Results 2,121-2,140 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (20 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I was wondering when she was going to refer to the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I join the calls for a debate on education, in particular, teacher shortages and pay equalisation. I understand there is an ongoing conversation between the teacher unions and the Minister for Education and Skills and the Department. To refresh the memories of some Members in this Chamber who may have forgotten, pay inequality started on 1 January 2011, prior to the 2011 general election....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: We need video assisted refereeing.

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister to the House again. I join other Members in congratulating Senator Craughwell on the introduction of this Bill, which has facilitated a conversation in this House on the nature of digital safety in the classroom and in schools. It is very easy to support this Bill because of the intent behind it. One hears stories from teachers and parents on the nature of...

Seanad: Education (Digital Devices in Schools) Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Senator Buttimer can speak for himself.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister of State. I find his contribution interesting. My problem with the Fine Gael-led Government's view on the world is that it wants to be a Government not for all of the people but for about 40% or 50% of the people. There is this idea it wants to convince people they are over-taxed and that, as the Minister of State said in his statement, public services are in need of...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: USC brings in over €4 billion a year. I wish we had that kind of fiscal reality statement from the Government instead of constantly giving this impression of a tax burden - "we are over-taxed", "squeezed middle", "reduce tax", and so on. Why is the 12.5% corporation tax rate the unspeakable sacred cow of Irish politics? Why is it that the absolute sacred cow of Finnish politics,...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The record will reflect the fact I did not interrupt any other speaker.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I will repeat the point. We have been wounded as a country over the ten years since the collapse of the economy.If we are expected to be bought off with talk of public sector reform, the overspend on public services the Minister of State is indicating and the nonsense about the rainy day fund at a time when the country is still wounded, I make the political charge that the Minister of State...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There are 10,000 people homeless.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: There are 3,500 children homeless.

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement: Statements (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Minister of State should suck up some of his own medicine.

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I appreciate that, like many of us, the Minister and Fianna Fáil are trying to grapple with this issue. We want to facilitate the ability of a child who has been reared through Irish to access education through his or her native tongue. That is reasonable. In fairness, Senator Gallagher has made a good fist of trying to devise a solution. Will the Minister confirm that he will...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I move amendment No. 43:In page 26, lines 30 to 37, to delete “virtue of—” on line 30 down to and including line 37 and substitute “virtue of a sibling of the student concerned attending the school.”. I have spoken on this issue twice already so the Minister knows my reservations on this part of the Bill. Essentially the section gives a school the...

Seanad: Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I really hope I get support across the House for my amendment when I resubmit it. I appreciate that previously a school could have had 100% of its students under this criteria. We are trying to change things and introduce legislation that will make things fairer. It is at the behest of a particular lobby group that this 25% cap is being applied. The Minister is right that Ruairí...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I ask the Leader to put on the record of the House the exact nature of the relationship between this Government and Deputy Michael Lowry, who has a criminal conviction for tax irregularities.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I found the Taoiseach's comments about this relationship at the weekend quite disturbing. I ask the Leader to inform the House exactly what support arrangements the Government has with Deputy Lowry, and indeed to publish those details. We would all be interested to know the exact nature of that relationship. I noticed that the confidence and supply agreement was flittered around the place...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Surely that agreement, which considers water to be more important than anything else, especially housing and child poverty, contains all the answers to the water shortages and water problems we are having in this country at present.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: The Minister is busy.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Sorry, I need to clarify. The Leader has not answered my question. I asked him about the relationship between Deputy Michael Lowry and this Government. He has not answered the question.