Results 2,021-2,040 of 5,750 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also stand in support of my colleague, Senator McDowell, and compliment him on the speed with which he reacted to the case that arose. It is one of the great aspects of this House that we are lucky to have so many brilliant legal eagles in both the Dáil and Seanad who are able to immediately respond to something like this. I also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Distribution of Covid-19 Vaccines to Developing Countries: Discussion (9 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the witnesses for attending. It strikes me that the appalling mix of the animal instincts of capitalism is meeting up with competitive races. The competitive race is not just that towards vaccination as it concerns individuals themselves. As an individual sitting here, I watch every day to see how close my age group is to the next stage of vaccine roll-out in Ireland. That is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Members of the Oireachtas would be dismayed if they realised that a decision of Government on the recommendation of a Department almost ten years ago now has negatively affected mothers staying in State employment of their choice. That negative effect on State-employed mothers was not the intent of the Government decision but has become the unintended and regrettable outcome of it. It has...

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Statements (8 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and I express my sincere thanks to her for being available to all Members of this House, and not just party members, and for her response when we come to her looking for assistance. The first thing I want to do today is to thank the principals of the schools who have managed to keep...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank both speakers for being here to address the issues before us. I will turn first to TII. I have had some communication from TII. It is one of the great pities that such people cannot be here themselves to make their cases personally, but Councillor Duffy in Mayo has made a very strong case for the N26, which is a major route between Swineford and Ballina. The witnesses will be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: It does but I do not suppose it gives much solace to those who are using the road. I understand that TII has limited resources that it must work with, but Mr. Walsh might drop me a note on the matter and engage with Councillor Duffy and see how we might best spend whatever funding he has to make any improvements that can be made to that road.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: My understanding is that Mayo County Council has made this a top priority. Mr. Walsh and I might engage further on this, but I will take him off the hook at this point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Turning to Ms Graham, there has been a great deal of discussion in my home county of Galway, in particular along its commuter route from Craughwell - how surprising is it I mention that? - to Barna, about a light rail network. New commuter technology that is coming on line probably meets carbon emission targets and so on. The route from Craughwell, Athenry, Oranmore and on into Galway city...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Development Plan: Discussion (2 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: There is a cultural change to take place in the area in terms of commuting. I have always believed that, if you build it, they will come. I thank both of the witnesses for answering my questions.

Seanad: Response to Covid-19 (Housing, Local Government and Heritage): Statements (1 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister. This is the first time I have addressed him as Minister. Congratulations to him. He is a hard-working man and I am delighted to see him in the position. I also think he is ideally suited to the Department to which he has been appointed. I am always unhappy about statements. I believe they are a waste of parliamentary time and it is a waste of the Minister's time...

Seanad: Response to Covid-19 (Social Protection): Statements (1 Feb 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Like everybody else, I congratulate the Minister. She should set aside some time to bring herself up to speed on "Thomas the Tank Engine", "Paw Patrol" and various other things like that. There is a lot of learning there because the language has changed. The fat controller is no longer working for Thomas the tank engine's company. It is very serious stuff. The other thing about having a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: It is the first time I have addressed the Minister since his elevation. I thank him for agreeing to come before the committee for today’s discussion. I am always wary when I hear that somebody wants to get legislation through without pre-legislative scrutiny because that is what leads to many of the problems that arise. When legislation is bad, it takes forever to correct it. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I appreciate what the Minister has just said. He will understand that I used the R116 accident investigation as a glaring example of something that has dragged on in perpetuity. Very little can be learned from that accident until the report is finalised. I understand that there are difficulties with that but I was merely using it as an analogy.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Would the Chairman permit a question to the Minister on the quarantine issue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: The quarantine issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: General Scheme of the Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Casualties) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (29 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: Last night on the "The Tonight Show" a Minister of State said we were still at the stage of hoping people will self-isolate when they come home, if they have to quarantine. Surely we could have taken over one or two hotels in Dublin and bussed people straight to the hotel similar to what is being done in Australia. When one arrives in Australia, one is brought straight to a hotel to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish the Leader of the House a happy birthday. I agree with everything Senator Norris said this morning. We are the one workforce in the country that has no representation anywhere. They can change our terms and conditions of employment and we have nowhere to go, which brings me on to another issue. About two weeks ago there was a newspaper article about a very senior civil servant - I...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (26 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today to represent the Minister for Health at this important debate. The HSE is being overstretched in the responsibilities that have been placed on it by the Government. It is responsible for the general healthcare of the public as well as testing and tracing and now it is responsible for the roll-out of the vaccine. There should be a...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (26 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: I, too, recognise the Acting Chairperson's position today both as the leader of my group and as somebody who has been brave enough to put his personal life in the public domain. I welcome the Minister to the House. It took five years to produce this report and I am sure those who produced it believed it to be a considered and complete report, but I agree with most other speakers who said...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Customs Checks Post Brexit: Discussion (22 Jan 2021)

Gerard Craughwell: For four years prior to Brexit, at the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs, I regularly asked if we were wargaming the ultimate outcome of Brexit. Were customs officials and Revenue working with the road hauliers? Had they done trial runs with trucks? It seems to me that if it was wargamed, it was not wargamed correctly. If it was not wargamed, why not? There was a feeling around...