Results 441-460 of 1,416 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I join, as others have done, in congratulating the more than 880 towns and villages that entered this year's Tidy Towns competition. They all deserve huge credit for their efforts. I congratulate my colleague, Senator Ned O'Sullivan, on Listowel being successful in winning the overall prize. I take great pride also today in congratulating Glaslough village in County Monaghan-----

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: -----on being awarded the prize of being the tidiest village in the country. I invite all my colleagues in the House to visit Glaslough if they get an opportunity to do so as it is a beautiful village that has much to offer. The volunteers who participated in the work in all the more than 880 towns and villages throughout the country deserve great praise. I compliment them on their hard...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (25 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the witnesses to the meeting. This issue must be viewed from the perspective of the Department in terms of how the scheme is drawn up and administered and also from the perspective of Bus Éireann which is responsible for actually transporting children to school. I will start with the Department. In my view, the scheme as it is currently designed is simply not working. That...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (25 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I was beginning to think in recent times that she had taken up employment with Bus Éireann. On a more serious note, there is a problem which needs to be addressed. I acknowledge that Mr. Kent is taking this on board. If we were looking at this problem from a business perspective, this should not be happening. If there were problems last year that are being repeated this year, that...

Seanad: Inclusion in Sport: Motion (26 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit agus cuirim fáilte roimh an reachtaíocht seo. I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this worthwhile motion and I congratulate Senator Conway and his colleagues on putting it forward. I take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of Senator Dolan in this area on an ongoing basis. As Senator Hopkins mentioned, local authorities...

Seanad: Inclusion in Sport: Motion (26 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: That takes some doing.

Seanad: Inclusion in Sport: Motion (26 Sep 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Cinnte.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Today I raise the current crisis within the Defence Forces. Yesterday, I listened to Mr. Gerard Guinan, general secretary of PDFORRA, outline the extent of this crisis at the PDFORRA annual conference in Castlebar, County Mayo. He spoke of how the Minister of State had given a strong commitment to PDFORRA that the strength of the Defence Forces would not fall below the level of 9,500. I am...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House to discuss this important issue. Like all Senators, the Fianna Fáil Members of the House are committed to maintaining the highest standards in education and to improving those standards where possible. In line with that, we broadly support the measures that are being introduced in this Bill. As Senators will be aware, most of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Yesterday, I was alerted to a Government-backed publication, Ireland's Ancient East, which is supported by the Office of Public Works. I was disappointed that the illustration fails to recognise County Monaghan. It is included on the map but they have decided to rename it as Armagh, which is very disappointing. Some people may see the humour in that but it is very disappointing that...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (16 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. I thank the Minister of State for taking time out of his busy schedule for coming to the House. I have raised the issue of councillors' terms and conditions on many occasions, as have other Senators. There is a great deal of frustration regarding the pace of progress - or, indeed, the lack of progress - on this issue. I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members' Remuneration (16 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his very comprehensive outline of the timetable involved in this issue. Like the Minister of State, I look forward to the interim report being published hopefully in the next few weeks. As the Minister of State said, it is important as this report will help to bring clarity to those who are contemplating seeking re-election and those who wish to put their...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Today I raise the issue of the bus services - or perhaps I should say the lack of services - provided by Bus Éireann to the people of Monaghan. For people in Monaghan who wish to use Bus Éireann, the main bus travelling to Dublin is the Letterkenny to Dublin express, which stops in Monaghan. Last week an 84 year old lady was planning on going to Dublin Airport using Bus...

Seanad: Traveller Culture and History in Education Bill 2018: Committee Stage (17 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach-Ghníomhach. Ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur roimh an Aire, an Teachta McHugh go dtí an Teach seo inniu. Ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a ghabháil leis as an bpost nua atá aige freisin. I welcome the Minister to the House and congratulate him on his appointment. It is good to see someone promoted from a Border...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Effectiveness and Timeliness of Consent Classes provided in Third-Level Institutions: Discussion (23 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank all the participants for their contributions. Some of the questions I had intended to ask have been touched on by my colleagues. Are we coming at this too late from the witnesses' perspective? Should we be introducing this at a more appropriate stage before students reach third level? That is primarily a question for Mr. Crosby, although other speakers have touched on this aspect...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I raise the issue of illegal parking in designated disabled car parking spaces. Unfortunately, this problem seems to be on the increase throughout the country. The Garda in Monaghan has recently voiced concern at the increasing trend of able-bodied motorists parking in designated disabled car parking spaces, particularly in the evening and at weekends. This is a disappointing trend, which...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: All God's children have a place in the choir.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: All of us in this House will be aware of, and fully appreciate, the importance of the ambulance service, particularly in places like County Monaghan where hospital services were downgraded. Such places depend on the ambulance service more than other areas. Unfortunately, there is sometimes a delay in ambulances arriving at the scene which can have, as Monaghan knows too well, devastating...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: It is nice of him to give us an opportunity to be able to do so.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Letterkenny Institute of Technology: Chairperson Designate (6 Nov 2018)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome Mr. Moloney and compliment him and others on the huge success of LYIT. As someone who comes from that neck of the woods, I am familiar with it. From an economic perspective, apart from anything else, I know that it has been a serious bonus to Letterkenny and the wider area. I have several questions. How many students are on the campus in Letterkenny? Where does Mr. Moloney see...