Results 41-60 of 886 for speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: Absolutely on the amendment. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to confirm our total support for the overall Brexit Bill. Members have spoken about how important Brexit is to the country and we all hope we can get a deal. I again acknowledge - for the fourth time, I think - the work the Minister, Deputy Coveney, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and their officials...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Planning Guidelines (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: It is good to see Senator Moynihan in the Chair. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The reason I have asked him to come before the House is the urgent need to change the building regulations to make it mandatory to include what are called Changing Places toilet facilities rather than the current standard accessible toilets in public buildings. In Ireland there are estimated to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Planning Guidelines (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State's reply, which represents a very important step forward. Having an introductory meeting next week is very positive. As I said in my introduction, we are behind the curve on the number of changing facilities we have, and we have a considerable amount of catching up to do. I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to this. For quality of life it is vital...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister to the House I thank her for the considerable work she and the Department have done, particularly in recent months. The Labour Party will be supporting the Bill, as we have done previously. There is an important inclusion in this Bill, which repeals the section on the pension age, as other Members have said. I thank all those involved in the Stop 67 campaign. They...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I wish to discuss two issues, the first of which is one my colleague, Councillor Níall McNelis, has asked me to raise. It relates to something that he and other public representatives in Galway have been facing recently, namely, giant trawlers fishing in Galway Bay and offloading their catch of tiny juvenile fish. We have all seen clips of these trawlers sweeping thousands of tonnes of...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I have received notice from Senator Jerry Buttimer that, on the motion for the Commencement of the House today, he proposes to raise the following matter: The need for the Minister for Finance to provide an update on the payment of annual dividends by credit unions to their members. I have also received notice from Senator Annie Hoey of the following matter: The need for the Minister...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Credit Unions (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: Is that agreed? Agreed. I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Services (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: The Rotunda Hospital is also very important to me as my two sons were born there and my wife trained as a midwife there. It is very important.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Services (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister of State for her engagement with Senators.

Seanad: Commencement of Irish Sign Language Act 2017: Statements (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank Senator Hoey for sharing her time with me. I welcome the Minister of State into the House and join in the tributes to the Cathaoirleach for his work on this legislation. As a councillor receiving his many letters on ISL over previous years, it was excellent. Today we see the fruits of that labour and it is important we acknowledge the Cathaoirleach as the person who has driven this...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank Senator Craughwell for tabling his amendment. As other Senators have stated, it is important that we discuss this issue. I note that the Senator has continuously raised this issue in this Chamber. I have read a report he made in February 2016 to the Joint Committee on Employment Affairs and Social Protection, which is not the current committee. Today, I would like to concentrate...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (16 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome Mr. Russell and thank him for giving his time to speak to us. Senator O'Reilly has touched on many of the aspects I was going to ask about, but I will raise some issues regarding what Mr. Russell mentioned. We have shared values and history, and we are closely related in many aspects, as evidenced by Mr. Russell's reference to our nations being cousins. Tourism is close to my...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (16 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I congratulate Congressman Neal on all the work he has done and the support he has given to Ireland with regard to Brexit. I also congratulate him on the election of President-elect Biden. All present welcome the fact that he will be the next President of the United States. On the issue of the US-UK relationship, has damage been caused by recent comments of the soon-to-be ex-President...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2021)

Mark Wall: I wish to raise two issues today, the first of which is a call for an urgent decision on the 2021 leaving certificate. Like many Senators, I have been contacted by a large number of students and parents alike who continue to seek certainty for themselves and their loved ones. Across the House, we have all carried out our own surveys to gauge the feeling among students in particular about...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (26 Jan 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. There are a number of items I want to bring up with her. Some of my colleagues have already asked about them but from my own experience and from the representations I have received, I would like to put them to her today as well. We need the promised data on the roll-out of the vaccination programme on a daily basis, as has been mentioned. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Illegal Dumping (1 Feb 2021)

Mark Wall: I wish everyone a happy St. Brigid's Day. I thank the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, for coming to the House to discuss this important matter. Notwithstanding the dreadful pandemic that our country continues to face, one issue continues to dominate the work of public representatives from every corner of our country, namely, illegal dumping. The problem is not confined to our remote beautiful...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Illegal Dumping (1 Feb 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. Unfortunately, according to the evidence I have received, illegal dumping is on the increase. I am sure he too is hearing that from all local representatives. I have spoken to many of them in recent weeks. I would appreciate if the Minister's Department could liaise with local authorities. In Kildare, for example, we face 40 or 50...

Seanad: Response to Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (1 Feb 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister back to the House and, along with colleagues, congratulate her on her very good news. It is great to hear good news like that in these particular times. I also want to record my thanks to the Minister's Department for the considerable amount of work it has completed since the beginning of this pandemic. As I said here previously, it has been a tremendous effort by...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Committee for the Executive Office, Northern Ireland Assembly on Impact of Brexit (2 Feb 2021)

Mark Wall: I support the condemnation of the threats issued last night. It is important that we all say that and voice our support for the workers in the Port of Larne. I also support Senator Ó Donnghaile's calls for continued meetings. It is an excellent idea. As has been mentioned by the Senator and other speakers, it is most important that that is continued over the coming weeks. I am glad...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Feb 2021)

Mark Wall: I plead with the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland, ASTI, to return to the table. I can only use my experience, which is that the best place to discuss any issue is at the table. I echo the calls in the Chamber for the ASTI to return to the discussions. I will use my experience as the parent of a leaving certificate student and as a public representative. The mental stress on...