Results 1,261-1,280 of 3,652 for speaker:Michael Collins

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Michael Collins: I will raise an issue that has been raised a great deal. Leaving certificate students are concerned by the way in which the exam is being handled. In their opinion, the recent announcement gave little to no clarity. It gave them no date to work towards and told them that practical exams would have to be completed two weeks before their actual exams even while they tried to catch up with...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I offer my sympathies, like every other Member, to the bereaved and their families. These are extremely difficult times. I have a couple of questions that I will try to fit into the next five minutes. I will focus my questions on the main pillars of our country, namely, the farming, fishing and tourism sectors. The constituency I represent of Cork South-West is totally dependent on...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The recent announcement of €4 billion in supports and loans is welcome. They are desperately needed for many businesses in my constituency of Cork South-West, as they are for others throughout the country, but from what I can gather they are dependent on a new Government being put in place. Our country is hugely dependent on tourism. Brilliant initiatives such as the Wild Atlantic...

Brexit: Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I will make a statement and ask questions all at once, if that is okay.

Brexit: Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: That is fine. Obviously, Brexit is bad news for the island of Ireland. We will all have to protect strongly the sectors of our society most at risk. Agriculture is one sector that faces major challenges with markets in the UK in jeopardy with Brexit. If the survival of Irish farmers is to continue, we need the South American Mercosur trade deal completely off the table for legitimate...

Brexit: Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The hardest hit sectors, with Brexit looming, will be the fishing and agriculture industries. With the huge impact Brexit will have on agriculture, Ireland needs to oppose the South American Mercosur trade deal. It will have to come off the table completely. Will our Government oppose the Mercosur trade deal? When Brexit negotiations end, will Irish fishing trawlers have to move away from...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The Taoiseach stated last week that we had lessons to learn from Covid-19 regarding the safety of older people in nursing homes. He said we need to look at the policy of helping older people to live at home for longer. However, last year, the only new home help hours given were recycled hours which became available when a person died. No new home help hours were provided. This resulted in...

Covid-19 (Housing, Planning and Local Government): Statements (7 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The turnover of local authority houses must have been held up due to Covid-19 and the disruption of construction. Has the Minister a timeline for when works can commence on these houses? While everything has slowed down, which is very stressful for those urgently seeking homes, I am delighted that two houses became available in Drimoleague and one in Durrus in west Cork yesterday. It was...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Briefing by Department of Health Officials (19 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank both gentlemen for being here before us today. It is important for questions that the public has and for which we need to have answers. On testing, many samples have been sent to Germany at a massive cost. I understand a new plane was required to fly them in and out of the country. I have spoken to labs here about testing that could have been done in Ireland. Animal Health...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Briefing by Department of Health Officials (19 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I appreciate the answers. Another question I have is on the many home helps who got personal protective equipment, PPE, very late in the day. It was a serious worry to them.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Briefing by HSE Officials (19 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I thank the officials for appearing before us. I will concentrate briefly on congregated settings. Community hospitals were meant to be brought up to a standard, as some were, of having up to 80% single-bed occupancy. At some stage, the HSE believed this target could not be delivered. It was a HIQA standard and the 80% figure was later reduced. Unfortunately, as I have seen in west...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Briefing by ICTU, HSA and CIF Representatives on the Reopening of the Construction Industry (19 May 2020)

Michael Collins: Many developments have closed down. I respect that some of my questions cannot be asked today but perhaps Mr. Parlon will furnish me with the details later. The final stages of many of these developments such as council houses in west Cork, Dunmanway, Bandon and Rosscarbery all had to be pulled due to Covid-19. These developments were very urgently required social houses for people in...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The Ireland of today has totally changed, a change that will take us years to recover from. The small-time business will struggle to survive this crisis, which is far greater than anything we have ever faced before. People from business after business are contacting me daily, I assume they are contacting other Deputies too. They tell me they cannot see how they are going to survive, never...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I asked about representation of the VFI.

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: Healthcare workers have been heroes since the outbreak of the coronavirus throughout the country. During recent weeks, essential front-line healthcare workers from various parts of my constituency and beyond have contacted me to express their concerns about the fact they have no time to do homework with their children. They are worried that come September, when schools reopen, their...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I have a number of questions on which I would appreciate a response from the Minister. Arts and culture are the cornerstone of our society. Creativity is vital to our health and wellbeing. Culture and creativity are helping people through this crisis. People are looking to the arts for inspiration and consolation. Expectations of financial commitment will need to be revised across all...

Covid-19 (Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht): Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: Will the Deputy answer my question about the wood pigeon derogation?

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: The coronavirus has raised many questions. I fully respect it is impossible for the Minister or anyone else to have all of the answers. Every effort has to be made to keep the food chain open, especially when farmers are going through such a serious financial crisis. I thank each and every meat plant worker for keeping the meat chain open by working through this crisis. On 19 March, I...

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: I am totally disappointed that the Minister has not accepted what happened in Castletownbere. The fact was that a Spanish-registered vessel left Spain when people on board had the coronavirus, and then it stopped in Castletownbere. I have never said they cannot come into Castletownbere or any other port in Ireland; I asked what measures we have in place to protect the people of...

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Michael Collins: What are they?