Results 22,661-22,680 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pandemic Supports to the Islands and Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (9 Dec 2020)

Paddy Burke: On the report brought out by Pat Spillane a number of years ago, has that been consigned to the dustbin? He said that much of it was like confetti being spread all over the place. Has there a been a more concentrated effort in doing bigger projects? What has happened with that report?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pandemic Supports to the Islands and Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (9 Dec 2020)

Paddy Burke: Has the Department got any feedback from LEADER companies where projects that were due to go ahead may not now go ahead because of Covid-19? Perhaps the bank has gone cold or the project is out of date, or whatever. Has the Department seen any of those sorts of problems through the LEADER companies, where some projects could be in difficulty and may not go ahead even though the funding will...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and wish her well with the passage of this important Bill. I congratulate her on the tremendous work she has done over a difficult period in recent months. I support Senator Craughwell in what he said regarding Oireachtas Members. I would add that while we pay PRSI at the K class, which is the same rate as an S class, there are no benefits to us from...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: Is the Leader willing to ask the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe, to come to the House for a debate on negative interest rates? The European Central Bank has pushed the idea of negative rates. This is going to affect a number of businesses. Banks are charging different rates and implementing them at different levels. Some banks are implementing negative interest rates on deposits of...

Seanad: Mental Health and Covid-19: Statements (12 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this very important topic. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish her well with her endeavours in terms of this topic that affects nearly every household in the country at some stage or another. I compliment her on the great work that she is doing in this regard. A lot has been said about the activities that should take place...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator Crowe on minimum unit pricing. I have raised this issue before on the Order of Business. I cannot see why minimum unit pricing cannot be introduced at this time, when travel to the North is limited. It should not be beyond the bounds of possibility for us in the South to introduce minimum unit pricing. I wish to raise an issue relating to local print media. We have all...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: First, I wish Séamus Haughey the best of luck in his retirement, having spent 38 years in the Oireachtas Library and Research Service.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: Séamus was an outstanding and very efficient public official, who always came back to Members when we had queries for the library. He treated every Member of both Houses in the same manner.He will be a huge loss to the library service and a huge loss to the House. I wish him well on his retirement next week. I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Further and Higher Education,...

Seanad: Councillors' Pay: Motion (22 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate him on the great work being done on councillors' pay and the work of councils. Much more remains to be done, however. I could not do justice to this subject in the time I have, so I do not know what to say really. I congratulate the authors of this motion. Every Member of this House has spoken at some stage or other about the...

Seanad: Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (26 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: I would like to welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him on the great work he is doing on transport issues, and on greenways in particular. Some €63 million in funding has been allotted for greenways, and €240 million has been set aside for cycleways and walkways. This will help to change the attitudes of people and how they behave. They will appreciate their...

Seanad: Covid-19 (Aviation): Statements (26 Feb 2021)

Paddy Burke: I am glad to have a few minutes to say a few words on this important topic. I welcome the Minister of State and wish her the very best of luck with her portfolio. In the previous debate we spoke about airports and travel. I congratulate the staff of Knock international airport, Ireland West Airport Knock, including the chairman, Mr. Arthur French, the former chairman, Mr. Joe Kennedy, and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I ask the Leader to arrange for a debate on the hospitality sector.This sector is a major employer and it is on its knees. It is big employer of students and part-time workers, a group of people who will not get or who do not want to work on a full-time basis. It is a great source of income for those people and for students going back to college year after year. The reason we need a debate...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. It is hard to get everything into two and a half minutes. The Minister has a hard task and I have great sympathy for him. Like Senator Chambers, I also think this should be a justice Bill but, as the Minister has control of health, I presume that is why he is dealing with this legislation. Like Senator Ward, I have questions to ask in regard to section...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I believe the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, had an agreement with the UK that anyone from elsewhere in the world travelling on a visa to the UK could automatically come to Ireland. There was an agreement between the two countries. I am wondering, in cases of people travelling on visas to the UK, whether that agreement is still in place, if this legislation will...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister for answering the question about other EU countries such as Austria. However, where some other EU country is involved, how is the information transmitted to people who will be travelling? Is it through the airlines or is it a Government notice? They could land here not knowing about this. How is it communicated to them?

Seanad: Local Government (Use of CCTV in Prosecution of Offences) Bill 2021: Second Stage (5 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. We see a lot of him here and I thank him for coming in to discuss this very important Bill from Senator Wall. I compliment the Senator on bringing forward this Private Members' Bill. It is very important and is coming forward at a very apt time. We can see now more than ever the illegal dumping of stuff because of the amount of walking...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (8 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am delighted to have this opportunity to say a few words on housing, which is the most important issue in the country at present. I do not envy the Minister of State or the Minister. Many things have been tried over the past ten years but the housing crisis seems to get worse and worse.When he served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (12 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on the Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020. It is a very important piece of legislation. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish him well with the new Bill and with the extra portfolio he will get for the next couple of months. Before I start, I wish to be associated with a proposal that was made by Senator McGahon earlier...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (12 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Bill, particularly section 14(c), which removes the requirement that an insolvent debtor is only eligible under the Act to apply for the insolvency court review if his or her home mortgage was already in arrears before 1 January 2015.The amendment removes that from the Bill, which is very welcome. I will not go over what other Members of the House have said. However, I agree...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Mar 2021)

Paddy Burke: I want to raise again the issue of the local print media and the difficulties it has because of its declining revenue from advertising. We all know how valuable the local print media is but it is getting no assistance. While there was some reduction in VAT, it needs assistance at this point. I have no problem in saying that it should have the same assistance as the local radio station...