Results 2,041-2,060 of 5,010 for speaker:Victor Boyhan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Dr. Minihan for that, but that is alarming. Bells should be ringing. We now have pesticides in our water systems. I look forward to that report, and I think we as a committee look forward to it. I thank Dr. Minihan for the indication that it is coming this week. This is alarming, however. We talk to oncologists and researchers about this. In our country, our food chain and our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: It sounds alarming. A water supply is constant, and it is the cumulative effect of the contamination of that water that is causing this build-up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Irish Water representatives. We are dealing with the matters of fresh water and wastewater; both are pertinent to the question I will pursue. I sit on this committee and, as I said, on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The HSE confirmed to us this afternoon the presence of toxins, particularly pesticides, in our water stream. This has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I have two supplementary questions. I will focus on Ms Ryan as she responded to my question about page 4. We talked about the 217 pressure impacts and she outlined how that figure was being eaten into. I suggest we should be provided with some sort of a breakdown on that. The committee continues to monitor Irish Water. We do not just consider it at today's meeting; it is part of our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I will return to pesticides and the fact that they have been found in urine samples. This is a real danger to public health, our ever-fragile environment, on which Mr. Laffey touched, and the food chain. It raises the question of what best international practice is. I know much work has been done on this in Canada, the US, Germany and Austria. It is time to look at best practice to see...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Surrounding Water Quality and Supply: Discussion (4 Oct 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I thank Mr. Gleeson and Mr. Laffey for their responses.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (30 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I will be brief. First, it is marvellous that we have these youth voices before the committee. We have spoken about minority voices in Northern Ireland. We have spoken about Northern voices and minority voices in the South as well. I am awe-inspired, as I think we all are on this side of the House, to see this Chamber full of young people and to hear the voices of youth, which are strong....

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (30 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: It was interesting to watch the monitor outside and hear the responses on identity from the panel at the front and then to listen to the different sense of dialogue because it is a lived experience. I was especially taken by the contributions of the second group. I will touch on the significance, importance and strength of identity in the greater debate. It is very important and it...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Voices of All Communities on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (30 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I want to focus on two questions. The questions will be to Reverend Kyle Paisley and Dr. Devlin. I want to acknowledge, because it was echoed this morning and yet again here today, that words matter and language and the sensitivity of language matters too. I want to acknowledge Reverend Kyle Paisley's opening address to Seanad Éireann, with the word, "Cathaoirleach". We talked...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the German ambassador to the House. Many of my friends go to St. Killian's, the magnificent German international school and education campus on Roebuck Road in Clonskeagh. It is funded substantially by the German Government. It is a wonderful educational campus. Many Irish citizens, who are also European citizens of course, choose to go to this amazing school. I wish the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I do not think there has been a Cabinet reshuffle and the Minister of State is the Minister for Transport-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: -----but I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. This matter was billed as being for the Minister for Transport, but I know that the Minister of State is very competent and able and has his hand across all aspects of government. My matter relates to the ambitious Galway hydrogen valley project. On 14 April 2022, I met, as did a number of Oireachtas Members, with the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Policy (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I will read it in more detail later. I want to try to keep the focus on Galway, in particular the GH2 project, and will continue to do so. I flag something I noted from gov.iethis morning. There is now a campaign to appoint members to the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, with which the Minister of State will be...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I am happy to support the Order of Business. I refer to No. 1 in respect of the arrangements for Lord John McFall, Lord Speaker and Presiding Officer of the House of Lords, to address the Seanad on 5 October 2022. I am particularly delighted to support that motion. He is a wonderful friend to the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly of which I am a member. He is very supportive and...

Seanad: Impact of Cost of Living Issues on Young People in Ireland: Motion (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to deal with the motion. I thank my colleagues, Senators Clonan and McDowell, for teeing up and leading off on what we think is a constructive motion. It was never our intention to create division but, rather, to share our lived experiences. That is key in all of this. I only have one ask of the Minister of State and I wish to stay...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Business of Joint Committee (28 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: Can we check in with the people joining us externally that they are tuned in and can hear us? There are other people here and the witnesses may not be fully understanding of that. It would help to ensure they are connected and linked into the meeting. I do not know if Deputy Michael Collins is in Cork.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I also wish to bring up the issue of GPs. I do not know if anyone heard on "Morning Ireland" the doctor from Killarney who spoke with great clarity on the issue of GPs and, as Senator Ward said, about the GP visit card, etc. The challenge now is the GPs. We have people unable to access GPs out of hours. It is common all over the country in both rural and urban areas. This doctor made the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials from the Department and to thank them. I will not say too much about this circular and statement, other than that I very much welcome it. I acknowledge the Minister of State's enormous and progressive work to support councils across the board. I like that emphasis he has put on collaboration across those in parties and those who are not,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Local Authority Elected Members) Bill 2022: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I missed one point, which the Minister of State prompted me to think about again. Ageism is alive and well in politics. I spoke to a woman before the summer who is a teacher and just retired as the principal of a primary school. She is steeped in her own community and as a former principal of a national school for 30 years. She is involved in the GAA. She did major fundraising for the...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022: Motion (21 Sep 2022)

Victor Boyhan: I welcome the Minister and his officials. I thank them for their continuous work on what is a very important issue. I also thank the Minister for setting out the order, as promised, as per his commitment during our discussions at various stages on this issue. I found most helpful the statement of reasons for making the order attached, from which my colleague, Senator O'Loughlin, has just...