Results 201-220 of 5,120 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Senators will not think I am wrong if I mention some local issues in passing. We are all familiar with the Tip O'Neill maxim that "all politics is local". I ask the Minister of State to bring high into his consideration the plight of the people of Virginia and Laragh in County Cavan, who are waiting for new schools. They have believed since the last election that new schools would be...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Ba mhaith liom tacaíocht a thabhairt dos na daoine a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht ar chóras baincéireachta natíre seo. It was important that the Members of this House, virtually unanimously, came out to say that the banks should pass on the interest rate cuts to consumers. The great mass of the people were fulsome in their support for the guarantees to the banks. There is a...

Seanad: Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Statements (9 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Senator Brady would never say that.

Seanad: Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Statements (9 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: I know.

Seanad: Money Advice and Budgeting Service: Statements (9 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Ba mhaith liom fáilte a chuir roimh an Aire. Táim lán-sásta tacú leis na focail deasa a dúradh mar gheall ar an iar-Aire, an tUasal Séamus Ó Braonáin, ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam. There is one startling statistic that stands out and is the backdrop to much of the discussion today, namely, the 33% increase in the use of MABS this year. While it is a startling statistic, it is not a...

Seanad: School Transport (14 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. The issue of the school bus for the school on the Quivvy Road in Belturbet, County Cavan, is one that could be resolved as a consequence of this debate. It could be resolved without cost to the Exchequer and bring a favourable result to the parents and children of the area. Twelve children eligible for school transport live on the Quivvy...

Seanad: School Transport (14 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for his courteous reply and, indeed, his courtesy at all times. While I take the point that there is no home pick-up service, and I fully accept that could not be the case, this is a distinct set of circumstances in that we are speaking of a negotiable route involving minimal extra travel — it is only a matter of the bus taking a different route to accommodate...

Seanad: School Transport (14 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: On a point of information, that was for employment creation.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Is it in order that the speaker misinform the House?

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Is the Leader concerned that the many exhortations made by a number of Senators, of whom I am proud to be one, to resolve the financial crisis without harming those on lower incomes and the weaker sections of the community have been ignored? Will he raise this issue in government to ensure an amendment, as proposed by Senator Coghlan, is made to remove the income levy from the lower paid,...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Senators Norris and Coghlan both proposed that an amendment should be made. It is unthinkable that one would impose a 1% levy on the income of a home help working on virtually the minimum wage to provide a vital service that keeps people out of institutional care or on the outdoor staff of our hospitals and local authorities.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: These groups will also be adversely affected by the 0.5% increase in the VAT rate, which will diminish their income. I have a specific question on an issue of immense concern of which the Leader must be aware. In rural areas, especially the area I represent, people do not have access to public transport infrastructure, for example, a railway or comprehensive bus service, to take them to...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: A Freudian slip.

Seanad: Unemployment Levels: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chuir roimh an Aire Stáit, go háirithe os rud é go bhfuil an beirt againn ag déanamh cúrsa Gaeilge gach maidin Déardaoin. Is é sin an fáth go bhfuil sé de dhualgas orm fáilte a chur roimhe trí Ghaeilge. The Minister of State will have no difficulty generously accepting that the corporation tax rate of 12.5% was an initiative of the John...

Seanad: Unemployment Levels: Statements (15 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: I am sure he will generously accept that. It is worth noting the gravity of the situation with which we are confronted in regard to unemployment. The live register is currently at 244,500, or 6.3% of the population. We have an unemployment rate which is higher than that in the United States, Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, the Czech Republic, Switzerland, Poland, Singapore...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: They are radically different.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: It is nonsense.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2008)

Joe O'Reilly: What about the guidelines?