Results 11,781-11,800 of 11,812 for speaker:Denis O'Donovan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Denis O'Donovan: I rise to ask the Leader about two issues. I recently met with members of the Collins committee in Clonakilty which is apolitical. They are doing a lot of research on history, and their wish and hope is that somewhere in the capital, which is very important in the context of the treaty etc., in the time that is in it, a life-sized statue of Michael Collins would be erected. It is not a big...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (8 Dec 2021)

Denis O'Donovan: I do not wish to rehash everything that has been said. My view is that decommissioning is a last resort but, unfortunately, in some instances we have to go down that road. I live in a place called Schull, which is quite close to where Deputy Michael Collins is from. I am probably the oldest around here. I remember a day when there were probably ten trawlers fishing out of Schull and there...

Seanad: Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (9 Feb 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I welcome the Minister to the House. No fishing representative would like to see any sort of penalty points or other system that might in any way adversely affect their work. However, I note the European Commission has issued a reasoned - I like the word "reasoned" - opinion against Ireland for failure to implement the system by 1 January. It states "2012" but that might be an error. It...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Feb 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I rise to ask the Leader to facilitate a debate on the issue raised by my learned colleague, Senator Wall, namely, the recent report on the Defence Forces. It is sad to realise that the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces, the Minister and the conclusions of the White Paper all basically acknowledge the serious shortcoming in the Defence Forces. Numbers are declining. The Chief of Staff...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I join in the welcome to the Lithuanian ambassador. Cuirim fáilte roimhe. I had the pleasure in my previous life as Cathaoirleach to visit his country and had an exceptionally good time there. I will not go into details.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: The Cathaoirleach mentioned the Lithuanian community in Ireland. I eat a lot of fish and the man who looks after my fish is a lovely Lithuanian man. If I have a problem I ring him and he makes sure he has fresh cod, hake or whatever is on the menu. Even though the fishmonger is Lithuanian, the fish are Irish. I wish the ambassador well. There are long-standing good relations with his...

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine: Motion (16 Feb 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for facilitating this debate. I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Cahill, whose excellent stewardship of the agriculture committee has brought us to this point. I compliment him on his hard work and welcome him to the Upper House. It is nice to be upgraded occasionally. I am glad Deputy Cahill is here. My contribution will be brief and I will not dwell too...

Seanad: Sea-Fisheries (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (2 Mar 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 May 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I belatedly congratulate my Sinn Féin colleagues on their amazing success in the North. I was up there in the 1970s a few times and this outcome was never envisaged. Therefore, I wish them well in this regard. Turning to the issue of the new national maternity hospital, I am delighted it is getting the green light. There has been procrastination in this area for almost a decade. It...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (15 Jun 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I am glad to share time with my good colleague, Senator Buttimer. I will outline the facts from letters I received. Cork University Hospital, CUH, is the south-west region's centre for neurology but is short of neurology nurse specialists. Patients are unnecessarily waiting longer for diagnosis and treatment. Based on the catchment area, national and international guidelines recommend...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (15 Jun 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. He is basically the messenger. It reminds me of somebody in a football game who is 20 points to four down at half-time. I do not think we will win this match, but I stress that the situation is serious. In my view, what is happening is not tolerable. I hope the Minister of State will convey to the senior Minister that Senator Buttimer, I and...

Seanad: New Innovations for People with Disabilities (Digital Assistive Technology): Statements (22 Sep 2022)

Denis O'Donovan: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. She and I acknowledge the amazing work done in the past year through the €2 million granted in the last budget. I hope she has a foot against the door on this occasion and that she will get another €2 million, or maybe more, because the money is extremely well spent. The Minister of State mentioned that many people wear...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Retained Fire Service (30 May 2023)

Denis O'Donovan: First, I acknowledge the fact that in recent years there has been huge spending on infrastructure and equipment. Everyone across the board wants to acknowledge that. However, the €5,000 retainer fee is derisory. I know a young fellow who was looking for a loan. The credit union does not take into account the call out-fee which, as my colleague said, works out at approximately 99...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Retained Fire Service (30 May 2023)

Denis O'Donovan: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for his indulgence. The commitment and dedication of firefighters in unparalleled. Firefighting is a vocation rather than just a job because if a person did not have the appetite for that job, he or she would not be doing it. They would want to be, as we say in west Cork, as tough as táthfhéithleann. One example that worried me recently...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2023)

Denis O'Donovan: At the outset, I also welcome the Minister back to the House, and I wish her well in her future life and work in the Oireachtas. My concerns with this Bill mostly relate to legal and constitutional issues. I am deeply concerned about Article 38.1 of the Constitution of Ireland, which states that, "No person shall be tried on any criminal charge save in due course of law." I have concerns...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Discussion (25 Oct 2023)

Denis O'Donovan: I welcome the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, here this evening. He has an unenviable task. I have been involved in politics for about 39 years. I remember back in the mid-1980s on the coastal management committee for Cork county and whatever. From what I read here, in many ways the Minister is caught by a straitjacket and there is little wriggle room. We cannot expect him to work miracles...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Pre-Agriculture and Fisheries Council: Discussion (25 Oct 2023)

Denis O'Donovan: Before I conclude, a Chathaoirligh, I rarely impose any kind of stricture on you because of my absolute perfect attendance and annoyance to members here, but would the Minister have a look again at the decommissioning situation? I fully agree with him that it frees up more quota for other boats so they can survive. It is more economical. It does haunt me a little that these three guys who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Denis O'Donovan: I rise today with some degree of sadness to address the Seanad and the Cathaoirleach on the farewell to my colleague of approximately 25 years, Senator Norris. Apart from anything else, I would also consider him a good friend.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Denis O'Donovan: As a university and Independent Senator, you had a remarkable but sometimes - at the start, certainly - difficult career. I started in 1989. You came into the House sometimes swimming against the tide. In that regard, it reminds me an aguisín a lady living close to where I grew up said to my mother: you were the lily among the briars for a long time. In fairness, you stood out and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Denis O'Donovan: I hope you did. You loved your lobster, crab and caviar, and I hope you will have a lot of that when you are out of here. You may not have time to respond but I have two final questions. What has been your most outstanding success in this Chamber? I know you have had many but is there one that sticks out in your mind? Second, what is the most upsetting and possibly deplorable kick in the...