Results 221-240 of 1,132 for speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (9 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I was listening to the contributions in my office while I was working. I acknowledge the presence of the Minister and thank him for being here. I could not let this go without making a contribution on the role of secretarial assistants. I have been a Senator for a year and a half, like many others, and have seen at first hand the quality of staff in this Chamber and staff who work for...

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. The Bill is part of a package of measures designed to ensure that Ireland's reputation as a top-tier country in terms of its business environment is underpinned by a robust company law enforcement framework. The policy approach underpinning the Bill is that enforcement bodies, in order to be effective, must be statutorily independent,...

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Next Tuesday at 10.30 a.m.

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

Garret Ahearn: I welcome some funding Tipperary received from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, over the weekend for Christmas lights. As most people in politics know, one of those questions we all get asked over this period is whether towns and villages across our counties can get more Christmas lights. Tipperary has been lucky. It is...

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

Garret Ahearn: The Dean Maxwell home in Roscrea is a residence for long-term residents. There is real concern within the community and the area about a deadline for long-term residents of 1 January 2022. There has been much confusion and many promises made. There is real concern within the Roscrea Community Development Council.In fairness, Mr. Steve Crofton sent a letter to Deputies outlining the...

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Now.

Seanad: Companies (Corporate Enforcement Authority) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Now.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Sick Leave Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I probably will not need all that time. I thank Ms McElwee and Dr. Bambrick for their contributions and for their work on this matter. The draft legislation is important and welcome. As previous speakers said, it is about time we discussed it and tried to get it put in place. To pick up on Ms McElwee's response to Senator Sherlock, I do not think anyone is trying to delay legislation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Sick Leave Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Dr. Bambrick said that survey is done every three years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Sick Leave Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Dr. Bambrick said that survey is done every two years or so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Sick Leave Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Has Dr. Bambrick got the results from previous years to check the number of people per ratio? She said one in seven people has a medical card and one in 27 has a GP card, which seems very low for GP cards when it should be easier to get that card. What were the figures going back two, four or ten years? I do not have the figures but it seems obvious that if we are issuing more medical and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber today. Senator Lombard and I put down this matter for the Commencement to outline Fine Gael's view on the agriculture industry, the agrifood sector and, in particular, young farmers. It has been Fine Gael's policy as long as it has been in government, for as long as I can remember anyway, that we have been very supportive of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I acknowledge that people are allowed to have individual opinions, and I have no problem with that, but they should not relay individual "facts" that are not true. Is there any other sector that would see a high-profile politician write to a bank to say it should not give those people loans? Could we imagine if somebody wrote to banks asking...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I wish to follow on the sentiments of all Members today and wish the Cathaoirleach and everyone here a very happy Christmas and to thank him, the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Martin Groves and Brigid Doody and every staff member who works for the Seanad and in the Oireachtas for the work that they do and the contribution that they all make in making the work we do as good as possible. As it is a...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I am sharing time with Senator Kyne. I welcome the Minister. This is the largest budget that has been delivered by the Department for years. I think it amounts to €23.5 billion in total, a phenomenal achievement. I acknowledge the Minister, her Department and the officials in the Department. I know she is very proud of the work they have done, especially over the past 18 months....

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: To follow up on what Senator Higgins said, we want good people to get into politics. There are lots of reasons at the moment why people would not, such as social media and work-life balance. There are a million reasons. There are changes we can make to encourage people into politics, especially women. Senator Higgins spoke about maternity leave, which is an obvious one. Paternity leave...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Now.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Motion for Earlier Signature (17 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Social Welfare Bill 2021 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Jan 2022)

Garret Ahearn: I wish the Cathaoirleach and everybody a happy new year. The Leader will know that I and many of my colleagues in the Fine Gael Party fought for weeks and months to get roads projects on the national development plan and to convince the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, of the logic of this. I do just not stand just literally behind Senator Carrigy in the Chamber; I stand with him to fight for...