Results 101-120 of 151 for speaker:Joanne Collins

Seanad: Post Office Network: Statements (9 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: I am sharing time with Senators Tully and Andrews. I will take four minutes and they will take three each. I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome the opportunity to speak today on an issue that goes to the very core of Irish communities: the future of our post office network. As has already been said, over the past ten years 257 post offices have closed across the country. That is a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: As the House knows, the Ryder Cup, a world renowned event, is coming to Adare, County Limerick, in 2027. It would be remiss of us not to look at the tourism prospects this could bring to Ireland. In County Limerick, we have what is called the Desmond trail. It has Adare Castle, Askeaton Castle and Desmond community centre in Newcastle West. Adare Castle only opens from June to...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements (10 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: I will share time with Senators Tully and Andrews.

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements (10 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: It is great to have the Minister here. I will speak on a number of key areas in transport that would begin to address the great regional imbalance that is choking Ireland's potential. The regions outside Dublin must finally be given a fair share of investment and opportunity. The M20, the motorway between Limerick and Cork, is not a luxury; it is a necessity. This stretch of road, at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Farmer Mental Health and Well-being: Discussion (9 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: I thank the Cathaoirleach. He stole my line. It is great to hear about our witnesses meeting the farmers at the marts. Farmers are very sociable and the social side of it is a lot of what helps that helps them. I had a farmer on to me last week. He has a quad bike and he had an inspection on his farm. He got a bit of a grilling saying he had to have a licence and had to do a course. He...

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

Joanne Collins: I raise the issue of carer's payments in families where more than one person has qualifying care needs. As the Leader will know, carers currently receive half a carer's allowance on top of the full carer's allowance for any additional people they care for. Some families may have two, three or four children with qualifying additional care needs. Much of the time, the position of these...

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. I wish to discuss sport in the sense that it is not just elite sport we need to talk about, it is all sport. I wish to discuss one sport in particular, which is swimming. I spoke about this a couple of weeks ago here in the Seanad. Swimming as a sport is not just competitive. A swimming service has young and old people as beginners. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State and the officials. I will begin with ash dieback, which is something I have spoken about quite a bit in the Seanad. I have met many groups, one of which is the Limerick and Tipperary Woodland Owners. I am very happy that two of its members are in the Gallery to observe what is happening today. Ash dieback is a massive issue. What percentage of landowners...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: What is the percentage of landowners?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: That is one quarter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: Does the Minister of State know-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: Why does the Minister of State think the other 75% have not looked for the grant?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: Perfect.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: Perfect. My next question is on the grant. Is the grant paid upfront or do people have to have the trees planted a certain number of years before they get the final payment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: People have to pay upfront for the work to be done. They have lost all their trees and all the profit they would have got from them, and then they have to pay to get the forestry cleared and replanted. It is at that point they get their grant.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: Before they clear it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: When they have it cleared.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: So, again, they have to pay out to clear it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: But after everything is done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Ash Dieback and Other Forestry Issues: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Joanne Collins: They do not get anything upfront.