Results 261-280 of 988 for speaker:John McGahon

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: I thank the Minister of State. When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: Today I would like to talk about the further digitisation of Irish society. Particularly in the past year and half, owing to Covid, society has become more cashless than ever before. For example, I do not even carry a wallet anymore. I have my ATM on my card.I rarely carry cash any more and it is the same for many people across the board. When I talk about the digitisation of Irish...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: I deleted those couple of emails that I got straight away. When it is a copy and paste job, one cannot take it too seriously but I will focus on the rest. Two thirds of the people in intensive care units in this country are not vaccinated so what more do we need to be told about the power of vaccines? It is scientific evidence that vaccines work. This links to some points I will make...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: Okay. We have been back and forth a bit. Before I call Senator Ward, it might be a good idea to let the Minister respond.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: Amendments Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: Yes.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: The Senator should be allowed to make her statements without interruptions.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: We have only seven more minutes.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: We want to get to Report Stage for next week.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (20 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: I thank the Chairman. I am due to speak in the Seanad soon. I will return to the meeting after that. I thank the Minister for engaging with us today. I attended the pre-COP conference in Rome a few weeks ago. It annoys me when I hear people, including in both Houses of the Oireachtas, asking what is the point of Ireland introducing such strong climate action legislation when there are so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Circular Economy Bill 2021: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: I thank Dr. Brennan for her engagement this morning. It has been excellent so far and it is clear that she has a very in-depth knowledge of this area. It is a pleasure to listen to her. I hear what she is saying about the lack of regulatory certainty. I understand the lack of clarity and I hear what she is saying. I also understand that hers is a very new organisation. This is a new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I thank the witnesses. This has been enjoyable. I get what they are saying. The language that we use is important. It is about reward, incentivising change and taking a logical approach to make it as easy as possible and to have a financial incentive for people to make these changes, which at the same time will benefit our environment. It is great to hear Mr. Sheehan's point because I...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (2 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I will direct my comments to Ms Fitzgerald. How will the recent surge in energy prices right across Europe, including in Ireland, affect the European Green Deal? What is the EU doing to protect ordinary citizens and households in the context of that surge in energy prices? The just transition fund in the European Union is worth €1.75 billion. Does Ms Fitzgerald believe that is...

Seanad: Energy Security: Statements (2 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: There has been a substantial impact on international wholesale energy prices. We have seen a substantial impact on gas prices, especially in Ireland, which has had a knock-on impact on energy prices. That is clear for everybody to see. Gas prices have been rising steadily since March 2020 for a variety of international reasons. They are currently unseasonably high, which puts upward...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I will raise the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2020, which was withdrawn by Sinn Féin in the Dáil this week. It is important to recognise the huge contribution wind energy makes to this country. Some 5,000 are employed in it and if we hit our targets by 2030, another 2,000 people will be employed in it. It contributes €410 million to the economy every year. The problem...

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I was hoping Senator Higgins could keep going. I was watching her from our parliamentary party meeting room and then tried to race down here to get to the debate. Apologies for the delay.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I was not sure but I understand I am sharing time with Senator Micheál Carrigy.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: I thank my colleague, Senator Seán Kyne, for bringing this very important motion before the Seanad. When we look at the concept of public transport, a couple of issues arise. The Ireland of 100 years ago was connected across our entire island with railways. Then, for whatever reason, through whatever the consensus was at the time, we ripped up a lot of those railways and we are now...