Results 2,301-2,320 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Sep 2021)

Paul Gavan: Perhaps the Minister could also refer back to us on that negative list question raised by my colleague, Senator Sherlock, and the serious concerns of trade unions. What is his response regarding that list?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Sep 2021)

Paul Gavan: When?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Sep 2021)

Paul Gavan: I am not getting many answers so far from the Minister. I think he will accept that, at least. Will he comment on the rest of Europe? A number of significant countries have not yet ratified this treaty, including France, the Netherlands and Germany. Indeed, there is no urgency at all from the French Government, which the Minister will accept is the closest government to Canada. In fact,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Sep 2021)

Paul Gavan: I would not take it as straightforward at all. The fact of the matter is that there are major concerns about this treaty, and the ICS aspect of it in particular. As has been pointed out, and as the Minister has conceded, private citizens cannot use this treaty. This is a special court just for companies. When one thinks of the hurdles that private citizens have to go through before they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement: Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (22 Sep 2021)

Paul Gavan: That confirms that the Minister's statement in his original opening statement, which he has not given us, was incorrect. I thank the Minister.

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

Paul Gavan: I will reference two issues that have already been raised. I fully support the call for St. Brigid's Day as opposed to Thanksgiving Day, which would be a poor choice, frankly. We should stick to our own traditions. I will highlight the fact that Senator Craughwell raised a very important issue. He is correct that no one has addressed it from the Government side and it is shocking. It is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: About 30 years ago Professor Edward Walsh promoted the idea of the Atlantic corridor, linking Cork, Limerick and Galway. It was a fantastic idea to act as a counterweight, or a counterbalance, to the eastern side of the country and to ensure we had balanced regional growth and development. It took quite a while to get the motorway to Galway linked up with Limerick but it has certainly made...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021: Motion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: It is nice to see the Minister. Before I get to the substance of Sinn Féin's position on this Act, it is important to reflect on what we have achieved nationally in regard to Covid. The current vaccination rate of approximately 87% - it may be slightly higher - is a huge achievement. The political consensus on the importance of science on vaccines has been crucial to that. At the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Four-Day Working Week: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank both delegations for their very balanced and well-thought-out proposals and presentations on the idea of a four-day week. I will declare an interest that I am very much a supporter of the four-day working week concept. It has become a fundamental question for all of us now as we come out of Covid around how we can build back better and how we can build back in a way that makes a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Four-Day Working Week: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: I would like Ms Cox to go ahead. I have 14 minutes so perhaps Ms Cox will not mind taking a couple of minutes to outline her own experience of the four-day working week. It would be very useful to hear from her on this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Four-Day Working Week: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank Ms Cox. It definitely does answer my questions because it gives a good working example of how a private sector company can embrace a four-day working week and how it can be a win-win for employees and for the business given those striking details around increased productivity, absenteeism and staff retention. It is a great example of how this concept can work. I want to ask my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Four-Day Working Week: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: It does. I have a follow-up question. It is clear this is gaining a significant amount of leverage across the private sector, which is very welcome. However, apart from the research grant from the Government, which is welcome, I would have hoped to see a level of public sector involvement in the pilot project. Has such involvement been forthcoming to date? What else could the Government...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Four-Day Working Week: Discussion (6 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: I thank Mr. Callinan. I am thinking in particular - perhaps all members, on a cross-party basis, will do likewise - of local councils, for example. Local authorities are ideal organisations for us to encourage to consider participating in this pilot project. In my final couple of minutes, I invite both sides to reflect on the following question. One hundred years after an eight-hour...

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: It is nice to see the Minister of State. I apologise in advance as I need to head to a meeting later but I will take note of his comments at the end. I appreciate his understanding about that. In addressing this budget, I will start by saying that on television last night, RTÉ quoted Government sources as saying this budget was quite socialist. I smiled to myself and thought it was...

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

Paul Gavan: I commend Senator Seery Kearney on that crucial point. The issue has been raised at the Council of Europe a number of times because it is a problem across Europe. I support the Senator's call for a debate. I wish to speak about Paddy Moloney. Unlike Senator Murphy, I did not know him but I suspect that, like a number of people, I felt as if I did. He was such a warm and engaging man...

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State is very welcome. It is nice to see him. I will start with housing. It is a shame that our good Senator Casey is not here because I was struck by something he said in his speech. Speaking about housing he said that he could finally see some delivery. Those were his words. That is some statement to make. This is the sixth Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael budget and it...

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (Resumed) (13 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: I wish to raise the issue of low pay. I respectfully suggest that it might be connected to the last topic that my good friend and colleague, Senator O'Reilly, raised. One of the big issues we have in this country, of which the Leader will be aware, is that we have the largest proportion of workers on low pay of any country in the EU, at 23%. Indeed, it was a topic that was explored by my...

Seanad: Finance (European Stability Mechanism and Single Resolution Fund) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: The Minister is very welcome. I welcome the opportunity to speak on behalf of my party on the Finance (European Stability Mechanism and Single Resolution Fund) Bill 2021. This follows the agreement reached by the Eurogroup in November 2020 in respect of the ESM reform package and the signing of amending agreements to the treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism and the Single...

Seanad: Finance (European Stability Mechanism and Single Resolution Fund) Bill 2021: Second Stage (14 Oct 2021)

Paul Gavan: Well said.