Results 1,281-1,300 of 6,020 for speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: It is worth noting that it is a beautiful day and many Irish citizens are in good humour because of the fine weather. With this in mind I request a debate on an industry that is doing very well and that the Government has got right. I speak of the tourism industry. We have seen numerous initiatives in the area, including the retention of the 9% VAT rate in the hospitality sector. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: Well done, Senator.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I commend Senator Terry Brennan and all those involved in securing another 400 jobs for Dundalk. If every Senator could make such an announcement every day, the country would be in a better place. Much has been said in recent weeks in this House and beyond about the banking inquiry. I wish Senators Marc MacSharry and Sean D. Barrett the best of luck in what will be an extremely important...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: We should all endorse the two Senators and our other two colleagues, Senators Susan O'Keeffe and Michael D'Arcy, for their commitment to and agreeing to take part in the banking inquiry. It is clear that some people wish they had never been appointed to the banking inquiry committee and have jumped off. I see this as a reneging of responsibilities. I wish the four representatives from...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill 2014: Second Stage (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, to the House and this legislation. The Government announced in September 2011 that it was going to merge the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Equality Authority. That made eminent sense and honoured the commitment made in the programme for Government to be smarter, to reduce the number of agencies and to ensure that there was no doubling-up,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: Discussion (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I wish to put my question, although I will not be there for the answers but I can check the record afterwards. I wish to commend all the parties concerned for this interesting discussion. I agree with the comments of Deputy MacLochlainn and Senator Zappone on direct provision. I contend that in years to come this State will be compensating some of the people who have been locked up in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: Discussion (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I am coming to it, if the Chairman would not mind.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: Discussion (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: Thank you. I commend Commandant Lawlor's presentation, which was both powerful and welcome. She spoke about job-sharing options for those with children who are going abroad. Have the Defence Forces ever considered allowing families, including children, to relocate with serving members who have to go abroad? If that option were available it would be family friendly.

Seanad: Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (19 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I echo Senator Byrne's comments and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, for what is vital legislation to protect the lives of our citizens. I am delighted, as we all are, with the advances made in the peace process in Northern Ireland. Many thousands of people are alive today because of the efforts of all parties, including Sinn Féin and its leadership, to bring people...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (19 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I move: That Seanad Éireann resolves that section 8 of the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 (No. 32 of 2009) shall continue in operation for the period beginning on 30 June, 2014 and ending on 29 June, 2015.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (19 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. This is a very important provision in legislation and I would like to see it receive unanimous support. We have all seen the horror of organised crime in this country. A county next to my own - Limerick - is a place in which gardaí have done an enormous job dealing with organised crime. They have been able to use the relevant...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: The issues Senator Crown has outlined in explaining the rationale for this amendment merit serious consideration. We are dealing with some of the most dangerous business people on the planet, who are engaged in manufacturing and marketing products that kill people. This Bill is revolutionary and will save lives. However, no more than the criminals on the streets, the tobacco industry is...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: Senator Walsh's comments should be heeded. I wish to return briefly to the previous discussion on Senator Crown's amendment. It was not successful but he is quite right. I recall a situation when at one stage when one got off a train, no matter what mobile phone one had, one got a picture from Iarnród Éireann. One got off a train at Heuston Station and one's phone automatically...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Teacher Redeployment (25 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I apologise for the delay as I was attending an Oireachtas justice committee meeting. I tabled this motion on foot of an e-mail I received from an independent candidate who stood in the local elections in Clare who came across this issue regarding seven teachers in Clare. Those teachers have been teaching for a number of years but find that they are neither on a panel nor a supplementary...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Teacher Redeployment (25 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I thank the Minister of State for clarifying the matter. The reality is that teachers who have been teaching for a number of years in particular environments are not guaranteed to be successful in the open recruitment process. I acknowledge that a time period is not put on teachers fulfilling the probation period, but fairness must apply and after a certain period has elapsed it is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Teacher Redeployment (25 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: If you could just hang on for a moment, a Chathaoirligh. I ask the Minister of State to request the Teaching Council to review the procedures.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: I agree with previous speakers on the need for a much more active engagement on the issue of mental health. As a society, we need to wake up to our deficiencies in dealing with this issue. It is a scandal that is happening in our lifetime and under our watch. We are more than three years in government now and we must grasp the nettle on this issue. People are expecting us and depending on...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2014)

Martin Conway: I agree with the sentiments expressed by Senator Marie-Louise O'Donnell about a debate on sentencing. Members of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality went to Stormont as part of deliberations leading to the committee's positive recommendations on Garda oversight. We met the justice committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly for an interesting discussion. The chief justice...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Martin Conway: I note that Mr. Eddie Downey, president of the IFA, was fulsome in his praise of the job the Minister is doing at a successful event in the Shelbourne Hotel yesterday evening.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Martin Conway: That is a matter for Mr. Downey. I welcome Ms Caroline Byrne, who was job shadowing me today even though today is not national job shadow day. She was unable to attend on national job shadow day so I welcome her today. She is in the Public Gallery. I do not often agree with Senator Terry Leyden but he has a point in regard to the Good Friday issue. There should be more no-alcohol days in...