Results 1,581-1,600 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Housing for All: Statements (28 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I am sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. I sincerely hope this plan will, as its name suggests, deliver housing for all. Such delivery is badly needed in this country. We have a housing crisis throughout our cities and we certainly have a massive crisis in west Cork. Last Friday, 12 people came into my clinic in Bandon, seven of whom have a housing issue. Two of them are homeless....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: General Scheme of the Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill 2021: Discussion (28 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I have been looking at the whole veterinary system. I thank Deputy Cahill and the team for bringing forward this Bill, of which we are fully supportive. I have concerns because I come from a peninsula in west Cork. We have got incredible service down the years that has perhaps spoiled us. Many of these veterinary surgeons have progressed in age, like us all, and I am worried. Have our...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (23 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: On 26 June, I raised the issue of the crisis the West Cork Development Partnership finds itself in with the walks programme, which benefits more than 600 farmers in west Cork. The Sheep's Head Way and the Beara Way are among some of the stunning walks covered by this scheme, bringing in €14 million in walking tourism revenue to west Cork. For the past few years, west Cork has had two...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Public Sector Staff (23 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: 4. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if funding will be set aside in order to provide an additional two weeks' annual leave to health workers (details supplied). [45920/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Public Sector Staff (23 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: All front-line health workers who worked through the Covid-19 crisis should be given an extra two weeks' annual leave or the option to receive two weeks' extra pay instead. Will the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform set aside the money for these healthcare workers to show them the respect they deserve?

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Public Sector Staff (23 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I thank the Minister for his reply. The healthcare workers gave so much in a very difficult time and continue to do so. Other than a clap here in the Dáil and a few nice words, they have got nothing. Even in regard to the smallest thing, the nurses had to pay their registration fees last year. That little bit of acknowledgement could have been given so that we could at least have...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh (Atógáil) - Priority Questions (Resumed): Public Sector Staff (23 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I understand the costs might be significant, but the value of these workers must be acknowledged by the country. I know the budget needs to be stretched considerably. The cross-border health initiative has not been properly discussed. The Minister has said the HSE is looking into this, which concerns me particularly when I consider how admissions were closed for 16 or 17 days at Bantry...

Garda Siochana (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I, too, have great reservations about the new divisional structures. I need to see that they will not dilute services on the ground to the people of west Cork who have seen a dilution of services in recent years. Some years ago, we had the closure of many Garda stations under the then Fine Gael-led Government. This led to the decimation of rural Ireland and started a flood of closures...

Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I suppose the reason many of the Deputies are missing is because the debate is about fishing. It is the fishermen of Ireland who will be affected by the decisions the Government is going to make today. I heard what Deputy Leddin had to say and I am disappointed that he does not fully realise the suffering fishermen are experiencing. Stocks are falling throughout the world because we are...

Residential Tenancies (Tenants' Rights) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: This Bill supports tenants and I give a cautious welcome to that because many tenants are in difficult circumstances. I notice this from week to week in my office when people come in who have been evicted from their homes and have very little recourse. If this Bill helps in some way, I will support it but we must also have respect with regard to landlords. I do not mean those who have 50...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (20 per cent Provision of Social and Affordable Housing) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (21 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: I will be supporting this Bill and I welcome it today. We have been in this House speaking about social housing, council housing and whatever else we used to call it since I was elected to the Dáil in 2016 and before that, to the council in 2014. To be honest, nothing has progressed but it has got worse and worse. An unmerciful influx of people have been coming into my office every...

Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment published the general scheme of what has become the Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill on 4 December 2018. This measure was proposed by the Government in November 2017, as part of a series of measures intended to address white collar crime. The principle measure to be addressed in the Bill is the establishment...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Impact of Peat Shortages on the Horticultural Industry: Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (21 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: Some of the questions I am asking have already been asked. Deputy Leddin said this is not a matter of the green agenda, but it is certainly an extraordinary situation we find ourselves in with regard to both forestry and peat and the Green Party is at the helm. We see the disaster that is unfolding. Some Minister somewhere along the line is unable to resolve this unfolding disaster for...

Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: The Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill 2021 was published on 29 July and comprises 58 sections. The purpose of the Bill is to implement EU Council Framework Decision 2008/909/JHA on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to judgments in criminal matters imposing custodial sentences or measures involving deprivation of liberty for the purpose of...

Maritime Area Planning Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: The Bill seeks to provide the legislative framework for a new streamlined development consent process for activities in the maritime area, including offshore renewable energy. The Bill also provides for the establishment of a new agency, the maritime area regulatory authority, to undertake certain consenting and enforcement functions in the new regime. Types of projects or activities that...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: We have had a series of health crises in west Cork. During the summer, Bantry General Hospital closed for 16 days with no admissions. We also had a crisis in regard to ambulance services, where an ambulance is no longer in west Cork any night when four ambulances are meant to be. There is a new crisis at the doorstep of the people of west Cork. For the past two weeks, the people of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Projects (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: 67. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a series of matters (details supplied) regarding road infrastructure in west Cork. [44395/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Projects (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: Will the Minister tell me the date work will commence on the Innishannon bypass? Will he also give the start date for the long-awaited completion of the Bandon southern bypass and start dates for the full northern relief road in Bandon and the Bantry bypass? Will he also tell us whether there are any plans to insert passing bays on the N71 from Ballydehob to Bandon or the R586 from Bantry...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Projects (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: The Minister is talking about eight to 13 years. That is a hell of a long time. This has been going on much longer than that for the people of Bandon who require the southern bypass to be completed and the northern bypass to be started. It the same with the Innishannon bypass, as I said. This is appalling. I hear nothing I can go back to the people of west Cork with and say that these...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Road Projects (16 Sep 2021)

Michael Collins: The Minister is talking about €4 million for improvements but that is for pothole repairs. That is what he is saying. Those are the facts. I would like him to visit the roads of west Cork. He perhaps knows west Cork better than most Ministers. I can show him some of the roads that are in appalling condition. I took the former Minister, Shane Ross, down there. I should have taken...