Results 2,381-2,400 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Senators. This debate has shown their depth of knowledge regarding the issues pertaining to this particular Bill. Many Members have worked on county development plans in their previous lives. Today's debate has shown their appreciation of the nuances involved and their consciousness of the realities of the process and the importance of public engagement. As there are no other...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the Minister of State. I acknowledge his words and his work in ensuring that businesses that were forced to close as a result of the pandemic and their staff were supported. It is important that this debate is framed by acknowledging how it was predicted last spring that our economy would shrink by 8%, but now it is predicted that it will only shrink by 2.3%. I wish to highlight...

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: They are not here.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

Shane Cassells: They are not here.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the National Transport Authority's review of its transport strategy for the greater Dublin area, launched last Thursday and which will take in counties Kildare, Wicklow and Meath. The strategy will set out a policy and a blueprint for the next 20 years. One of the projects included in the review is one for which we have been waiting 20 years already, the Navan rail line. One...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I apologise as I am probably going to get called away in a second. I will pose a couple of quick questions. I thank both organisations for their presentations and for the work they do on behalf of the sector. It is appreciated. The stark figures outlined in the presentations demonstrate the severity of what we are dealing with both from an economic point of view and the point of view of...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I know that but Mr. Kelly's agency is an industry player and will have communicated with Mr. Niall Cody or whoever as to whether the timeframe was to be extended or as to how the money it was proposed would be lost to the Exchequer in tax could be reinvested.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: It is definitely very good. I will move on, but Revenue will never come chasing anyone to hand money back, so the liaison and the communication are important. The concept was good. I am not too sure it will be realised if we go into January with further restrictions. We will not see the scheme realise what it was supposed to do in the domestic market.

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: It is key. Whatever the Government allocates in the context of what it thought would be lost to the Exchequer on one side, that theoretical pool of money must be driven back in. The issue of liquidity was touched on. Paul Gallagher was before the committee before the move to level 5. He discussed this briefly with me. He said hotels would not disclose that they are having liquidity...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: Mr. Gallagher outlined those figures with that in mind. Given the gravity of liquidity issues, what are the sector's expectations for January, February and March?

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I return to a point Deputy Dillon raised when he led off this afternoon on the supports for cafés. I acknowledge what Mr. Kelly said about the bar that was used in licensing and so on. Is there good collaboration between Tourism Ireland and Fáilte Ireland on marketing the food product? Tourism Ireland has used that as a marketing point and has carried out analysis as to what can...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I wish to ask Mr. Kelly a brief question about the training issue. There will be a huge number of people having left the industry who will not come back. We have heard the anecdotal evidence of people going to work in supermarkets and so forth because they can get a guaranteed contract. What will Fáilte Ireland's supports be for people getting back into the industry when it gradually...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Impact of Covid-19 on the Tourism Sector: Discussion (2 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I know that but I am talking about retraining if it is the case that people will have to apply to work in a new workforce.

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: From the contributions the Minister of State has listened to over the past two hours, in particular from Government Senators, he will have a sense of the passion and anger felt about this matter. I support and commend Senator Casey, as someone with professional experience at the very core of this industry which has been hit so badly. Decisions by government in any sphere should support the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I want to welcome the news in the past hour that €2.5 million in funding will be set aside for swimming pools across this country. I want to thank Sport Ireland and the Government for releasing this money, because swimming is one of the great participation sports in Ireland.In October, Mr. Peter Conway, the chairperson of Swim Ireland came before us at the Oireachtas Joint Committee...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Second Stage (8 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: In accordance with the order of the Seanad today the division is postponed until after the Order of Business on Wednesday, 9 December.

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Motion for Earlier Signature (8 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: When is it proposed to sit again?

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Challenges facing Public Broadcasting and the broader Media Sector as a result of Covid-19: Discussion (16 Dec 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome both the witnesses. My comments touch on a specific point which both of them touched on in their statements. Mr. Esslemont spoke of not wanting to replace or take away RTÉ's funding. He said RTÉ should have the "public funding required to meet its obligations" but that an equivalent amount of public funding should be shared between TG4 and other broadcasters. I note...