Results 421-440 of 886 for speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Nov 2022)

Mark Wall: I wish to raise Defence Forces issues with the Leader once again. I read a number of comments by Lieutenant Colonel Conor King, general secretary of the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers, RACO, in advance of its annual conference, which takes place in Kildare today. This morning, Lieutenant Colonel King outlined his fears about the growing retention crisis in the Defence...

Seanad: National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I, too, welcome the Minister to the House and the chance to speak about this Bill. It is a relatively short technical Bill that will provide a statutory basis to allow an increase in funding to Fáilte Ireland. The current ceiling is set at €300 million and the Bill will see that increase to €500 million. The Labour Party will, of course, support the Bill, as it did in...

Seanad: Teachtaireacht ón Dáil - Message from Dáil (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: Dáil Éireann has passed the Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2022 on 7 December 2022, to which the agreement of Seanad Éireann is desired.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: Senator Burke wishes to share time with Senator Currie. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill. The Labour Party has been advocating for an increase in the qualifying limits for the fuel allowance over many years. My office has dealt with applicants who were just a few cent over the limit. I welcome the move by the Minister to increase those limits. The reaction in my office has been...

Seanad: Childcare Services: Motion [Private Members] (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I second the motion. I pay tribute to Senator Sherlock for the terrific work she has put into the motion on behalf of our Labour Party colleagues. I acknowledge the advancements in core funding and the work done regarding pay. I want to concentrate on rural areas where there are issues. I am sure the Minister of State is familiar with the issues in her area. In rural Kildare a number of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Admissions (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for taking the time to be with us. The Minister for Education will be very aware of this issue as I have raised it with her on a number of occasions. Indeed, it is almost one year to the day since she met with Members of the Oireachtas from south Kildare to discuss this issue, following a meeting arranged by the Ceann Comhairle. In...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Admissions (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Unfortunately, the first page is cut and pasted from a reply given last year. This is the problem I have in respect of school places in Kildare South. I have been highlighting this for a number of years, as have colleagues in the Oireachtas and on Kildare County Council. Thankfully, we see the results of that on the second page of the reply....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I wish to be associated with the comments of various Senators about Seanad 100 yesterday. For many of us, it was a special occasion. I thank the Cathaoirleach and all the staff involved for arranging it. I wish to raise two issues with the Deputy Leader, the first of which is the shortage of medication throughout the State. In several recent conversations I had with my local pharmacist,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: Additional changing places facilities will allow many families to plan for family days out and family events that so many of us currently take for granted. This would be a huge and important step forward. It has been welcomed by Changing Places Ireland and by many families to whom I have spoken. I thank the Minister of State for taking this step. It will make such a difference to so many...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I support that. I am aware of the Minister's commitment to the means test review and listened to her at the social protection committee, of which I am a member. I recognise how important this is for so many families. I would like clarification from the Minister on the last point Senator Higgins raised. It is important and the Minister is very much aware of my previous interjections on the...

Seanad: Appointment of Ordinary Members of An Coimisiún Toghcháin: Motion (14 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House for the debate on this important motion. I welcome this announcement, given its importance to our democratic process, as referred to by colleagues. The Labour Party will support the motion. It is five months since the Electoral Reform Act 2022 was passed but its four independent members are only being appointed today. Will the Minister of State...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I call Senator Boylan. Is she sharing time?

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare (Dogs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I welcome Dr. Bambrick and Mr. Berney and thank them for the presentation. As Deputy Kerrane stated, it will inform our scrutiny. It was a worthwhile presentation. My first question relates to self-employment and perhaps Dr. Bambrick could respond. She mentioned self-employment and how it will affect auto-enrolment in her report. Perhaps she will expand on that for the committee. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (7 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I thank the Vice Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Employment: Discussion (13 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I also welcome our guests today. I apologise for coming to the meeting late. I missed some of the opening statements and the witnesses may have already answered some of my questions. I apologise for that but thank all of the witnesses for being with us today. It is very important. There is an area I wanted to concentrate on. I am aware of and dealing with a number of people who have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Community Welfare Service: Department of Social Protection (14 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: I thank our guests for coming in this morning for this important debate. Based on my 16 short years as a public representative, I would like to thank all the CWOs out there because, as was rightly said, they have a difficult job. They are competent in the job they do and every one of them I have dealt with in those 16 years does their job to the best of their ability. The problem, as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Community Welfare Service: Department of Social Protection (14 Dec 2022)

Mark Wall: Can the witness come back to us on that because it is an important issue? The Department has 432 CWOs and is getting another 74, which is brilliant but we need to know how many of those are actually working. In fairness, I appreciate that there is attrition and whatever else but it is important that we know how many CWOs are operating on a daily basis in the country.