Results 241-260 of 669 for speaker:Grace O'Sullivan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: The final date for submissions is 3 November. Can the Minister tell us what the process will be from then onwards? To reiterate what my colleague, Deputy Eamon Ryan, said, he raised the important point that the budget is linked and must be linked to every single thing that we do every day going forward. The current budget for the draft plan is lacking. I ask the Government to consider...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: One area we did not discuss was the marine and the resources we have as an island community-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: National Planning Framework: Discussion (18 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: We talked about ports but I am referring to the general capacity we have in that regard. It is something the committee will discuss and feed into our report.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: Here we go again. Met Éireann has just issued a status yellow weather warning for the coming weekend and, in addition, a status yellow rainfall warning. The Government sought reductions in Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions targets by 2020 in Luxembourg earlier this week. It is slinking away again from our commitments to our European and global partners. We know from Met Éireann...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. Like my colleague in Fianna Fáil, I am delighted to be speaking today about the return home, at long last, of the Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa, whose joyous welcome from his family, well-wishers, members of the Government and others made for really happy scenes at Dublin Airport earlier today. Ibrahim's strength in the face of such adversity and his evident...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: We cannot forget the sterling campaigning work of so many organisations, including but not limited to Amnesty International Ireland, the Union of Students in Ireland, numerous campus and secondary school groups, SIPTU, People Before Profit, the Green Party, including Deputy Eamon Ryan, who went to see Ibrahim during the summer as part of the Oireachtas delegation, the Labour Party and many...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Marine Resources (26 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy. Let me set the matter in context. Sir David Attenborough has called for the world to cut back on its use of plastics in order to protect the oceans. A recent investigation carried out by The Guardianestablished that consumers around the world bought 1 million plastic bottles every minute. Plastic production is set to double in the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Marine Resources (26 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I will be brief. I thank the Minister of State for that reply, which I appreciate. With regard to the marine strategy framework directive, the Minister talked about the environment. With marine plastics, and particularly microplastics and microbeads, we are now talking about human health. These plastics are being found in the crustacea, the little shrimp and different foods we eat here in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (26 Oct 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I would like to make a comment with regard to COM (2017) 481. The proposed cuts to European political party funding from 15% to 10%, and to 5% for political foundations, seem counter-intuitive and unwise at a time when citizens need to be brought closer to the EU and its work. European political parties are some of the hardest-working bodies in trying to do this. Just this weekend, we are...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 52:In page 5, line 9, after “products,” to insert “generally and in relation to children,”.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2017: Second Stage (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I wish to acknowledge the great work of Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh, who really was a superb Chairman in the face of adversity. It was a very difficult task and long hours were put in. I know he personally went over and above the call of duty. I agree with one aspect of the presentation by my colleague, Senator Ó Clochartaigh....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee. I acknowledge the work of the local authority members, particularly those from my region of Waterford, Councillor Damien Geoghegan and his colleagues. I also acknowledge the role of the CEOs. The CEO in Waterford, Michael Walsh, is doing an incredible job. The problem we have in Waterford is we are not recognised as part of a region....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I have a question for both witnesses, starting with Ms Larkin. She discussed public accountability and stated that the public could access "the annual financial statement, records and other documents relating to the accounts". Where will the public find that information?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: Will that also be online?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: That is great. In terms of risk-based auditing, will Ms Larkin give an example of two key risks facing authorities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: The National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, just appeared before us. What is the Local Government Audit Service's, LGAS, relationship with it? Is there a crossover of some responsibilities?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank Ms Larkin. My next question is for Mr. Lemass. He referred to grants, subsidies and the six broad programme categories. The last category is discretionary and another is housing. We have discussed the housing crisis and the need for more funding for local authority housing, affordable housing and supply generally. I am curious about the word "discretionary". A word like that...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: On 11 July last, just one week after onshore fracking was banned in Ireland, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, granted consent to Providence Resources PLC to commence drilling for oil in the Porcupine Basin off the coast of Kerry. This is one of a slew of drilling operations which the Minister has recently permitted, with the north Celtic...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (16 Nov 2017)

Grace O'Sullivan: I join with the statements of my colleagues on the hard work that our local government representatives do. County and city councillors put in a phenomenal amount of work to represent their constituents, create a better standard of life in their areas and support and strengthen their communities. They do this sometimes in a difficult political climate and without much compensation for their...