Results 1,201-1,220 of 4,132 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: I thank the three contributors for the work they have done on this issue. I have seen their presentation before and I know the potential of such a bank. Unfortunately, it is an idea that has been around for years but it has not progressed. The crisis in the post office network is not something that has arisen in the last couple of months but has been developing for the last 20 years. As...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: The Minister is welcome. I am glad to have this opportunity where hopefully we can clarify some issues. In my local parish of Aughavas, the post office is closing because the postmistress is retiring, which she is entitled to do. However, it should not be the case that if a person in rural Ireland retires that the service should be retired, which is what it means for many people. Often...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: Will they be in Killeshandra that fast?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: They will not, because they are gone.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: I speak from experience.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: Does Ms Byrne know where Killeshandra or Gurteen and these communities are? On the other issue regarding the 5 km, where are these 500 people supposed to live? Is it within 5 km or 10 km? What is the range?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: I am concerned that the process whereby communities can seek a review of the closure of their post office is flawed in that they can only review the decision once the post office has been closed and people have moved their business. That is what we were told when we asked about a review.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: The other point on that-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: I understand that for a settlement of 500 people, An Post has taken the definition of a "settlement" from the 2016 census, which is 50 houses within 100 m of each other. That is a tight cluster of houses, which exists in few rural parishes. When most people heard the reference to 500 people, they thought it meant the parish. That has caused a lot of anger and confusion, because people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Impact of Retirement Packages for Postmasters: Discussion (4 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: What about co-location?

Future of the Post Office Network: Motion (18 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: I bring greetings from the National Ploughing Championships where I spent most of the day. Rural Ireland is alive and well-----

Future of the Post Office Network: Motion (18 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: -----and working very hard. People from various rural communities throughout the country are angry about the situation. I know that the Minister is aware of this because he comes from a rural community. People are angry because they believe the Government has let them down. As my colleague just said, in many small towns and villages where post offices are due to close, other services have...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: National Broadband Plan Implementation (18 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: 85. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if the target of having high speed broadband in each premises in the country as stated in the Action Plan for Rural Development and the national broadband plan will be met. [25908/18]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Trans European Transport Network Programme (19 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: 34. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the progress that has been made on applying to the European Union for the revision of the TEN-T core network including applying for the reinstatement of the cross-Border western arc, as the programme for partnership Government outlined that this would happen in the first three months. [25934/18]

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: There is a clear commitment in the programme for Government to provide home care services, home care packages and home help services for elderly people. In recent weeks, I have been inundated with people coming to me trying to get additional home help hours that they cannot get. When I speak to the service in the north west, it tells me it would need to get at least 20% more funding to...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Closures (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: 69. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to ensure the viability and sustainability of towns and villages in rural Ireland that have lost or are losing their local post office. [38641/18]

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Closures (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: As the Minister is aware, the issue of post offices is one he passed back fairly quickly. He is not in charge of it and I do not blame him. It is, however, something that has had a huge affect on many places in rural Ireland. Over the past couple of months, we have seen proposals to close many post offices. Most of those, proportionately, are in rural areas and communities that already...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Closures (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: The list of statistics the Minister has read is impressive in one sense. Broadband was mentioned earlier as another acute issue in most rural areas. As Deputy Ó Cuív said, the reality for people on the ground is that they do not have broadband and cannot get it. That is the situation in many rural areas. The problem with rhyming off summary statistics is they hide many...

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Post Office Closures (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: In many parts of rural Ireland people cannot access those online services because they do not have broadband. The Minister really needs to deal with that issue. The points the Minister has made have some validity. It is true that services are not being used. Someone should have thought about the services being provided and questioned whether they were the correct services. It is clear...

Confidence in the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2018)

Martin Kenny: There is a housing crisis not only in Dublin but throughout the entire country. We see it every day in my constituency of Sligo-Leitrim and across the entire western region. Here in Dublin, we meet it at its most extreme. Earlier today, I heard the Minister say houses are being built, cranes are up, people are working and building is happening. Building of a certain type of housing is...