Results 22,601-22,620 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister of State for his clarification. The Bill should stipulate the area of the Garda concerned because it currently refers to "any member of the Garda Síochána".

Seanad: Railway Safety (Reporting and Investigation of Serious Accidents, Accidents and Incidents Involving Certain Railways) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him well in his portfolio. I have no doubt he has a huge interest in the railway network. Rail safety is a hugely important issue. I come from a county where we have had our fair share of tragedies at level crossings over many years. Some of those level crossings have been upgraded to automated level crossings. There is one in my area,...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: I congratulate the Minister and wish him well in his portfolio. I, too, believe that we cannot fix the housing crisis in this House or with this Bill. In terms of landlords, we cannot have landlords without tenants or tenants without landlords. Landlords have played a very important role for many years and I hope that they play a role going forward. Quite a lot of landlords have left the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: Who makes the decision on state aid for airports and airlines? Is it the national parliament, government or the EU which decides how much can be given to an airport and airline? Is it made on the number of passengers carried? How will that be done in the future?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: How long does it take the EU to make a decision if a national government decides to grant state aid to an airport or an airline?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: Ireland is in a completely different position from any other European country. We are an island nation, as has been said previously. Can a special case be made for the likes of Ireland which is totally dependent on airlines and air transport?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Affecting the Aviation Sector: Discussion (27 Oct 2020)

Paddy Burke: On train travel between countries, does Mr. Cornelis believe the testing regime should be the same as that for air travel?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I do not see anything in the report about how the Government communicates the decisions it makes regarding the pandemic and how it affects business, particularly. We have seen during the summer where the Government takes a decision in the evening and implements it that night by 12 o'clock. The likes of that has serious consequences for hotels, restaurants, bars, the staff who work in those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: Are many other committees examining this report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: While we might believe that much of the report falls in our area, there may be duplication.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: The committee's remit includes the west. In terms of aviation, Ireland West Airport Knock plays a major role in people's weekly commute to the UK and Germany for work. They travel out on a Monday morning and return on Friday. All of those families live in the west. That matter could fall under our remit, but it could also be covered by the transport committee. The issue of testing and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I was making the point that we should write to that committee to ask it to examine the impact of the airports' closures on rural communities in the west, including on people who commute to the UK and so on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Final Report of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Discussion (4 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: The other element is the impact of a four-day working week on communities and how it would pan out during the pandemic. Would that fall under our remit?

Seanad: Ábhair Ghnó an tSeanaid - Matters on the Business of the Seanad (5 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I am seeking a debate in the House on water and waste water charges. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, was to commence the streamlining and standardisation of the over 500 different tariffs for non-domestic water charges and waste water charges but this process has been postponed until 1 May 2021. That is to be welcomed. At the same time, we need details on where the charges...

Seanad: Biodiversity: Motion (5 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I thank Senator Kyne for sharing his time. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate and wish her well. I thank the Green Party for tabling this important motion. I will shorten my speech considerably because of the time. Between 35% and 40% of the food produced worldwide is wasted. Europe should play an important role in food packaging. New types of food packaging...

Seanad: Biodiversity: Motion (5 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I raised everything I had intended to raise, albeit briefly. Food packaging is a multibillion euro area and new food packaging systems can be put in place now that allow food to be transported further and further throughout the world. The modified air system means the air in the carton or box is modified and kept at a certain temperature. Trials have shown that blueberries can last for 42...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (6 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I support the points made by Senators Chambers and Murphy during the discussion on the previous Commencement matter. It is vital that the funding is provided to Knock Airport. I welcome Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to the House and wish him well in his portfolio. I have not had an opportunity to do this previously. I will be sharing some time with Senator Buttimer. The recycling of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Recycling Policy (6 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: The Minister of State outlined some of the difficulties but did not address many others. The industry needs support and we should have a proper structure in place whereby we do not export our problems. We should be able to use this waste plastic to manufacture products that can be used throughout the country. The Minister of State did not address the issue of private contractors either,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2020)

Paddy Burke: I presume that by now most Members of the House have received a copy of a letter sent to the Director-General of the World Health Organization because of the exclusion of Taiwan from the World Health Assembly meeting that will take place between 9 and 14 November. I ask that the Leader of the House request the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Society to write to the World Health...