Results 261-280 of 1,608 for speaker:Micheál Carrigy

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State. I concur with the comments made by Senator Dolan relating to the leaving certificate. As she said, the advisory group met recently to discuss proposals. One group that is represented on the advisory group is the National Parents Council Post Primary, which comprises the Catholic Secondary Schools Parent Associations, CSSPA, representing 342 schools, or 40%...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: State Examinations (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I concur with the comments made by Senator Dolan. We need a decision in the next week. Parents and children have contacted us as public representatives and I am sure they have contacted the Minister of State. We want a final decision to be made in the next two to three days as it would let everyone know where they stand.I would prefer a hybrid model but that may not be attainable due the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to raise the better energy warmer homes scheme that delivers a range of energy-efficient measures free of charge to low-income households vulnerable to energy poverty. The scheme is funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. By March 2021 over 142,000 homes have received free upgrades, leaving their...

Seanad: Climate and Agriculture: Statements (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to share time with Senator Dolan.

Seanad: Climate and Agriculture: Statements (25 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister is very welcome. I concur with the comments of other Senators about the Minister's visits to all 26 counties. I was in Granard mart when the Minister visited. He gave his time. We did not agree with everything that was said but everyone got to say what they wanted to say. It was important that farmers' views were heard. It is important, leading into any decision with regard...

Seanad: Broadband Roll-out: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State. It is important to point out that we cannot underestimate the decision that was taken by my party in government, Fine Gael, a number of years ago with regard to broadband. It was a very positive decision against much opposition at the time. It is clear through Covid-19, in particular, that it was the right decision to make. We are all delighted that was...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to raise the issue of the age threshold for parental leave. From September 2020 each parent is entitled to 26 weeks' unpaid parental leave. However, they must take that leave before the child is 12 years of age, or 16 if the child has a disability. I recently wrote to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to ask if his Department would consider increasing the age limit to 14 or 15 years....

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ's Public Service Statement, Irish Language Services and RTÉ Board Appointments Process: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: That is fair enough and I thank Ms Doherty. I have some points on children's television. People were talking about this and it stirred some memories, and I can still remember watching Zig and Zag at lunchtime in the canteen at college. I have three young kids but when they turn on television they do not switch to RTÉ, to be quite honest. During Covid-19, however, there was a project...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ's Public Service Statement, Irish Language Services and RTÉ Board Appointments Process: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I concur with Ms Doherty's comments. It is without doubt that RTÉ news is the most trusted news source we have and is of the highest quality. I just wanted to concur with the comments she made. I wish Ciarán Mullooly, RTÉ's midlands correspondent, well in his new venture locally in County Roscommon. It was mentioned earlier that the position is to be filled soon.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ's Public Service Statement, Irish Language Services and RTÉ Board Appointments Process: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome our witnesses. As others have said, it is disappointing the Future of Media Commission report has not been published for us to speak about here today. The witnesses sent documentation on the appointment of board members, which is in the brief for today. To be honest, I was extremely frustrated and disappointed with what happened last year when there was a nomination by the...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ's Public Service Statement, Irish Language Services and RTÉ Board Appointments Process: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I am delighted to hear the comments that this is acceptable. The recommendation we put forward was that this would be a media charge on all households. I believe we would see significantly higher percentage payment through the An Post network if it were payable by every household. I am delighted Ms Forbes agrees this should be spread across all media, as that is an extremely important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: A couple of comments have been made on the national planning framework priority, access to the north west and balanced regional development. I will talk about roads and the recent announcement by TII that a number of projects have been pushed off funding for 2022, namely, the N4 from Mullingar to Roosky. This affects Longford, Westmeath, Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo and south Donegal. Looking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: The priority should be balanced regional development. An entire region of the country will not be serviced and other projects are going ahead. I honestly do not think that is fair. It is very unfair and if we want to get investment into where I am from, Longford, and the entire north-west region, we need that accessibility to the capital. That should be prioritised over any other road...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Investment Framework for Transport in Ireland: Discussion (26 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I apologise. I do not mean to cut across the Minister, but someone driving from those brand-new investment, top-of-the-range roads then hits the section at Longford. People coming from Mayo will meet the N4 in Longford. They will have a brilliant road the whole way to Mullingar, but from there to Roosky that 50 km road is not fit for purpose. We are then spending hundreds of millions on...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: EU Digital Services Package and the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill: Discussion (19 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome all the witnesses. I apologise that I was in and out of the meeting and might have missed some questions which were asked already. Will the staff to be put in place for the DSA be sufficient? The Digital Markets Act proposes to establish a level playing field across the Single Market and globally regarding innovation and growth. Are businesses in Ireland ready for this? If jobs...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: EU Digital Services Package and the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill: Discussion (19 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I was asking that the implementation of any recommendations coming from the Future of Media Commission be copper-fastened within the national digital strategy. Ms Greene spoke about jobs in small firms which is what I am really driving at. Are Irish firms ready? The Minister of State, Deputy English, recently introduced significant funding to support online trading and getting firms on...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: EU Digital Services Package and the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill: Discussion (19 Jan 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: If one thing has been highlighted, it is that we need to see the report of the Future of Media Commission in the public domain. We are discussing the effect that this has but we have not seen the report. It is important that it be published immediately.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: It is apt the Acting Leader is in the position she is in today on St. Brigid's Day. I will raise a couple of issues. First is the Covid bonus payment. I was at St. Christopher's Services yesterday week with the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, and met a number of staff, etc. It is an issue that needs to be looked at. It was welcome for our front-line staff but we have to look at such...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber and will start by acknowledging the good work he has done, especially in recent weeks, on behalf of this State. He has worked hard on behalf of this State since entering political life, but he has done a huge service to our country recently and it is important to put that on the record. I also acknowledge the work of the staff in the Passport Office in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I congratulate the Acting Leader on assuming the role. It is a great honour. A number of Senators mentioned the issue of credit unions and asked that the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, come into the House. We should encompass the post office in that debate as well. It was one of the financial institutions that stayed open fully through Covid and provided vital services to our...