Results 561-580 of 1,416 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: ----- I asked the Leader to ask the Minister for Justice and Equality to call in the banks to ask them to increase their security measures-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: ----- relating to ATMs. That is what I asked.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: How is that blaming the Government?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: That is unfair.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I am glad to report to Senator Norris that I am a member of the Oireachtas education committee. The school secretaries will give a presentation to the committee this afternoon to which I am looking forward. I support the call for additional resources for local domestic violence services in counties Cavan and Monaghan. Currently, both counties are served by Tearmann Domestic Abuse Service....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Status of Non-Teaching Staff in Schools: Discussion (9 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for their presentations. It is a worthwhile exercise for members of the committee to hear about the issues at first hand. As the Chairman said, school secretaries and caretakers are vital members of the team. If a team has a weakness, that affects the overall performance, and it is no different in this case. Mr. Duffy made a good point about the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Property Tax (11 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister of State is very welcome and I thank him for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here. I want to discuss the Government's decision to defer the recommendations from the review of the local property tax, LPT, and the implications that may have for pensioners and those on low incomes. A review of the controversial tax on homeownership, the local property tax, LPT,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Property Tax (11 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. He stated only 15% of households are taking up the option to defer the payment. That speaks volumes in itself. As I said earlier, it is a relatively new tax and I feel not enough people are aware of this option to defer payment of the property tax every year. Will the Government look into an information campaign to make people...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I wish to raise the cross-border health directive and the urgent need for additional staff in that unit. As Members are aware, people who have been on a waiting list for a long time can avail of healthcare in another EU state and recoup the costs from the HSE. It can be availed of anywhere in Europe but the reality is that most people, including people from Monaghan, Cavan and elsewhere,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Procurement Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister of State is very welcome. Four State contracts are under way in Monaghan town at present, all of which have been secured by contractors from outside the State. I understand the requirements of the State tendering process but is there a need for a review of that process to ensure absolute fairness? Local people in Monaghan naturally are asking questions about the process that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Procurement Regulations (16 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his response. As I am sure he can appreciate, it is very frustrating for a local contractor who does not see one, two or three but four contracts going to contractors from outside the State, bearing in mind that these jobs are not that big to start with. It is frustrating for people who are left wondering why their tender was not successful. I understand...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: Last week, to mark World Parkinson's Day, a demonstration was held outside the gates of Leinster House. The people there were calling for more support and a right to access specialist care. Research clearly shows that there should be one Parkinson's nurse specialist for every 300 patients, yet in Ireland in 2019, there are only five specialist nurses for 12,000 people. Parkinson's patients...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I refer to the fair deal scheme for farm families and the delay on the part of the Government in bringing forward promised legislation to make it easier for such families. When I tabled a Commencement matter to discuss the issue a few months ago, the Minister indicated to me that legislation was imminent. However, I am disappointed to learn that the heads of the Bill have yet to be...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Services for People with Disabilities (8 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jim Daly, to the House. I raise the proposed closure of Caridas House in Drumconrath, County Meath. The proposal to remove a terminally ill gentleman from the facility has left him and his family distraught. Caridas House is a three-bedroom residential unit, where two people currently reside. One of the residents, a 62 year old male with special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Services for People with Disabilities (8 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his response. He is a decent, honourable and fair individual. The backdrop to the matter is that the gentleman to whom I referred has resided at Caridas House for the past 13 years, is very happy and feels very safe there. In the event of emergency, there is a GP located next door at the current site. This gentleman does not want to leave and he was led...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: Recent figures released by the Department of Health show that the number of persons awaiting a child and adolescent mental health service, CAMHS, appointment stood at 2,738 at the end of March 2019. That figure represents an increase of 6% on the previous month. More worrying is the fact that the number who have been waiting more than a year for an appointment has jumped to 336. That...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: Based on the Leader's contribution, I can understand why the bank would want him to go on Banking 365 online.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages Funding (16 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. Ar dtús a Aire Stáit, ba mhaith liom fáilte mhór a chur romhat go dtí an Teach seo inniu. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I would like to discuss the crisis in home care and home help in the HSE sector. Elderly people are suffering without home care because the HSE has frozen the provision of home care packages....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Home Care Packages Funding (16 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for her response and I appreciate that this is not her area. I am disappointed with the content of the response, however. There is clearly little comfort here for the more than 300 people waiting on home care packages in Monaghan and Cavan, and there is little comfort for their families as well. People are saying to me that we can spend billions building...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Robbie Gallagher: I join others in congratulating the Minister of State on taking a common sense approach to this issue. This is a very sensible proposal and I am glad to see the Government is on board with it. I compliment my colleague, Senator Swanick, a doctor, on his work in this particular area. I support my colleague, Senator Mullen, and the sentiments he expressed about GPs, many of whom are leaving...