Results 23,181-23,200 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Does the Taoiseach have any idea of how anxious the hundreds of thousands people are around the country who depend on public transport? The Government seems to be marching blindly over the cliff edge on this matter. For weeks we have been listening to the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, saying it has nothing to do with him, but the fact is that Bus Éireann...

Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Change can be brought about, but not by standing away from the issues. It is for Ministers who own the company in the people's interest not to stand back and allow it to collapse. It is time for an intervention. If the Minister will not intervene, I will briefly raise the issue of funding. The Taoiseach will recall that, in the last budget while we were in office, we increased funding for...

Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I want to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of the assisted human reproduction Bill. He may have seen the stories of surrogate parents reported in The Irish Timesover the weekend. It is a reality of modern Ireland that parents are pursuing this option. In January of 2016, the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, commenced large portions of the Children and Family Relationships Act, which was...

Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Will it be one of the six?

Questions on Promised Legislation (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Collective government.

Business of Dáil (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I ask that a copy of the revised schedule be circulated.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: 5. To ask the Taoiseach if he has instructed his Department or has plans to prepare a White Paper on the Government’s position and policy objectives on Brexit. [10033/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: For Deputy Martin's information, Questions Nos. 1 and 6 are on the same issue.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: It seems to me that there are two separate but vital issues for Ireland in this regard. We know that the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union. The first priority is a settlement in respect of that divorce that is in the best interests of the economic wellbeing of the island of Ireland and its people. The second issue is what will be the future of Europe of 27. In other words, what...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Taoiseach's Meetings and Engagements (1 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: They want to have their cake and eat it.

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Today the Simon Community said it is unacceptable that 198,358 homes lie empty in Ireland, a number that will shock most people. In stark terms, that means that 13% of the total housing stock is vacant. According to answers to parliamentary questions received by my colleague, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, the group established to compile a register of vacant units and set out actions to bring them...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I am not accusing the Government of not having a strategy. The problem is that we do not see the progress and this is causing alarm. It is as if the Government is pulling rubber levers to no effect. Nothing is happening on the ground. The Minister is right that we did much work to bring back voids and that was a successful initiative, but now we need the same approach to vacant houses....

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: It has nothing to do with supply.

Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: The Mahon tribunal completed its work this month five years ago after being established in 1997. One of its key recommendations was to criminalise the making of payments knowingly or recklessly to a third party who intended to use them as bribes. The corruption Bill that was promised from that would enhance the ability of the DPP to bring about prosecutions in that regard. Pre-legislative...

Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy David Stanton, to the debate. It will not have the same applause and attention as the announcement last night and I congratulate the Minister of State on that initiative, which was very important. This legislation is important too. The Bill is welcome but it is belated. It originates in the EU directive that...

Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: It is coming as well, is it? It is ten years on. I have no doubt that budgetary restraints of the past few years have impacted, but I wonder if the Minister of State thinks any institutional changes are needed to improve the flow of legislation, particularly through the justice area. It is an area on which I was spokesperson many years ago, and it is an area of great demand. The volume of...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prisoner Health (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: 31. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the supports being provided to a person (details supplied) who is on the waiting list for admission to the central mental hospital; when the person will be admitted to the hospital; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10975/17]

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Intermittently the name "Grace" has been mentioned in this Chamber. Deputy Deasy has campaigned with compassion and determination to bring her story to light. Daniel McConnell, Fergus Finlay, Colm Ó Mongáin and others have done much work they can be proud of too. Over the weekend we heard more about the appalling mismanagement of Grace's case. On the "This Week" programme, it...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Grace was the person longest resident in this foster home - she lived there for 20 years or more - but she was probably also the one least able to complain. She is still not in a position to give her account of what happened to her. Meanwhile, there are 47 other directly contemporaneous witnesses. It simply makes no sense that this should not be all taken in one investigation if there are...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Just those in regard to the 47 other individuals.