Results 1,421-1,440 of 11,785 for speaker:Niall Collins

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: I wish to share time with Deputy McConalogue.

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important legislation. The Bill is timely given that tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the publication of the Moriarty report, and we are told that the Mahon report will be published tomorrow. In that context, it is opportune that we are discussing the funding of political parties. Political parties are no different from any other...

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: I will check when I get back to my office, or did the hackers get in and wipe it off as soon as it was posted? It is right and proper that all accounts are published by the Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO. They must be independently audited by SIPO and available for independent scrutiny by the commission. People will be cynical if a political party publishes its own accounts...

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: He might not any more. Politics is a career and lifestyle choice for men and women. We need to look behind those figures and see how we can address the structure of a political career to open it up to women. It is not the case that big bad political parties are dominated by men in smoke-filled rooms conspiring to lock out women. That is not the case. In my own county, only one woman...

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: It is a good thing and will bring balance. Women are under-represented in Parliament. Anything that will help that is good. One hears some organisations saying that politics is male dominated, which it is, and that there is a conspiracy by party hierarchies to keep it so. Promotion of gender balance is a very difficult issue. Gender balance should operate in both ways. Should the Bill...

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: If it says it, that is fine.

Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: A few token men. Anything that will help is good. The Minister addressed the issue of trade unions, which has been a bugbear for a long time. Trade unions were a major force in the funding of political parties for many years, and this was not acknowledged. It is acknowledged now, and rightly so. My party tabled a number of amendments to the Bill when it was debated in the Seanad. We will...

Written Answers — Building Regulations: Building Regulations (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 366: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of times the pyrite committee has met; when the committee is due to report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15325/12]

Written Answers — Election Management System: Election Management System (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 399: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when a community association (details supplied) in County Wicklow will be paid for use of their hall as a polling station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15749/12]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 637: To ask the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15202/12]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 651: To ask the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15291/12]

Written Answers — Medical Cards: Medical Cards (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 653: To ask the Minister for Health when a medical card will issue to a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15299/12]

Written Answers — Hospital Staff: Hospital Staff (21 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Question 701: To ask the Minister for Health if he will renew a contract for a consultant paediatric neurologist at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick; if his attention has been drawn to the consequences to patients if this contract is not renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15667/12]

Leaders' Questions (22 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Before the general election the Tánaiste promised that the Labour Party in government would not impose cuts to social welfare payments. Following the Government's first budget, as the detail emerged in the days and weeks after the announcement, we saw that the exact opposite was the case. The disadvantaged were targeted like never before. The social welfare cuts agreed to by the...

Leaders' Questions (22 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: I did not say that.

Leaders' Questions (22 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: The Tánaiste did not address the question I posed. The Government paused this budget measure. People who suffer from disabilities and are in receipt of disability allowance are entitled to respect and have certainty in the payments they can expect to receive from the State to support them in their day-to-day lives. Their daily lives are full of challenges. The decision to pause this...

Leaders' Questions (22 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: No points of order are now being raised.

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: The local government efficiency review identified €500 million.

Employment Levels (27 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: He is straying off course.

Parliamentary Reform (27 Mar 2012)

Niall Collins: Can the Minister of State account for his own actions?