Results 1-20 of 541 for speaker:Noel Grealish in 'Dáil debates'

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Apr 2004)

Noel Grealish: I support the Government's proposal on citizenship. The reasons we need this amendment to the Constitution are straightforward. Our current citizenship law needs to be changed. Under our present law, citizenship is being given to people with little or no connection to Ireland or to its people. Such people will in turn be able to give Irish citizenship to their children and grandchildren. It...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Apr 2004)

Noel Grealish: The alternative would be to hold a referendum on citizenship at some other time. This would involve extra cost. It would probably involve a lower turn-out. Worst of all, there would probably be a greater danger of racist tendencies and unthinking abusiveness surfacing if the referendum were held on a stand-alone basis than if it were held on the same day as local and European elections where...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Apr 2004)

Noel Grealish: If we were to take the course of action recommended by the Opposition we would wait and allow still more people without any real connection with Ireland or the Irish people to confer automatic citizenship on their children; allow the overcrowded situation in our maternity hospitals to continue; keep the door open for non-EU citizens living in other EU states to come here and to use their...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Apr 2004)

Noel Grealish: Everyone was shouting at him.

Accident and Emergency Services: Motion (Resumed). (27 Jan 2005)

Noel Grealish: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this motion. I support the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children in her current endeavours to reform our health service. I had the pleasure of accompanying her as she visited University College Hospital, Galway, this week. There she met management and staff and saw the facilities at first hand. On the day of her visit, there were 14...

Suicide Levels: Motion (Resumed). (5 May 2005)

Noel Grealish: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on the tragic issue of suicide. Everyone has been affected by suicide as we all know someone, or people close to someone who has died by suicide. In my constituency, Galway West, eight people have become so concerned about depression and suicide among young people that they are establishing a support group. Rather than focusing on mental health...

Aer Lingus: Motion (Resumed). (25 May 2005)

Noel Grealish: I am glad to have a few moments to speak on this important issue. While I wholeheartedly agree with the commendation of Aer Lingus in the original motion, the absence of detail in any action proposed by Sinn Féin is worrying, if not surprising. The Government considered the future of Aer Lingus for some time. Last summer, a special Cabinet sub-committee was established and a report on future...

Draft Animal Remedies Regulations 2005: Motion (Resumed). (19 Oct 2005)

Noel Grealish: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on this important issue. As a rural Deputy, I have met many farmers and representatives of veterinary medicine companies over the last few weeks. This is an important issue in rural Ireland and I am delighted that this motion has come before the House. I have just a few moments and recognise that many of the important points have already been made,...

Draft Animal Remedies Regulations 2005: Motion (Resumed). (19 Oct 2005)

Noel Grealish: To use this as a starting point for a debate on a serious issue of veterinary medicine practice——

Draft Animal Remedies Regulations 2005: Motion (Resumed). (19 Oct 2005)

Noel Grealish: ——is unfortunate. It does the parties opposite and their argument no service whatsoever. The unprecedented development of the economy is knowledge based and innovation driven and relies on both indigenous and foreign enterprise. Government policies correctly reflect this. My second point relates to the substance of the motion, namely, unimplementable and unworkable restrictions on...

Irish Unification: Motion (Resumed). (3 Nov 2005)

Noel Grealish: The truth hurts.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: I hope that people are ready.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: I thank my colleague for sharing time with me. Many of the important points have been made so I will focus on four brief points. I understand that Sinn Féin tabled its motion because it seeks an end to what it calls the current regime of weak regulation and poor enforcement of workers' rights. With a claim like this, it is difficult to know where to start. Sinn Féin recently said it was...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: What about the limitations on working hours, our extensive health and safety provisions, statutory redundancy, carer's, maternity and adoptive leave? Those opposite need to get real. In 1997 there was 12% unemployment in this country. At that time, Sinn Féin, rather than addressing serious economic issues, was busy avoiding the condemnation of killings and bombings.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: When the Tánaiste became Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in 1997, the 12% unemployment rate was tackled by the Progressive Democrats and our colleagues in Government, Fianna Fáil. The rate is now down to 4%. There is almost full employment and we are creating more jobs than we can fill.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: The low unemployment rate exists despite the welcome presence in Ireland of thousands of foreign people working on job permits and more than 100,000 PPS numbers being issued to citizens of the EU accession states. Is this the hallmark of a regime of weak regulation and poor enforcement of workers' rights? Nearly 2 million people are now working in our economy. The initiative was taken by the...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: The figures I mention represent a great achievement by the Government. If Sinn Féin got into government we would have serious problems in this country. The Opposition seems to have amnesia in respect of working standards in this country. In 1997, when the rainbow Government's Minister for Enterprise and Employment was Deputy Bruton and the Minister of State at that Department was Deputy...

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: The concerns about working conditions and lower pay in particular were reflected in the contributions of the Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Deputy Killeen, and previous speakers.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: The concerns are largely due to the difference between the average industrial wage in Ireland, which is approximately €30,000 per year, and the annual rate of the national minimum wage of approximately €16,000.

Labour Affairs: Motion (Resumed). (22 Feb 2006)

Noel Grealish: This Government's achievements do not need to be explained in the House. I compliment the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment on his excellent work.