Results 1,161-1,180 of 1,416 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Seanad: Final Report of the Independent Scoping Exercise into the Circumstances Surrounding the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell: Statements (17 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister back to the House. I, too, extend a warm welcome to Lucia and Jim and their two daughters. I take this opportunity to pass on my sincere condolences to you on the tragic loss of your dear son, Shane, at the early age of 23. No parent should live to see that happen. To lose a child in sudden circumstances is a traumatic and life-changing event for any family. To...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte ar ais go dtí an Teach seo roimh an Aire Stáit inniu. I thank the Minister of State for taking time out of his busy schedule to be here. I, like many other sports fans in the country, was delighted with the successful bid by the UK and Ireland to host the 2028 European championship. This has given sports fans a major tournament to look forward to. I commend...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Funding (24 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I issue an invitation to him to visit Clones to see St. Tiernach's Park for himself. I have no doubt that he will be hugely impressed with it. In many ways, the future of Clones depends on the future of St. Tiernach's Park. We certainly do not begrudge the redevelopment of Casement Park one penny but the Government must also...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (25 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister is welcome back to the House this afternoon. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I compliment the members of Young Fine Gael on their work on this issue. I also commend all Members of this House who fully support this very important legislation. Senator Doherty outlined a specific case in her area. I am sure there are cases throughout the country. Spiking is a horrible,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (24 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome all of the witnesses and thank them for their contributions. I also thank An Garda Síochána for the difficult job it does every day on behalf of us all. I am sure I speak for all committee members when I say that. The word "morale" has been bandied about quite a lot this afternoon. Based on the contributions, it is clearly a big issue. I am astonished things are as...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Oct 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I would like the House to join me in wishing the Holy Family School, Cootehill, a very special 50th birthday, which it celebrates today. Celebrations are kicking off around now, at 11 o'clock. The Holy Family School is a special school for children aged between four and 18 years and its origins date back to 1966 in Carrickmacross. It then moved to Cootehill in 1973. The Minister for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House this afternoon. Yesterday, the management at Cavan General Hospital issued a statement to local media requesting that non-urgent people would not attend the hospital because of the high volumes they were experiencing. Instead, they asked that patients with non-critical issues to contact their GP or indeed their pharmacy for assistance....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Facilities (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. As I said earlier, the development in Roscommon is very positive and it makes perfect sense that a similar protocol be put in place in Monaghan. The injuries unit is thankfully now operating seven days a week, as the Minister of State noted. The staff are very dedicated and caring people and provide an excellent service. From my inquiries, I...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021: Second Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the witnesses and thank them for the work the Garda does on behalf of us all in increasingly difficult circumstances. Our appreciation is heartfelt. I wish to ask a number of questions. The Commissioner mentioned the new operating model. In my neck of the woods of Cavan and Monaghan, there are deep concerns among members of the community and gardaí. Changes have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: Roughly 240 members have attested this year. Those numbers are alarming. Only 240 have attested this year while 500 will have gone out the exit door by the end of the year. What are the projections for 2024? On the policing model, it is a long way from Blackrock in County Louth to Blacklion in County Cavan. It is a vast area and there are grave concerns about that. I hope the criteria...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister is welcome here this afternoon. From the discussions today and from the discussions with the representative associations a couple of weeks ago, it is clear that there are problems within An Garda Síochána as regards recruitment and retention. That can be taken as a given. The members of this committee deserve credit for arranging, through the secretariat, these...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I raise the issue of housing and pay tribute to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, for the raft of measures he has introduced to try to encourage homeownership. It is fair to say that any reasonable assessment would conclude that we are definitely making progress and building momentum. We all know much more is needed. One of the schemes introduced recently was the scrapping of development...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: It is estimated that four out of ten shoppers - that is about 40% - plan to complete their Christmas shopping for gifts of non-food items on Black Friday at the end of this week. I was very taken by the campaign launched to encourage everybody to turn Black Friday into "Buy Green Friday". The campaign highlights the massive importance of people supporting local businesses and service...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. The N2 Ardee to Castleblayney road has become infamous for its high collision rate. Sections of the road have been classified as having twice the expected collision rate and the death toll, unfortunately, is alarming. There have been 17 fatal collisions in the last ten years and 24 within the past 18 years. This has left so many...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (22 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I acknowledge that he came to Monaghan County Council on this particular issue. I know he does not have direct responsibility for everything that goes on within this Department, but I ask him to bring the message back to someone who does - the Minister, Deputy Ryan - that funding is required in order to progress this road. We are talking...

Seanad: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (22 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister is welcome back to the House. I, too, very much welcome the establishment of this new body, which, as the Minister said, will be referred to as Cuan, which means "harbour" as Béarla. It is very much welcomed. A number of counties, numbering seven to nine, currently have no refuge centre. In County Monaghan, and as my learned colleague, Senator Joe O'Reilly, who is based...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (30 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. She is very welcome to the House. Some 34,000 cases of domestic abuse were reported to Women's Aid last year. It truly is a shocking figure. I welcome the fact that Ireland is one of the first countries in Europe to provide paid work leave to victims of domestic abuse. I very much welcome that development. Statutory domestic violence leave...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (30 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I am delighted this Government has prioritised the location of a refuge centre in either County Cavan or County Monaghan. It is imperative. I am heartened by the urgency this issue has been given, because it is vitally important that we have a refuge centre to protect these poor victims of domestic violence. The quicker that happens, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the witnesses and thank the Commissioner for attending today's hearing. At the outset, like others, I express my sincere gratitude to the members of the Garda who had to deal with what they had to deal with last Thursday. Would the Commissioner say that there was a failure of management of the situation last Thursday evening?