Results 22,721-22,740 of 23,109 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I join other Members of the House in congratulating the former Senator, Pádraig Ó Céidigh, for starting and bringing forward this legislation, which has gone through the other House with amendments, which are now before us. I would like to ask the Minister of State about some of the issues that were mentioned by Senator Martin. I agree with the Senator that perjury is already...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: Does this deal with Schedule 1? That is in the next one.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Bill 2018: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome what the Minister of State has said and I welcome him to the House as well. A number of Acts relating to bodies are listed under Schedule 1 in respect of which there may be proceedings. Some years ago the Government proceeded with a referendum to give more power to Oireachtas committees to carry out inquiries. Are Oireachtas inquiries covered under this Bill? The banking inquiry...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (18 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister back to the House and thank him for appearing before us so often. I agree with the Bill. It is important legislation, which I suppose is the reason it is being rushed through both Houses. I agree with Senator Fitzpatrick that a simple majority is required. A two thirds majority would be difficult. As other Senators have stated, considering a development plan over...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (18 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister back to the House. I welcome his statement that affordable and cost rental will be in place this year, with the passage of this Bill. That is great news and the quicker we can get this Bill through, the better. It is great news to see that will be in place. There were people who fell through the net before this. I refer to people who were working and did not...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: Two minutes is a short time to speak on anything.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (21 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: The Minister stated that every place and person matters. If he takes that sentiment with him, it will be a great place to start from with this Bill. If he meets the farming organisations, I have no doubt he will bring them with him and win the day. They know there is going to be change. It is ironic that we are debating this on a day when two important reports came out. One is a report...

Seanad: Aviation Sector: Statements (21 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I wish to share my time with Senator Ahearn. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and welcome this opportunity to say a few words on this important topic. There is no need for me to explain to her the impact that the pandemic has had on the aviation business. There is also no need for me to tell her how important Ireland West Airport Knock is to our region of the west. The airport...

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

Paddy Burke: On the day the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, said we will not meet our 2013 to 2020 emissions reduction targets, I would like to support my colleagues, Senators Chambers, Blaney and Dooley, in calling for people whose homes are affected by pyrite or mica to be able claim Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland grants. It is ridiculous to think they should take out the windows and...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (25 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister back to the House and I wish him well with this legislation. It is very welcome and it will give some certainty to people who find themselves renting. It also has safeguards for students. I agree with Senator Byrne on student accommodation and the need for campus accommodation. I would hope new campuses would be built in all of the new technological universities....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State. I refer to amendments Nos. 16 and 17 and variations of county development plans. There is no great flexibility in county development plans. The national development plan is running at the moment and trying to grow the regions by cities. Some smaller towns may have zoning for development land for enterprise or industry which is no longer required but it is...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: Some counties have their development plans finished and they may not come up again for another four or five years. In the meantime, this land may well be suitable for housing. How can they go about it rather than the local authority CEO bringing forward a variation of the plan? Would the Department have an input into it?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jun 2021)

Paddy Burke: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his first year as Cathaoirleach of Seanad Éireann. I wish to raise the issue of driver theory tests. The way they are being treated is disgraceful. People who are scheduled for tests go to the testing centre to find out it is closed. They have not been notified that their test has been rescheduled although they should be. I am calling on the...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I am sure the Attorney General has examined the Bill in great detail and covered most angles.In any event, the President could well refer this Bill so I am fully on the Minister's side and am sure all the angles are covered. The President has the option of referring this to the courts if he wishes to do that.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator McDowell in what he said about electricity. There will be more and more dependence on electricity. There will be more and more electric cars and electric bikes and more electric gadgets in houses, so there will be a huge dependency on electricity. Where will we get certainty in this regard? I am delighted that the marine planning Bill is being published. It needs to be...

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I am sharing time with Senator Buttimer.

Seanad: Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. He is here nearly as often as the Senators. He could be taken for a Senator if he came in any more often. I wish him well with this Bill. I have mixed feelings about it. We have a lot of State control in the country. Too much State control, in my view, is not a good thing. We have seen where NAMA failed miserably. It was the biggest...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I congratulate and wish the former Member of this House and Senator, Deputy Bacik, the best of luck on taking her seat in this Dáil Chamber today. She will be a great loss to the Seanad Chamber but will be a very good gain for the Dáil and I wish her well. I also propose a vote of sympathy for the late Dr. Seán McCarthy from Tipperary, a former Deputy, Senator, Minister and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pensions Council and Citizens Information Board: Chairpersons Designate (7 Jul 2021)

Paddy Burke: I congratulate Ms Heaney and Ms Burke on their presentations and wish them the best in the future. I think the Chair asked about class K PRSI earlier. There are no great benefits for people paying the class K contribution. I would ask Ms Burke to look into the class K contributions and benefits. Take an Oireachtas Member who loses their seat, perhaps after two or three years service,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Paddy Burke: I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on the National Ambulance Service. This issue has been raised by a number of Senators over the past while and by various radio stations throughout the country. It is quite obvious that the National Ambulance Service is not working efficiently. I was approached recently by a very worried citizen who was in a desperate state one night trying to get an...