Results 401-420 of 947 for speaker:Aidan Davitt

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I was contacted by a councillor yesterday. I know many Senators talk to councillors every day. This lady is a hardworking single mother and she is surviving solely on her councillor's pay. Due to her mother's death in January, she missed two council meetings and somebody in the council saw fit to deduct €600 from her pay and allowances. That is absolutely sickening. I could not...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: Come down to Mullingar hospital and see the number of people waiting for treatment on trolleys.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I appreciate it. I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I certainly agree with Senators Michael McDowell and Catherine Ardagh who spoke about the mortgage crisis and the sale of loans. We will hear all of the technical debate on Basel II, the impairment of our balance sheets and the ratio of loans to assets in the banks. As it has come down the road from the European Union, we cannot be oblivious to it. We were quick to deliver NAMA to large...

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: You were off robbing banks at the time.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I want to talk today about a town the Cathaoirleach himself knows quite well - Mullingar. Quite an unsavoury piece was written in today's edition of the local newspaper, theWestmeath Examiner. To build the background, and as the Cathaoirleach knows, when one comes into Mullingar from the Dublin road one passes the Mullingar Park Hotel, which has a fabulous convention centre - one of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: Senator Craughwell has described Mullingar as all these things. In fairness, Mullingar is in the top section of the Tidy Towns competition. It also has a very active town team. It has a full-time chamber of commerce and is one of the few towns that has been awarded a purple flag. As I have said, I have talked to several business leaders in Mullingar town and they have told me that they...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: There is still no construction sector under Fine Gael. Nobody has houses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Update on Preparations for Brexit: Discussion (27 Feb 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I welcome the delegates. I am quite aware of a lot of the work that IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland and InterTradeIreland do. There has been a lot of interaction in Mullingar. The Science Park has been a great success. I refer in particular to the use of the former tobacco factory, which would have been a real eyesore only for the good work ethic and great business acumen of Mr. Garret...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I raise an issue that has been discussed by many Senators this morning, last week's difficult and extreme weather conditions and their impact on the retail sector. The weather conditions carried a significant cost for the industry in lost sales, employee wages and clean-up costs. It amounted to hundreds of millions of euro and retailers have been left to pick up the pieces, as was evident...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: It is not a reflection on that. It is on the post offices and their management of money.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: We are in here every day of the week crying about the preservation of post offices-----

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: For future events.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I would like to agree with Senator Feighan. As the House is aware, Fianna Fáil is a heavy supporter of the Garda and institutions of the State. I am sure there was no slight meant on us. A senior serving fire officer in Mullingar brought to my attention the fact that while alarm companies are able to sell their wares and provide security for burglaries and fires, there is no...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I welcome the forthcoming visit of the Pope to Ireland. It has been discussed on and off in the House for the last while. I would certainly welcome the return to the Phoenix Park of a pontiff and the proposed gathering in Croke Park. It is quite a tight timeframe as they are talking about a two-day visit. However, I certainly hope there will be an all-Ireland part to this visit. Our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Engagement with Chairpersons Designate of Public Bodies (27 Mar 2018)

Aidan Davitt: We wish Mr. Kennedy the best of luck in his position. I read his CV, which is comprehensive and broad, spanning industry, Chambers Ireland and IBEC. I congratulate him.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I was going to speak about another matter but I cannot let Senator Mulherin's comments on housing - and some of the inaccuracies they contained regarding county councils - pass. Ultimately, the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government calls the shots and provides funding for the councils. The previous Minister - he held the portfolio for some time - and current Tánaiste,...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Aidan Davitt: Fine Gael should face up to the problems that exist. There are simple reasons for what is happening. Those in the construction industry have spoken to us and have suggested a reduction in VAT. This was done in the case of the hotel industry, which has been revolutionised as a result. Why not examine this suggestion? In the context of social housing, the reality is that costs have gone...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Aidan Davitt: I did not interrupt the Senator. I know she is worried about trying to win back her seat in the Dáil. Costs have increased dramatically and there is only one way to reduce them. Even if we do not want to take a chance and talk about developers, money and all the rest, we should seek to reduce the cost of social housing.Social housing involves a set cost. Builders can provide such...