Results 4,741-4,760 of 5,765 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I do not want to put Mr. Torpey on the spot. He is a qualified engineer.

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: It could be refurbished quite easily, I would think.

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: A long time ago I was advised by a trade union official that if you wanted to get a reaction to anything, it was a function of how much heat you could put under backsides at any given time. Getting 11,000 signatories in that catchment area is a lot of heat. Have the witnesses been in contact with all the Deputies and county councillors in their local area?

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I think most people in this room will agree with me when I say that from a political perspective there is every reason in the world to go down and save the hospital today. None of us in this room or in these Houses would want to see it closed. I propose that we invite the HSE and HIQA to come and explain precisely what needs to be done to maintain the hospital and keep it open. Clearly...

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: As a good Galwegian, I would not have much time for Tipperary or Kilkenny. I really think we need to have HIQA and the HSE in here. We need to find out what the decision was that ultimately led to the closure. It strikes me from what the witnesses are saying that Covid came along and it provided the ideal vehicle to ship everybody out. As soon as the Covid thing passed then it was closed...

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: When Ms Mullins mentioned going up to the kitchens to her mum as a schoolgirl, it really brought home the whole community thing. It was a part of the community. I know it is facing us all. We will all have to die at some stage. I will have to die at some stage. I am in the departure lounge but I hope the flight is delayed. When I die, I would like to be in a place like that, where the...

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: The real problem they have, however, is the HSE and HIQA. That is what we have to work with. I am sorry I have to go to another meeting. I very much appreciate the witnesses being here.

Committee on Public Petitions: Public Petition on St. Brigid’s Hospital, Carrick-on-Suir: Save St. Brigid’s Action Group (19 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the witnesses. I note that there are public representatives and members of the community here today. That is indicative of what we are talking about here. In fairness, Ms Mullins mentioned the word "community". It is a community resource and is one that is clearly loved by the people in the area. That is the emotional side of it. Then we have to look at what exactly is happening...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and the Leader on their appointments. The changing of the guard seems to have been seamless, which is great. I will see what I can do to disrupt that as time goes on.My colleague was speaking about An Garda Síochána. It is finding it extremely difficult to recruit people, as are the Defence Forces. The problem is the 2013 pension. There is no...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: We are all about accountability in this House and in Dáil Éireann. Last week and the week before, we had the spectacle of a Minister being held to account over election expenses going back to 2016. People stood on the high moral ground and pointed the finger of accusation but many of those same people have had to climb down off that high moral ground now and explain their own...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I am meeting people all of the time who are asking me if we have nothing better to do. We have hospital overruns. I am blue in the face talking about the search and rescue service. We have problems in An Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces. We have problems in education. What we should be talking about in here, and I would ask the Acting Leader to consider putting this...

Seanad: Protection of Private Residences (Against Targeted Picketing) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I compliment my colleague on bringing forward the Bill. We are living in a society where it seems that anybody who puts their face into the public arena is fair game to have a go at, at any time or in any place. Recently I had a situation on Twitter. I am quite active on Twitter, as most people will know. I had put out a tweet on something or other and one of these bots came back and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Jan 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Last week, I spoke about accountability. At the weekend, we had another exposé relating to the HSE. Once again, Ministers' heads are on the chopping block, for want of a better description. The thought crosses my mind that when decisions like this are taken, Ministers operate on the advice given to them by their departmental officials. Because of the system of government we have in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (1 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish all of the women of Ireland, including my eight sisters, my mother, my granddaughters, my wife, my daughter and my cousins, a great St. Brigid's day. I hope they really have a good day. I hope that we learn something from all of this welcoming of St. Brigid and Lá Fhéile Bríd, and all of this. I do not think we have over the years. Anyway, now to get down to the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I second the amendment of my colleague, Senator Boyhan, to the Order of Business. My grandmother used to say to me "mind the pennies and the pounds will mind themselves". As the Cathaoirleach will be aware, I have spoken here and in committees about the contract for search and rescue which is currently being negotiated by the Government. The contract will cost somewhere north of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Thank God for whistleblowers

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: Good afternoon. I am sorry that I was not here for the witnesses' presentation. I had to be elsewhere. On the issue of driving tests, one county councillor in County Tipperary, Séamie Morris, contacted me regarding driving tests. Initially, when I thought about it, I thought it was a bit odd, but when I thought more carefully, it made at least a little sense. He wondered about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: In fairness, I am not aware of it myself but the idea sounded highly innovative. It struck me that one would be able to implement scenarios that would not normally be seen in a driving test. Perhaps, as a 21st century country, somebody might come forward with a solution that the RSA might be prepared to look at.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: I am told Buncrana was probably one of the worst places in the country 12 months ago. It improved and was doing well but it is now beginning to slide down the scale again. Have our guests any idea what is going on there or what is causing that problem? Councillor Nicholas Crossan asked me to ask that question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Delays Affecting Car Tests and Driver Tests: Discussion (1 Feb 2023)

Gerard Craughwell: My question relates to waiting times.