Results 161-180 of 7,247 for speaker:Michael Fitzmaurice

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: Proposed Sale of Aer Lingus: Discussion (Resumed) (3 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I do not believe in hypothetical guarantees. No more than anybody else in business, as the people from IBEC know, if I buy something, I would not have somebody else down the road running that business for the next five or ten years. If someone buys a company, he or she buys it and runs it himself or herself. I read Richard Branson's book over the weekend about what happened in England with...

Consumer Protection (Regulation of Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Any legislation that protects consumers is welcome, but we have seen a stark reality in the past year with vulture funds buying up mortgages from the banks. As bad as our own banks are, these people have no mercy. As I have seen in my own part of the country, no mercy is shown to anybody who goes into arrears. At least some of our own banks might listen for a while. This cannot continue....

European Debt: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I commend Deputy Catherine Murphy on bringing forth this motion. The dog in the street knows that, like Ireland, most countries in Europe, including Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain, the PIGS, are carrying burdens they cannot afford. Every citizen in this country has bailed out the banks, in return for which they faced the big wand-stick from the Europeans, some of them unelected...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister for his presentation to the committee. The Tuam-Gort project has begun. I served on the county council for a short time. I do not understand why a five-year plan is not undertaken with regard to NRA routes. The council was told the budget was a yearly allocation. However, I know of many areas where there may be 10 km of road which is all twists and turns and which...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: Can the community schemes under the Department's remit be broadened? There is not a significant take-up under them. For example, in some areas people have to contribute to the maintenance of a local road even though it is classed as a council road. Can the scheme be broadened in order that roads that were not taken in charge could be funded by the people doing work on them, as used to...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: There is a problem in Roscommon regarding helicopters bringing people to hospital at night. Is there any link-up with the Department of Defence and the HSE to provide a facility at night? Everyone does not get sick while it is bright. We need joined-up thinking to solve this problem. Is this happening?

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 31 - Transport, Tourism and Sport (Revised) (4 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: With regard to the Wild Atlantic Way and the greenway cycle tracks, we are entering a new phase with the track from Dublin to Galway. We should step back a little and listen to the views of people in various areas who do not wish to have farms divided. I encourage the Minister to urge the officials who are dealing with it to take a common sense attitude. At present, resentment is emerging...

Customs Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. When I studied the Bill and its digest this morning, I noted a number of references to EU legislation. Anything that consolidates legislation is to be welcomed. The Bill deals with issues under EU legislation, such as free trade and transferring goods with ease, but the reality is that we seem to pick and choose in respect of the EU. Some...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Sector Reform Implementation (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 253. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason he has not sought the opening of formal negotiations on giving effect to the various elements of the Civil Service renewal plan with the public service unions; if his attention has been drawn to the unions that have indicated their willingness to participate when his Department issued the prerequisite invitation to...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Court Procedures (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 336. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality her plans, if any, to review and, if necessary, to amend the 1986 regulations contained in Statutory Instrument No. 15 of 1986, specifically in relation to Order 40, subsections (6), (9) and (15), which impose a strict requirement for the accurate inclusion of the prescribed information in all circumstances; and if she will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Physical Education (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 513. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the merits of expanding the University of Limerick’s health and sciences faculty's third study into flexibility and neuromuscular development in adolescents in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5735/15]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 553. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if recognition will be provided by Student Universal Support Ireland towards insolvency arrangements in the calculation of reckonable income for the purposes of student grant awards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6115/15]

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water and Sewerage Schemes Provision (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 574. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the number of contracts which were put out to tender by the local authorities in 2011, 2012 and 2013 for water services, that is for waste water treatment, water treatment, bore holes, pumping stations and so on; if he will provide a breakdown of these figures per each individual local authority; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Water Services Provision (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 597. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm, that in order to comply with the water framework directive, legislation is required for the registration and licensing of all private wells; the charge that will be applied for private well registration and licensing, if water charges are applied to water extracted from registered and licensed private...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications: daa: Chairman Designate (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: We must be careful with the language we use. All airports need fairness and Knock has been on the hind teat. We should not single out any airport but we should get people to all parts of Ireland. This is very important, whether it involves Cork, Kerry, Shannon or Knock.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: State Pension (Contributory) Numbers (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: 37. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide the figures, categorised on the basis of sex, for the number of persons who are currently in receipt of reduced State contributory pensions, due to the rate band changes she implemented on 1 September 2012, whereby rate band 20 to 47 was abolished and replaced by rate bands 20 to 29, 30 to 39 and 40 to 47; and if she will make...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister for his presentation. I have read a few lovely flashy documents about the roll-out of broadband. I see that two service suppliers are talking about services in certain areas. Certain towns have been earmarked, but the problem is that when one rings the people concerned to ask them for a date, one is told that every town will have a service by May or June 2016. I...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: It is a problem. There is an urgent need for a roll-out of broadband to all rural areas. It is one of the critical pieces of infrastructure that will ensure the revival of rural areas. I made the Minister aware a few days ago of companies that were in constant contact with other countries. The simple fact is that we will lose jobs. When does the Minister envisage broadband services being...

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: I thank the Minister.

Committee on Transport and Communications: Select Sub-Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 29 - Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Revised) (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Fitzmaurice: The amount of sports coverage TG4 does is a credit to it. Should the likes of TG4 be promoted even more in support of the Irish language and given the good value viewing it provides, especially to people who are interested in sport?