Results 9,281-9,300 of 10,460 for speaker:Gerry Horkan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. Does Deputy Matthews have any further questions?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Okay. I call on Deputy Leddin, briefly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I have just been called to a vote. I may ask Deputy Matthews to finish off the committee meeting. Is that agreed? Agreed. The Deputy should keep going.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I am going to interrupt Deputy Leddin briefly. I would like to leave and I ask Deputy Matthews to come in. I thank Mr. Meade, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Hendrick for their full three-hour engagement with the committee. They can see the appetite is here from both committee members and non-committee members. who are all interested in all of what Irish Rail is doing, as are public representatives...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Capital Projects and Operations: Iarnród Éireann (24 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I think the room might be needed by somebody else very shortly.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Order for Second Stage (30 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I have up to ten minutes. As I say when I am in the Chair, consider it a maximum, not a target. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, for being in the House once again. I appreciate that this is a very technical Bill. However, we also appreciate the incredibly valuable work the coroner does and we are talking, too, in terms of the fact the senior coroner for Dublin is currently...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Next Thursday.

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Based on the time we have left and the number of speakers, not everybody will get in. I am counting Senator Higgins in already. If everyone takes a minute off, everybody will get in, but if everyone goes for six minutes they will not. Is it agreed we cut their speaking time to five minutes for everyone else? Agreed. I now call Senator Lombard, followed by Senators Malcolm Byrne, Kyne,...

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Our next contributor is Senator Regina Doherty who has five minutes.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Senator Ward knows more about this area than I because he works in it professionally as a barrister. Senator Ward, the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, and I are like Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown on tour because we were all councillors in the same local authority once upon a time. While I am always delighted to see the Minister of State, I would possibly have preferred to see the...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Are we doing Committee and Remaining Stages today?

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Can I make a brief point? The Minister of State alluded to it earlier and it would be good to hear the Government response to the Coroners Society letter. The Government is of the belief there is no issue in terms of the independence of the coroner's role. Is the issue here that they were permanent employees previously or had permanent contracts and now that is being changed? Is that the...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: What is the reason for-----

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Sorry. I would like clarification on why we are changing from a full-term to a fixed-term contract.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: No problem.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: On the amendment, I would like to hear the Minister of State explain the rationale behind this. Why is it being proposed to switch from a full-time position until retirement, effectively, to a five-year term? Senator Ward does not have an issue with reviewing people's position and that is fair enough. The fear is some people at the moment are doing their job well and unless something goes...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Will the Minister of State respond to the point I made about the rationale behind going from permanent employment to fixed-term contracts?

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: I welcome that. I acknowledge that the Minister is not here due to a sad personal circumstance. I am sorry to hear that. After the conclusion of the Bill in this House and before it gets to the Dáil, and notwithstanding the pressure of the Dublin situation in the middle of this month, it would be helpful and important if there would be some engagement by the Department with the...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Feb 2024)

Gerry Horkan: Now.