Results 121-140 of 1,307 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Passport Service: Senator Robbie Gallagher (9 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the joint committee.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I wish to raise an issue I have raised previously in the House - the chronic and severe shortage of substitute teachers in the State's schools, which issue has been to the forefront in the media in recent days. The situation has become so bad that it is anticipated that some schools may actually have to close because they have no other choice as they have no substitute teachers to stand in....

Seanad: Transport and Tourism: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: The Minister is very welcome to the House this afternoon. I wish to concentrate on the tourism industry. As the Minister is no doubt aware, as we all are, Brexit hold difficulties for us across many sectors, and tourism is one example. It is especially important as almost 41% of all the visitors who come to this country are from Northern Ireland or the United Kingdom. That shows how...

Seanad: Transport and Tourism: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Yes, it is hard to get a ticket as well. There is the rugby international between Ireland and France, the all Ireland club championship finals and we have GamerCon, which I understand will be the largest gaming event in Europe this year. All that adds up to a hugely successful weekend. The challenge we have is getting the tourists from the capital, Dublin, Kerry and the west to regional...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: A number of commitments were contained in the Action Plan for Education when it was announced with a degree of fanfare towards the end of last year. One of them was a commitment to hire 65 educational psychologists in the first quarter of 2017. The Leader will agree that the version of this commitment in the updated version of the action plan, as published last week, represents a...

Seanad: Establishment of a Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (16 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is disappointing he is in the House addressing an issue such as this and the fact that it has come to this point where we have to have a tribunal of inquiry to ascertain the truth of what went on in this long-running sad saga. I feel for all members of the Garda force, including Sergeant McCabe. Untold damage has been done to the morale of...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I refer to the apparent slowness and reluctance of energy companies to pass on reductions to hard-pressed householders. A recent report issued by the regulator has found that wholesale electricity prices fell by almost 39% between 2013 and 2016, due mainly to wholesale prices of oil and gas falling during that period. However, the electricity and gas bills of consumers have only reduced by...

Seanad: Recent Education Announcements: Statements (21 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Ba mhaith liom an tAire a fháiltiú go dtí an Teach inniu. I congratulate him on his work. There have been many good announcements, but the old adage about the proof of the pudding being in the eating springs to mind. I do not know whether the Minister will be in situto reap his harvest, given that he might be in the process of filling in an application form for another job...

Seanad: Recent Education Announcements: Statements (21 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I apologise for interrupting the Minister, but would it be possible to introduce an appeals mechanism for DEIS schools?

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I join with Senator Rose Conway-Walsh by discussing the Bus Éireann issue. It is very serious for the entire country, particularly for rural Ireland. It is estimated that Bus Éireann carries approximately 110,000 passengers per day, which is a startling statistic. It is mind boggling to consider the huge social impact a strike would have on the citizens of this country. As part...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: A national bus strike now seems inevitable. The financial challenges of Bus Éireann are not new, nor are the State's obligations under the public service obligation agreement. It is estimated that 110,000 people per day use Bus Éireann services. The bus is a vital mode of transport in rural areas and it allows people to travel to do business, students to travel to college, and...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Going back.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I raise the issue of the withdrawal of the telephone allowance for elderly people, which has featured in the media in recent times. This has raised its head again in light of the tragic death of an elderly gentleman in County Waterford last weekend. Elderly people, especially in rural Ireland, depend on the telephone and as a result of the withdrawal of the allowance in 2014, many were...

Seanad: North-South Interconnector: Motion (1 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I move:That Seanad Éireann: recognises:- that the North-South interconnector is a vital piece of infrastructure in ensuring a safe and sustainable source of energy for both Ireland and Northern Ireland; - that communities across counties Cavan, Monaghan, Meath, Tyrone and Armagh are very concerned about the present proposals for the North-South interconnector; - that the recent...

Seanad: North-South Interconnector: Motion (1 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister for his response. He mentioned in his contribution that he met the action groups. I know he was in great physical pain at the time. On behalf of the elected Members present and the people from the communities that met him, I thank him most sincerely for meeting the action groups. I welcome Deputy Shane Cassells to the House and Councillor Clifford Kelly from County...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (7 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I welcome the Minister of State. I would like to raise the issue of the proposed Milltown group sewerage scheme. Milltown is located north west of Monaghan town and is typical of the outskirts of Monaghan, where ribbon development and unseweraged housing clusters have developed on the periphery of the town. Residents in Milltown recently formed...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (7 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Ba mhaith liom cúpla focal a rá, le do thoil. I thank the Minister of State for his response. He said that no funding will be allocated for the scheme in 2017 and that it would be 2018 at the earliest. I appeal to the Minister of State to re-examine that to see if it is at all possible to issue funding this year. Many local people have gone to a lot of trouble by way of forming...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (7 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Can the Minister of State confirm at this stage that 90% funding will be made available for this project?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 and General Scheme of Education (Parent and Student Charter) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome everyone here this afternoon. I found it a worthwhile exercise and enjoyed the contributions. I would like to compliment Deputy Jim Daly for bringing this Bill forward and initiating this debate. Deputy Daly raised many points in his contribution, a number of which I was going to raise. Deputy Catherine Martin and I spoke a few seconds ago and said that it may be a useful...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 and General Scheme of Education (Parent and Student Charter) Bill 2016: Discussion (7 Mar 2017)

Robbie Gallagher: Fair enough. I do not know if it would be a useful exercise to have the witnesses respond to the points Deputy Daly made initially before the rest of us come in again.