Results 521-540 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Seanad: Higher Education Grants. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State and wish her well in future career choices. I have raised this issue before and it is close to the Minister of State's heart. She has acknowledged difficulties in the facilitation and distribution of higher education grants. This issue is usually raised by politicians when they are under pressure from constituents in August, September and October. I raise it...

Seanad: Higher Education Grants. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Minister of State for outlining that this matter is being dealt with. If she used her influence to resolve the higher education grants issue it would be a nice note on which to end her Dáil career. She would be remembered for it.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements. (23 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I am delighted to speak on the important issues of housing provision and the construction industry. We live in unprecedented times in terms of the construction of both social and private housing. A figure of 240,000 was mentioned. Will the Minister of State clarify whether this refers to the numbers working directly in the construction...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: The Minister for Agriculture and Food has been consistent in her insistence that at least 90% of farmers will be paid the single farm payment before Christmas. I hope that this will be the case but the tentative feedback I have received from different quarters is that only 40% of farmers will be paid before Christmas. I hope this figure is wrong. I ask that inquiries be made through the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: It is not a red herring.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I was delighted with that announcement.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Leader and Senator Callanan for their timely intervention on the single farm payment issue, which I raised last week. They used their good offices to influence the Minister for Agriculture and Food to ensure cheques were paid on time. Inishowen is sometimes mentioned in the negative because of road tragedies and job losses, of which there have been 4,000 in the past six years....

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on the motion. I thank my party colleague, Senator Browne, for tabling it. It is a significant national issue but I find it difficult to get away from the parochial aspect of the negative experiences we have had in County Donegal in the past few months, specifically in Inishowen where five young people lost their lives tragically in a car accident....

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I agree. I would like the Minister of State to fast track the implementation of policies and dedicate resources in this regard. I refer to a specific issues in rural areas. A small percentage of young drivers act irresponsibly doing donuts and driving carelessly but they use mobile telephones. They know when gardaí are on duty and they know which crossroads they use to set up checkpoints. If...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: The Minister of State should also explore a mechanism to get them involved in this debate.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I am delighted.

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: Senator Morrissey made a number of comments about the rail service. However, in the north west, we would do anything for a poor train station or poor access to rail lines. We do not have access to train lines, never mind trains. The only sign of a train in Donegal is at Christmas time when small choo choo trains appear on Christmas boxes. That is the unfortunate position in which we find...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: If I leave at 2.30 p.m. I have no hope because my average speed will be 40 mph all the way to Donegal. Another choice is to go as far as Ballygawley roundabout and access the M1 via Armagh and Newry. Some people bypass Monaghan while others go via Enniskillen and Cavan. There is too much choice but because we use too many alternative routes not enough people travel on one road for it to be...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: I think I have missed it, although they might be able to delay it for me. According to the IDA one of the reasons people do not invest in businesses in the north west is because it is too far away and it takes too long. Donegal is not too far away. When there is no traffic one can drive from Letterkenny to Dublin Airport without breaking the speed limit in two hours and ten minutes. That is...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements. (1 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: The problem is the road infrastructure that dictates average speeds of 35 mph and leaving Dublin on a Friday evening gives a negative perception of the journey, which at that time could take seven hours. We must engage with the Northern authorities. There will be a significant meeting in Enniskillen on Monday between the Irish Central Border Area Network, ICBAN, to discuss a joint integrated...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: On the eve of the budget — it is probably written in stone but there may be a window of opportunity——

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: I received a letter from AnGrianán Theatre in Letterkenny with an 11th hour plea for VAT exemptions for Northern Ireland artists and theatre companies. Some 20% of the theatre's programme involves artists from Northern Ireland and these VAT charges will curtail Northern Ireland artists from coming to Letterkenny and will lead to a price hike that will affect Donegal theatre patrons. As...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: I wish to put in an early bid for those poor functioning and slow trains for——

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: The Donegal taxpayer might not agree with you, a Chathaoirligh.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2005)

Joe McHugh: I have made an early bid. A more serious matter is the roll out of breast cancer screening in the north west. Perhaps the Leader would put this issue on the agenda for an urgent debate in the new year. The people of the north west do not know where they stand in this process. On a political level they are being told it will be rolled out in 2007 but, at executive level, they are being told...