Results 481-500 of 1,229 for speaker:Denis Landy

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nessa Childers, MEP (1 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I would like to thank Ms Childers for her very honest response. I realise there were a lot of questions to be answered, but perhaps she will give a little time to one I raised concerning the willingness of the Irish State to transpose legislation into Irish law, sometimes to the detriment of our economy and sometimes creating a disadvantage for Ireland against other EU states. I discovered...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (8 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I support Senator Whelan in his call for some real action on narcolepsy. He has raised the issue over the past year, but despite promises we have seen no real action. It is time that those affected by it got results and a response from Government. I ask the Leader to provide the necessary clarity for the Opposition on GP medical cards. It is quite clear the Government has set out its stall...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I wish to raise the issue of the voluntary registration of approved bodies that provide social housing. In 2012 the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, asked the bodies to register voluntarily. Will the Leader obtain for us an update on this issue? There are 700 voluntary housing groups, but very few have of them have registered voluntarily. It may be time to have a statutory...

Seanad: Wind Energy Guidelines: Statements (15 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I support all that has been said in the debate on common sense prevailing in regard to the provision of wind farms throughout the country. However, I would ask what is the first concern for Government. In my opinion, it is the welfare of the communities across rural Ireland. Secondary to that should be the provision of energy through wind...

Seanad: Wind Energy Guidelines: Statements (15 May 2013)

Denis Landy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

Denis Landy: This week, we had a report from the CSO which provided a lot of information. It showed that the unemployment rate is starting to fall, although gradually, and also that employment is gradually rising. It also showed that we have had population growth of 350,000. I want to commend the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, on noting this early in his Ministry and for...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

Denis Landy: This afternoon there will be a briefing in the audio-visual room on the provision of further services for children with Down's syndrome. I have listened to the comments about the level of corporation tax being paid and it occurs to me that everybody in this and the other House would support the provision of extra services for children with Down's syndrome, although the question is always...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

Denis Landy: That party is now showing its concern.

Seanad: Decade of Centenaries Programme of Commemorations: Statements (22 May 2013)

Denis Landy: If the Acting Chairman would blow the whistle I can go.

Seanad: Decade of Centenaries Programme of Commemorations: Statements (22 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister to the House. I will briefly allude to the Century Ireland initiative. It is a fantastic initiative and I commend all involved in that, including RTE. This period is about the commemoration of 1913, 1916, the War of Independence and the Civil War but it is also about local issues. History is not solely about remembering war; it is about remembering events that...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I want to speak this morning about the situation in regard to home help services in this country. The most recent census indicates that there are 535,393 people over the age of 65 in this country, which is 12% of our population. The recent CSO figures predict that an extra 15,000 people will be in need of home help and home care services before 2026. The national positive ageing strategy...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I am calling on the Leader to request the Minister to come into the House to discuss this issue as a matter of urgency. We are getting one view of what is happening in replies to parliamentary questions but what is happening on the ground is a different matter. Hours are not being reinstated and people are suffering. We were told money was being put into the budget for the purpose of...

Seanad: Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Bill 2013: Second Stage (28 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I do not want to go over the ground that has been covered and, therefore, I will deal with only a few issues. I welcome the legislation. It makes a good deal of sense. I come from rural Ireland like the Minister of State and travel lesser roads to get on to good roads. I travel many bad roads to get on to the motorways. Funding is needed to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Horse Racing Industry Development (28 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to acknowledge the importance of Irish-Chinese trade, which is currently worth €8 billion per annum. I compliment the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, who led a trade delegation to China of 127 representatives of the agri-food and equine industries. China has a population of 1.3 billion and we have successfully established a...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Horse Racing Industry Development (28 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the response from the Minister and am glad that some progress is being made. However, I would ask the Minister, in the context of his responsibility for LEADER funding, to be open to the suggestion that some of this can be done at a local level. A massive opportunity exists and we must examine the feasibility of direct trade with China for the sport horse sector. I ask the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Home Help Service Provision (29 May 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking this matter. Senators John Kelly and Denis O'Donovan have outlined the position which was clearly stated in previous discussions by our colleague, Senator John Whelan. There are 535,000 people in Ireland over 65 years of age, which represents an increase of 12% since the 2006 census. The CSO has showed that between now and 2036,...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2013)

Denis Landy: It is estimated that there are approximately 700 voluntary housing bodies in the country, of which 282 are registered with the Irish Council for Social Housing. Last September, the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, introduced a voluntary code of regulation for the sector, but the uptake has been poor. Regulation is required to ensure those involved carry out their functions properly...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2013)

Denis Landy: The voluntary code has been in place for almost nine months. It is not working. Will the Leader ask the Minister of State to review the voluntary code and, if necessary, introduce legislation requiring all approved housing bodies to register? In this way, they could be assessed and overseen by a regulatory body and we could ensure tenants receive proper services, for example, repairs,...

Seanad: Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (12 Jun 2013)

Denis Landy: I too welcome the Minister to the House. As he said, the legislation presented is required. It is common sense legislation that removes the barriers to redeployment and mobility within the public service and addresses issues that arise in terms of changing staff and the changed environment in which staff are employed. The Act amends the 2004 legislation and takes into account the...

Seanad: Housing (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2013)

Denis Landy: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend her and the Government on the stimulus package being put in place to provide improvements to local authority housing stock. Up to €50 million will be made available under this package and this is most welcome. I respect what the previous speaker said but this money will enable much of the work he mentioned to be carried out on...