Results 61-80 of 82 for speaker:Mike Kennelly

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (8 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: Absolutely. I thank Mr. Collins. Moving on to the National Women's Council, its opening statement talked about the need for groups like it to be able to take cases on behalf of people affected by discrimination. Could Ms Mitchell explain how that change might help more people get support and have their voices heard?

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Tusla (10 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank Ms Duggan for her statements and her colleagues for being here. I acknowledge the scale of what Tusla is managing. It is enormous, even just in my county of Kerry, where more than 2,500 child protection and welfare referrals were dealt with last year, while more than 2,000 young people were referred to family support services. To be honest, this has to be commended. We also have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: Today, I will follow on from my colleague and congratulate each of the four senior inter-county men's teams leading into their All-Ireland finals. I wish them all the best - to Cork and Tipperary in the hurling, and Donegal, but primarily and particularly Kerry as well, in reaching the All-Ireland final. I really want to wish all four teams competing the best. We have seen a resurgence in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes (16 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I welcome the Minister of State back to the floor of the Seanad. It is unfortunate that I have to raise this Commencement matter again. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, for coming to receive it. I need to raise this issue of critical and urgent importance for the people of north Kerry, specifically the need for immediate commencement of short-term flood relief works in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes (16 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. It is very unfortunate that this is my third time to get the same response on the floor of the Seanad, and I am probably getting the same response from Kerry County Council. The Minister of State said we will all work together, but obviously some are not pulling together. If Kerry County Council is blaming the OPW and the OPW is blaming Kerry...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes (16 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: It is not happening.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Relief Schemes (16 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I am sorry but that is not happening.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (17 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. This is an issue I raised last wee. This is a worrying and serious matter that has come into the public domain following a court case in Killarney, County Kerry. Voter impersonation at a Kenmare polling station at the local and European elections in June 2024 was caught on CCTV. A Cahersiveen man pleaded guilty but avoided a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (17 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I accept it in general terms of policy and decision-making. Electoral fraud is not a victimless crime and it is totally wrong. This guy was not even asked for identification. To say we are running proper registration on voting day is wrong. We do not know how many of these cases exist. I ask the Minister of State and the Minister for local...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I apologise for being late. A lot is going on as well this evening. I thank the witnesses for their opening statements. Student accommodation is an issue that did not happen overnight. In terms of supply and demand, it is the housing sector on wheels. The statement states 5,000 beds were delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic but completions have since dropped. I find that very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: For one year.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: ACT Smartphone App: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Mike Kennelly: This morning, when you contacted me, I was immensely proud as a Kerry person to welcome each of you ladies to the committee this morning and your mum, Theresa, and your dad, Seamus. It is truly historic. To witness your capability right now at a tender young age is phenomenal. I have heard witnesses in other committees who could not even answer some of the questions. Your future is so...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Job Losses (24 Sep 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank the Minister of State for taking this. The Commencement matter is on the future of the Kostal plant, as Senator Collins has alluded to. I stand with a very real sense of concern but also of hope that, through meaningful engagement and strategic investment, we can safeguard a future and jobs in the communities of west Limerick and north Kerry. The situation at Kostal Ireland's...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Job Losses (24 Sep 2025)

Mike Kennelly: As the Minister of State said, I can confirm the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has not received a collective redundancy notification. This is warming to hear this morning. Through the Departments, can we as a Government intervene before we get this dreaded letter from Kostal informing us that this is happening? With contract law and all that, is it possible to intervene...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I rise today to express serious concern regarding the effectiveness of the 2025 Department of justice public awareness campaign on the dangers of illegal fireworks, which was launched in September by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. While the campaign rightly highlights the severe penalties, with fines of up to €10,000 and prison terms of up to five years, it is clear that the...

Seanad: Budget 2026 (Enterprise, Tourism and Employment): Statements (14 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. I welcome budget 2026. I want to begin by welcoming the decision of the Government in 2026 to reduce the VAT rate for the hospitality services to 9%. It is it is a positive move and one that will offer some breathing room to many businesses across the tourism sector. It was not an easy decision, and I appreciate the efforts of the Minister and his...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (16 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I welcome the Minister of State. I am raising a matter of utmost urgency and national importance, namely, the development of our clean energy infrastructure. As the Minister of State knows, our climate action plan commits us to deep cuts in carbon emissions and a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewables. On wind energy, the wind energy development guidelines first issued in 2006...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (16 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I welcome the Minister of State's use of the word "expedited". He will expedite the process of developing the guidelines and implementing them. What we do not want here is communities up in arms. When the turbine industry was really getting going and being built, communities were torn apart. There was no communication. There were barriers. There were no guidelines or policy. Now we are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (21 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. It is my first time speaking to him on a Commencement matter. I raise the issue of funding for local improvement schemes, LIS. The LIS, as it is commonly known in all local authorities, is essential for maintaining private roads that serve multiple homes, farms and rural businesses. These roads are often the only access routes for families and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (21 Oct 2025)

Mike Kennelly: I thank the Minister. That is fantastic. His last few words were that it is under review and that local authorities should spend it efficiently. When we see 580 roads on the local improvement list in Kerry, it is very unfortunate and disappointing that some authorities are not even taking up their allocation. I propose that if moneys are not taken up this year as well, that funding should...