many Government backbenchers are in the Chamber talking about supporting publicans but they will be voting against them. There is no roadmap or legislation to allow the pubs to open. There is no green light. I spoke at the meeting on Monday with NPHET, which Deputy Howlin and the Taoiseach also attended,...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I support Deputy Howlin's amendment. As I said when I called the vote last night and by having the vote, this Bill is rushed and there has been no pre-legislative scrutiny. As I also said last night, we have supported every piece of legislation from day one, when this first broke around St. Patrick's Day, blindly, I would say, and in a rush, but in good faith. The public and the publicans...

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: My understanding from the Ceann Comhairle was that the vote would be taken tonight.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: My understanding was different.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: It came from the Ceann Comhairle.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I am begging the Minister to be careful in terms of the language that is used. We had a briefing the other day with NPHET and the Taoiseach.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: Immediately after that meeting, Dr. Ronan Glynn went out and talked about a lockdown. They are not listening.

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: Having listened to this debate all day, I am not reassured that we will have what Deputy Durkan and other speakers are calling for, namely, that in tandem with this quite draconian legislation, which was introduced without any pre-legislative scrutiny, we will have legislation to allow pubs to open. A carrot is being dangled in front of Deputies to get them to vote for this quite severe...

Nomination of Member of the Government: Motion (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to congratulate the Minister. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Teachta agus lena chlann go léir. Deputy McConalogue's wife, Jackie, his two young boys, his home town of Gleneely in the north of Inishowen and the entire constituency of Donegal will be delighted. Importantly, the new Minister comes from a farming background. I thank the previous Minister, Deputy...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: What the Government and the Chief Whip have done amounts to downright blackguarding. Some 14 groups will have spoken in today's debate before our group gets to speak. If the experience over the past four years and before has taught me anything, it is that Government backbenchers have a habit of not turning up. The Ceann Comhairle is well aware of that, as is everyone else here. As I said...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: It is the wrong Minister.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: We are going to have the wrong Minister.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: We have had the lecture already. It is our duty to scrutinise this legislation and ensure the public can support it.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Sep 2020)

Mattie McGrath: On the same matter, this is farcical in the extreme. Section 13 gives the Minister for Health powers to introduce different regulations, as Deputy Howlin has alluded to. There is so much uncertainty around this area. We all bought into this situation in good faith back in March last and we did our best with regard to emergency sittings and legislation but this is a step too far. We are...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Mattie McGrath: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. In March and April, the focus was rightly on flattening the curve. Everybody co-operated with that. At the height of the pandemic, there were 879 patients in hospital,160 of whom were in ICU. It appears that great work was done by everyone. I sympathise with anyone who lost their life and the trauma people went through. However,...