Results 1,661-1,680 of 2,118 for speaker:Michael Mullins

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: Work will commence in the next two months on improving the water system in the town. There will be a major investment. I am delighted that most people in my new constituency of Roscommon-Galway will come off the boil water notices within the next couple of months. Previous administrations failed to provide for this badly needed investment over several decades.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: The people of Roscommon will have a water system they will be proud of.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I want to speak positively about the issues raised by Senator Craughwell. I urge the Minister to impress on Irish Water the need to ensure all contractors are operating to the very highest standards of work, workmanship and safety. We all know that many contractors can take short cuts on occasions. I want to make sure no person is injured or discommoded as a result of any contractor taking...

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: We have many deficiencies in our water systems throughout the country. In 42 urban areas, sewage is discharged into rivers and bathing waters, thereby putting them at risk of pollution. We need significant investment. I hope that the considerable increase in the number of people who have registered with Irish Water in recent days will continue. Irish Water needs to succeed. It needs to...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: The issue I wish to raise today has serious implications for agriculture, the integrity of the institutes of technology and, most importantly, the employment prospects of college graduates. I refer to the refusal by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine to recognise graduates of the honours degree in rural enterprise at the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, at Mountbellew...

Seanad: Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (22 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: Briefly, I join in the support for this Bill and congratulate the Minister on its introduction. As previous speakers have noted, it is technical legislation designed to ensure the smooth running of the banking inquiry. It is welcome to hear Members stating that the inquiry has got off to a good start. Thus far, proceedings are being conducted in a fair and balanced way and it is to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I also join in the call for a full, open and frank debate on the sale of Aer Lingus in advance of any decision being taken. Irish people have a huge attachment to brand Aer Lingus which has served us well since its establishment many decades ago. It has flown many of us to many corners of the world and we need to tread very carefully before we make a final decision. A significant number of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Entrepreneurship and Related Issues: Irish Exporters Association (27 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join in welcoming Mr. Kelly and Ms Byrne. This has been an interesting exchange and it is important they attended this committee to highlight some of the issues we should focus on. I support them strongly in their grievance that self-employed persons would be penalised if they earn more than €100,000 while somebody who works for the State or a company and earns a salary of over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (27 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I also support that call and welcome the decision we took in private session earlier that some reports would be prepared. I am obviously concerned about the correspondence we have received from the west African farmers' organisations which have serious concerns about unfair competition and the impact this agreement may have on their businesses. This is quite a complex issue. It would be...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join with colleagues in condemning the outrageous attack on our President by the so-called water protesters. Deputy Paul Murphy would be well-advised to get his megaphone out again, to explain to his supporters the constitutional role and independence of the President and to work towards taking the nastiness we have seen recently out of these protests. It is not serving our democracy...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join Senator Bacik in welcoming the Action Plan for Jobs, published this morning. The initial Action Plan for Jobs launched in 2011 was the foundation on which our economic recovery has been built. In the past four years we have seen over 80,000 more people at work and a considerable drop in the unemployment rate from 15.1% to 10.6%. The Action Plan for Jobs 2015 is rather ambitious in...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the announcement today by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, that €294 million is to be invested in the regional and local roads infrastructure which will enable the maintenance and strengthening of almost 2,000 km of roadwork nationwide. Investment in our road infrastructure is critical for future economic growth and securing job creation...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: -----which will transform how crimes are investigated. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Justice and Equality to the House to discuss the various aspects of crime detection in this country.

Seanad: Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles Bill 2014: Second Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris.

Seanad: Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles Bill 2014: Second Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Overseas Development: Statements (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for overseas development, trade promotion and North-South co-operation, Deputy Sherlock. He has a particularly challenging role and he has been making significant progress since he took office. It is timely to have this debate as it is more than 40 years since the establishment of Ireland's official development assistance. Ireland and the...

Seanad: Overseas Development: Statements (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I wish to make one small point about Syrian refugees.

Seanad: Mediation Services: Motion (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I had not planned on speaking either, but I still welcome the opportunity to support the motion. I compliment my colleague, Senator Conway, on tabling the motion. It should help to give a sense of urgency in order that the legislation can be introduced more quickly. No doubt the Minister of State will take on board the calls that have been made tonight for him to urge the Cabinet to bring...

Seanad: Mediation Services: Motion (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: -----that they used mediation to resolve their differences. Mediation is a flexible process that is conducted confidentially, in which a third party assists the parties to a dispute in working towards a negotiated settlement. As Senator Jim D’Arcy said, the outcome, hopefully, is much more amicable and the parties can build on the goodwill that emerges through the successful...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Bilateral Relations and the Activities of Boko Haram: Ambassador of Nigeria (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join with colleagues in welcoming the ambassador. I extend sympathy through the ambassador to the people of Nigeria who have lost their lives in such violent circumstances. We all want to contribute to a solution. I apologise for missing the early part of the presentation. I see that significant emphasis was placed on a programme to counter violent extremism and use community...