Results 61-80 of 969 for speaker:John McGahon

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: With due respect to you, Acting Chairman, and to help you out in the Chair, I would say conventions are there sometimes to be broken. I like to break them every once and a while but to finish my point-----

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: Jesus, I have two minutes.

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: If I could just finish-----

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: Going back to the subject matter, which is not about the best Opposition ever provided in the history of the State, I find it is important that I personally turn up to all briefings about topics like this to ensure that I am well-informed so that when we debate specific matters, I can discuss them. That is what I am doing here. Retail has more or less been sorted this afternoon. However,...

Seanad: Reopening Ireland (Department of Health): Statements (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: I want to focus on three issues in my remarks. The first is what I would describe as a public relations strategy that will combat vaccine scepticism. We have seen reports in the past week alone that one third of Irish people are wary about the vaccine. A total of 12% of people believe they will not take it. If a vaccine were to be introduced into Ireland that had, say, a 90% effective...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Establishment of an Independent Public Inquiry into the Murder of Pat Finucane: Motion (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: Will I come back in later and let Senator Currie in now, if that is okay?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Establishment of an Independent Public Inquiry into the Murder of Pat Finucane: Motion (26 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: It was nice to meet John Finucane properly last year. I must hold my hands up and say that my lack of knowledge of what happened to his family and father was slim to none compared with what I have learned this week. There is no point in me trying to say otherwise. I was not even born when John Finucane's father was so cruelly taken away from him. I was hanging on every word of John...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: Before I call on the Minister of State, does anyone else wish to speak?

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Committee Stage (30 Nov 2020)

John McGahon: Yes, it was.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: I want to discuss something that the Leader will have a lot of experience of from her time as a Minister in her former Department. I refer to the Christmas bonus and, more importantly, the fact it is not paid to people who are on maternity leave. Next year I would love those who are on maternity leave at Christmas to be eligible for the Christmas bonus scheme. The Minister for Social...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Second Stage (1 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: I was thinking earlier about the term "the patience of Job", and I wondered what it meant, and who Job was. I googled it and found the following definition: "Job is presented as a good and prosperous family man who is beset by Satan with God's permission with horrendous disasters that take away all that he holds dear." I cannot help but think that some sort of analogy could be drawn with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: Last week in this House I spoke about the real problem of vaccine scepticism. Today, I want to discuss the need to build vaccine confidence. Building vaccine confidence is not just the reserve of Government and Members of this House; it is the reserve of everyone across Irish society who occupies a public platform, whether they are sports stars or influencers. It is more important than...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: Amendments Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (2 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: As it is now 3.30 p.m., I am required to put the following question in accordance with the order of the Seanad of this day: "That amendment No. 7 is hereby negatived, Fourth Stage is hereby completed, and the Bill is hereby received for final consideration and passed."

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: I refer also to the wonderful funding for swimming which was announced this morning. I have been an avid sea swimmer for the past four or five years and I do it all year round. I absolutely love it and the benefits, for mental health and everything else, are fantastic. I cannot stress enough how brilliant a hobby it is. We saw an explosion in the popularity of sea swimming this year. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Northern Ireland Economy: Discussion (8 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: I thank Professors FitzGerald and Morgenroth for their contributions. It is great to see Professor FitzGerald again. I heard his presentation to the Joint Committee on Climate Action a few weeks ago. It is always enjoyable to hear him speak. I was reading over the weekend and it is amazing how the history of the economy on this island changes. At the turn of the 20th century, Belfast...

Seanad: Annual Transition Statement on Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015: Statements (9 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: It has become common courtesy that when a Minister comes into the House the first words uttered by Members are platitudes stating how great it is to have the Minister in but I genuinely enjoy it when this Minister comes into this House. Of all the Ministers who come into this House, it is clear he is very much on top of his brief, he is earnest in what he wants to do and his ambition is...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: Recommendations Nos. 9 and 10 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

John McGahon: Is the recommendation being pressed?