Results 281-300 of 1,608 for speaker:Micheál Carrigy

Seanad: Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I echo the concerns of Senator Gallagher in respect of the Longford-Roscommon division, which has been expanded into counties Longford, Roscommon and Mayo. The concern we have on the ground relates to the districts where there are 24-hour stations, in both Longford town and Granard, where there is now one superintendent covering both areas. There is a fear that the service in one of those...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I, too, send my sympathies to Senator Buttimer and his family on their recent bereavement. It is apt that today is Safer Internet Day. I express my disappointment, as a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media which carried out pre-legislative scrutiny in this area for the best part of 2021, that this is not on the agenda, as it should be at the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the package that was announced by the Government to make it easier and more affordable for homeowners to undertake home energy upgrades for warmer, healthier and more comfortable homes with lower energy bills. The measures address barriers to undertaking retrofits that have been reported by homeowners and those in the industry and reflect the step change in pace and scale that will...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: St. Patrick's Day parades will take place throughout the country in 2022. I have spoken to local parade organisers in Longford, including Ms Fiona Fenelon, the president of the local chamber of commerce, with regard to having a quiet street on the parade for those who cannot or have not been able to go to parades in recent years because of the noise, including sirens and music. I refer in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to raise a couple of issues. Senator Byrne mentioned Tesco, but the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, and all involved in the horticultural sector have been looking to engage with Dunnes Stores with regard to prices, especially the price of vegetables. We have seen over the past 24 hours the IFA holding a dispute at two Dunnes Stores centres. I call on Dunnes Stores to engage with the...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister is very welcome and I am delighted to get the opportunity to speak to the Bill at a time when people are facing real hardship in their lives with inflation and rising energy costs. These costs have led to many families spending a higher proportion of their income on food and fuel. Electricity prices have increased by 22%, gas prices have increased by 28% and the price of home...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: Today, I will speak again about the Phoenix Centre, which is located in what was the old Mount Carmel Hospital on the grounds of St. Joseph's Care Centre in Longford. The building was built in 1844. The rest of the buildings on the original site were demolished in the 1960s and a new purpose-built building, which is today called St. Joseph's Care Centre, was built. The building is being...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: To be honest, this does not clarify the matter raised. It does not answer the question I asked. While I welcome the investment of €100 million for initiatives and I welcome the fact that there is significant funding into the CHO area, CHO 8 actually covers six counties - Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Offaly, Louth and Meath. The reality is that we are providing the previously listed...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I 100% support the comments of Senator Seery Kearney in support of our Leader, my party colleague, Senator Doherty's comments on "Morning Ireland" earlier. They were well said. I also wish to speak to the issue of third-level education. I would like a debate with the Minister, Deputy Harris, to discuss the future. There are many plans and there are many changes to come in respect of...

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine: Motion (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister of State is very welcome. I concur with the comments of Senator Garvey. We might be a small county in Longford, but we have always been to the fore in a lot of things and I was delighted to hear her mention Mr. John Crossan. On tourism, two weekends ago I spent some time in Center Parcs Longford Forest. It was probably the best weekend break I have ever had and was just 20...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: Like my colleagues, I would like to echo the comments on Ukraine and support the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, who is acting on behalf of everyone in Ireland. Senator O'Reilly referred to diplomatic relationships, and our Young Fine Gael branch passed a motion regarding diplomatic relations between the two countries. Russia has stepped across the line and it is something we...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I fully support the Bill. I must point out at the outset that I am a national lottery agent. It has been in the family since it came out first. We were a ticket agent and when I took over my present business in 2007 I took on the full lottery agent. I want to clarify that the national lottery has a separate regulator. It is not going to be regulated the same as gambling. It is regulated...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I just feel that the national lottery is actually more stringently regulated with regard to its agents.

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: On a yearly basis, we do compliance and we are the subject of twice-yearly checks to ensure that we are compliant with selling to over-18s. I think our policy is to sell to over-21s. We have maximum amounts on the number of tickets we are allowed sell to people. We have referrals, too, if we see that people are purchasing in excess of what we feel might be within their means. That does...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to make a quick point that I did not make previously. I know that there is a significant number of jobs in the bookmaking industry, but with regard to agencies, there are over 4,000 lottery agencies throughout the country, which are small shops, supermarkets and businesses. The knock-on effect is that a significant number, or tens of thousands of people working in that industry, will...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: It is €4.

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: On Senator Davitt's point, it is a scheduling issue for RTÉ but I totally agree with what he said. It is something that should be looked at. RTÉ should take that on board and reschedule it. I have young kids and it frustrates me when it happens, but it is a scheduling issue. I agree with Senator Davitt that it needs to be changed.

Seanad: Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (24 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister of State is very welcome. Ireland has one of the highest rates of mental health illness in Europe, with approximately 18.5% of the population suffering. A study carried out by Mental Health Ireland reveals that in general women have a lower well-being score than men and those who are younger score lower on the well-being scale than those who are older. In the past ten years,...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities in Arts and Culture: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome all our guests. It is incumbent on us as public representatives, in conjunction with the Arts Council, to make art accessible to the entire public and allow those who have a disability to participate in the arts. The comment "nothing about us without us" was made earlier. A friend of mine from Longford whom some of our guests might know, James Cawley, who is a policy officer with...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Accessibility for Individuals with Disabilities in Arts and Culture: Discussion (16 Feb 2022)

Micheál Carrigy: I am disappointed to hear that there are venues that are not accessible. Perhaps the Arts Council, which funds this, should audit these facilities. Maybe it has done so, but in 2022, there should not be venues that are inaccessible to those with a disability. It is not acceptable.