Results 1,781-1,800 of 6,020 for speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Burial Grounds (22 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: I wish to ask a short supplementary question. Is there a procedure in place whereby the HSE can certify that it is not possible to adhere to the eight feet depth requirement in a particular graveyard or does it have to be done on an individual basis? Clare County Council is about to implement by-laws. Is it fair to say the council has broad discretionary scope in dealing with the eight...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Burial Grounds (22 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: Like the Acting Leader and others, I attended Senator Mullen’s briefing this morning. Too often Senators can become very focused on local issues, particularly those of us who hold the dual role of serving a constituency as well as being Senators. We can get caught up dealing with county issues, constituency issues and national issues. When we attend presentations such as that given...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: Too often people talk of historic days, but most people would agree that the passing into law of the Marriage Bill is indeed a historic day. Earlier this year, 22 and 23 May were historic days. I could not but have been proud to be Irish on those days. Moreover, I could not but be proud to be a Senator on a day like today. I am proud to see so many people in the Gallery whose lives are...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I agree that we need a debate on the health services, if for no other reason than to give people some comfort by letting them know there is at least a plan and efforts are being made. I encourage the Leader to arrange for the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, to come to the House at the earliest opportunity and go through the contingency plans in place to deal with the winter upsurge in the numbers...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: That is a long time down the road.

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: Like everyone else, I welcome one of our most frequent visitors to the House, whether it is in Private Member's time or to deal with extremely important legislation, the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 is extremely important legislation. For several weeks in Seanad Éireann we have seen some momentous legislation. One can only...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I am correcting the record in that regard. I was also of the view that it was not the same one. That is most important because the former minister introduced ground-breaking legislation in the mid-1990s.He has an unblemished record of political service and it is most important the record be corrected in that regard. Overall, the legislation is very welcome. I look forward to a...

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: Second Stage (10 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: Hear, hear. Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I support the call by my colleague, Senator Michael Mullins, to bring the financial institutions and the main banks before the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. During that process Bank of Ireland's proposal to refuse to deal with any cash transactions up to certain figure should be discussed. This proposal would severely impact older people.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: The banks got away with a lot that they should not have got away with. They have been able, at breakneck speed, to automate most of their branches. They should not have been allowed to do this. The process should have been done in a very slow, methodical and incremental way. Some of these branches in rural Ireland have been automated literally overnight. The banks have very reluctantly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Garda Commissioner (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I join my colleagues in expressing sympathy to the family and colleagues of the late Garda Golden. I welcome the Commissioner. She mentioned the text alert system in her opening address. It seems the system has been quite successful, with 125,000 people participating in various groups. What is the cost to An Garda Síochána of the text alert system? Does the Commissioner plan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Garda Commissioner (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: Perhaps Mr. Ó Cualáin might do so in his own time. My second question relates to the ongoing Garda operation at Shannon Airport as a result of the protests against the American military's use of the airport. I presume the ongoing operation is a great drain on resources. Have the resources the Garda is deploying in this operation increased in recent times? Has the force been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Garda Commissioner (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: My final question is on cybercrime. In recent years young people, in particular, have taken their own lives as a result of it. Have the numbers of investigations and convictions for cybercrime and cyber-bullying, in particular, increased? Were there convictions? Has there been much success in this area? Does the Garda have a unit in its headquarters or an IT section that monitors social...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Garda Commissioner (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I have one additional question for the Commissioner. I represent County Clare which has quite a number of tourism destinations. In the past three or four years, the number of tourists visiting the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience has increased from 650,000 to 1.1 million. Similarly, the number of tourists to County Clare, particularly to the north and west of the county, has increased...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Garda Commissioner (11 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: Both gentleman are doing an excellent job. When the information on the additional resources becomes available, it might be made available to us through the secretariat.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: I wish our former colleague and good friend, Senator Jimmy Harte, the very best in his continued recovery. We look forward to seeing him in the House again very soon. I also warmly congratulate our new colleague, Senator Máiría Cahill, on her election to Seanad Éireann. While she may think there is not a lot of time left in this term, I suggest that it is quality rather than...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Rural Crime: Irish Farmers Association (18 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: It is a very interesting engagement. The initiatives certainly seem to be working. I am particularly struck by the fact that not one of the tagged cattle has gone missing. As regards international best practice, has the IFA looked at other jurisdictions and, if so, are there similar problems there? I imagine there are, so how have they dealt with them? Is there anything we could all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Rural Crime: Irish Farmers Association (18 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: When Mr. Downey and his colleagues attended the Seanad Public Consultation Committee on farm safety we saw evidence from a GAA club in west Cork, which successfully campaigned, held open days, information sessions and so on, regarding farm safety. Is there any role for collaborating with the GAA, which could assist the IFA in intelligence-building?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Rural Crime: Irish Farmers Association (18 Nov 2015)

Martin Conway: In Mr. Downey's view, is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine doing enough to assist in terms of dealing with this, which is a developing area of crime?