Results 8,641-8,660 of 20,768 for speaker:Mattie McGrath
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I move:“That Dáil Éireann: recognises that:— post offices serve a vital social and economic role in their communities; — there is a very specific commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to protect the postal network; — rural and small urban post offices, which are mostly run by independent postmasters, have had their income and footfall...
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I thank everybody who has contributed to the debate, as well as the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and other Acting Chairmen. I also thank Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, my other colleagues in the Rural Independent Alliance and the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, for the discussions last weekend to try to reach an agreed solution, and I thank the Chief Whip, Deputy Regina Doherty, for accepting the...
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: The Minister also mentioned customer focus and the Kerr group.
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I have only two questions. Will the Government give a commitment that its contracts for procurement will include a social as well an economic element in the future? That is vital. We saw what happened with the driving licence system. It was farmed out and made so prohibitive that the post offices could not tender for it. John Daly, director of retail operations in An Post, told an...
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: He is able to deliver now, if he wants to deliver.
- Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: The Minister of State is well able to. Forget the mobile.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I, too, am delighted to be able to speak to this legislation and I welcome the Minister's speech. As he said, the basic aim of the Government is to use our economic success to build a fair and compassionate society, and few areas are more important to this vision than education. The Minister also stated that the Government's ambition is for the action plan for education is to provide...
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: It was a noble initiative and I give credit for it. I praise the bridges I go over. It was a wonderful-----
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I am talking about a relevant issue. Donogh O'Malley brought in the free travel scheme. My colleagues to the right of me-----
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: They are neither left nor right. I do not know if they are centre-right or centre-left.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: They are a little lost at the moment. There is always hope for them to come back to where they came from.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: Can I continue without interruption, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle?
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I am not really enjoying them.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: No, they are not.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: No, I am being honest. I praise the bridges. Donogh O'Malley was a reforming Minister.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: Is that all? The Leas-Cheann Comhairle might have had a soft landing when he came back from the European Parliament to Donegal, but four minutes is not much. It could be an anti-climax. I recognise what Donogh O'Malley did. I was lucky to get a school bus to secondary school because I did not have to buy as many pairs of shoes.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I will not be praising the Minister of State. He is in the air most of the time lately. The longer we keep him there, the better. I do not know about the people across in Buswell's Hotel yesterday who were talking about looking after the environment, because the Minister of State has been flying from one continent to the next. As long as he stays in the air, he will not do any harm here.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: No, he is not.
- Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016: Second Stage (16 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: I did not bring up his name. I never invoked his name. My right honourable colleague from County Kildare mentioned him. The Bill makes provision for single-sex schools and denominational schools to reflect certain things in their admission policies. Certainly, we must allow them to do so. I have sat on boards of management that have had to expel pupils. I am sure other Deputies in the...
- Questions on Proposed Legislation (17 Nov 2016)
Mattie McGrath: Today marks World Prematurity Day. Every year, more than 4,000 babies are born pre-term in Ireland. After much negotiation, the Government included a commitment in the programme for Government in respect of early intervention and prevention services for children. In the programme, the Government also promises to commence an in-depth review of the variation in waiting lists across the...