Results 461-480 of 704 for speaker:John Kelly

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I agree with Senator Quinn's point that governments deserve to be applauded wherever they make a U-turn on decisions that are fundamentally wrong. The imposition of pylons and wind farms on ordinary people in rural Ireland in particular has been continually raised in this House. It was interesting to read recent media reports which suggest that the EU plans to row back significantly on our...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (21 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I do not propose to use all of the time available to me or to regurgitate everything that has already been said. I merely wish to make a couple of observations, on which I would appreciate the Minister's feedback. Senator Barrett cited statistics which indicate that younger learner drivers are not really the major offenders on our roads. As one drives throughout the country on our major...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I support calls for the setting up of the charities regulator as a matter of urgency considering what we have read today about the level of profit received by Rehab for the sale of €4 million worth of lottery tickets. I was a voluntary, part-time fund-raiser for the Irish Wheelchair Association between 1980 and 1987. Every penny I raised for the association went directly to it. In...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I support Senator Whelan's call for a charities regulator to be put in place as soon as possible. I raised the issue in the House yesterday when I pointed out that for every Rehab scratch card that was bought for €1 only a quarter of a cent got to the charity, which is why this matter is urgent. I also support Senator Whelan's call for us to revisit our alternative energy targets. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: The Insolvency Service of Ireland employs 90 staff at its offices on the Conyngham Road and there has been one resolution to date using the insolvency legislation. It appears that only people with money can access the service. Nobody in authority can tell us who pays for the personal insolvency practitioner. The reality is that personal insolvency practitioners will take on cases where -...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I welcome the Government’s announcement today that it will set up an independent commission to assess whether the electricity transmission system will consist of pylons or undergrounding. It is to be welcomed because, as we know, communities across the country are mobilising against EirGrid and its plans. It is important this independent commission gets to the truth and involves all...

Seanad: Visit of Ugandan Delegation (28 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: I am sure Members of the House will join me in welcoming a delegation from Uganda led by the Honourable Stephen Tashobya, Chairman of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee. On my own behalf, and on behalf of all my colleagues in Seanad Éireann, I extend a warm welcome to him and good wishes for a successful visit to Ireland.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Local Authority Staff Numbers (28 Jan 2014)

John Kelly: While I know the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, wanted to take this matter, he has probably provided a comprehensive answer to some of the issues I intend to raise. It pertains to the Gateway to Work project, which was meant to be rolled out last autumn, but I am unsure whether that has actually happened. If so, has it been rolled out in some but...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: It is more than regrettable and lamentable that we are sitting for just one and a half days this week. This House seems to have form in this regard. It is totally unacceptable that we sometimes work for just one and a half days earlier in the session, only to have four-day sittings and late-night sittings with rushed and guillotined legislation in Christmas week and in Easter week. Along...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: We had the support of many others.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: Thankfully, the people bought into this. We promised change in this House. We said we would do business in a different way. When the people voted to keep this House, it was incumbent on the Government to structure business in an orderly way and to make sure legislation comes through this House in an orderly fashion. We should not be sitting for one and a half days one week and for four...

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, to the House and pay tribute to the work being done by her in the area of homelessness. I am happy to do whatever I can to help her in that regard. As I have previously stated in regard to homelessness, it is criminal that it is permitted to happen. However, failure to deal with the causes of homelessness is an even greater crime. Before...

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: On a point of order, I never mentioned NAMA properties. That is on the record.

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I never mentioned NAMA housing.

Seanad: Homelessness Strategy: Motion (5 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I was referring to local authority housing.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I support my colleague, Senator Whelan, in calling for a debate on the proposed increase in mooring charges. I asked for a debate on this last week. It is scandalous that we are letting Thursdays go to waste and not taking the opportunity to debate many issues. The Inland Waterways Association of Ireland has contacted me because it has not been given much consultation time on these...

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him well in his European campaign.

Seanad: Recent Flooding: Statements (12 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: He has always been very amenable to attending debates in the House and it is good to see him on the television getting down and dirty with his Wellingtons where all of the problems have occurred throughout the country. My county of Roscommon has been subject to much flooding, particularly near the River Shannon, and the Minister of State is well aware of it. A company in the area, Global...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I support Senator Whelan's comments on wind energy and his call for the resignation of Mr. Brendan Halligan. The wind energy project is an almighty mess, which could have been resolved in 2012 by the adoption of my wind turbines Bill. People were prepared to accept wind turbines if the set back distances were fair to them. My Bill is in line with the Cloghan judgment of An Bord...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2014)

John Kelly: I am getting to it. The report further states: "The doubling of Ireland's wind energy output which EirGrid says is needed could destabilise the entire network and even result in power blackouts." There is evidence of various conflicts of interest. The former chairman of An Bord Pleanála is the chairman of EirGrid, the former chairman of EirGrid is a director of Element Power-----