Results 2,061-2,078 of 2,078 for speaker:Richard O'Donoghue

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: The Minister does not know.

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: It is ironic that the Minister said I got the letter on 1 April. That is April Fool's Day, and that is exactly what she has given me back. Every other Minister I have contacted had the common courtesy to give me a quick call back. As a new Deputy, I offered my help. Deputy Humphreys is the only Minister-----

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: -----who thought she was above that station. She would not answer a phone call or a text to help somebody elected to this House for the first time. All the rest of the Ministers helped out and worked with me. Deputy Humphreys was the only one who would not reply to a call. As she said, she replied to me on April Fool's Day. Fair play to her.

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: In the time I have been in this Dáil, I have never seen a Minister go around in circles answering questions as much as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed. I have never been so disappointed in the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Humphreys, for not getting back to Deputies. I asked the Ministers, particularly the Minister for...

Outbreaks of Covid-19 in Meat Processing Plants: Statements (21 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: The Minister will wait until I am finished. I asked her for help because I had information that would help her to help others but she believed she was above everyone and did not even acknowledge us. Limerick has stood up to the test and has offered help around this country. I had to contact Ministers to tell them there was a company in Limerick making masks that was exporting to...

Covid-19 (Health): Statements (7 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: When hospitals and other HSE facilities closed on 16 March, dentists were told to continue working. No PPE was offered to them, yet they had to provide emergency cover. All GPs are getting €30 per Covid telephone consultation and a capitation fee for medical card holders. The Minister said he is meeting with dentist representatives tomorrow and I will take it as read that these...

Covid-19 (Taoiseach): Statements (7 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I extend my sympathies to the families of all the people who have lost their lives and a huge "well done" to the front-line services. The Taoiseach mentioned earlier moneys being made available for businesses to start up again. Cash flow is the biggest problem for any business. When a small to medium-sized business comes out on 18 May, it will start back into work. Companies are paying...

Covid-19 (Housing, Planning and Local Government): Statements (7 May 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: With regard to one-off houses I know of, especially in Limerick, planning permission was granted by the authority for applications that were up for decision in the first quarter of this year, subject to minor objections or observations, but they were refused by An Bord Pleanála. This is because it is implementing the 2040 plan, which has not yet been enforced. If the 2040 plan is...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I concur with all of the sentiments we have heard from across the House. It is all about the leaving certificate, and rightly so. The point has been raised that not everyone has connectivity through good broadband and Wi-Fi, particularly in rural areas where people are lucky to have phone reception. The children there cannot even participate Skype or Zoom. It has been rightly said that...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (Resumed) (23 Apr 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I commend the Minister on his work on this. My question, which I asked of the Minister for Finance, concerns farming. What is considered essential work depends on the contact in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Many farmers are under severe pressure with harvesting due to the growth rate. They are looking to get construction work done on their farms, and if they do not...

Irish Economy: Statements (23 Apr 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: We have heard from other speakers that broadband is a major issue in rural areas. I recently opened an office in Kilmallock, County Limerick. When I had broadband installed, four different people came to my office before they got it up and running. People who live within half a kilometre of me, who are on a main route between Charleville and Kilmallock, have been forced to go to work in 19...

Health (Covid-19): Statements (23 Apr 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: On testing, we are all aware of the situation as mentioned by all of the Deputies who have spoken. I offer my deepest sympathies to all of the people who have died as a result of Covid-19. I apologise to the families of friends whose funerals I could not attend owing to the restrictions in place. Not being able to say their final goodbyes to partners, relatives and friends at that time has...

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Mar 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I commend the last speaker on speaking out about people who would spit or cough into anybody's face. I am in full agreement that the full rigours of the law should be brought to bear on those people. Where people are under age, the responsibility should be on their parents. I have seen at first hand people walking down streets thinking it is funny to cough and spit when they see people...

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (26 Mar 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I am sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. We have heard here that people have been looking for the building sector to close down but we have to take a holistic view. Workers in the building sector get paid through the banking system and the banking system is holding building contractors and others to ransom because one gets paid in accordance with the work one is doing. That work has...

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: An Dara Céim - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (26 Mar 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I offer my sympathies to the families of people who have lost their lives due to Covid-19 and other illnesses, and to the families and friends who could not attend funerals to show their respects due to the health restrictions in place. I have questions for the Minister about payments, which have been increased from €203 to €350, which I welcome. I get questions every day from...

An Bille um Bearta Éigeandála ar mhaithe le Leas an Phobail (Covid-19), 2020: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (26 Mar 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Not every employer is a company. Many employers are sole traders. Many of those sole traders have already fallen. Most small café shops are not companies; they are sole traders. Their employees are gone and so are they. They have closed their doors. If one looks at what we propose for companies, for a banking sector such as the credit unions the regulation states that they must...

European Council Meeting: Statements (5 Mar 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: A European trading agreement must cover all. Farming needs investment, not cuts, especially where I live in Limerick. Farmers are out in all weather and conditions 365 days of the year. They must maintain their stock. Dairy farmers must get a minimum of 26 cent per litre of milk to be viable. Harsh weather conditions and flooding mean that cattle have been brought indoors earlier than...

Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (20 Feb 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, and congratulations on your appointment. I have been listening around the floor since I came in. I have listened to many educated people. Yet, how many Deputies present have education of life? How many Deputies here have common sense? From what I have seen of Governments in recent years, they lack all of it. I believe an ounce of cop on is better than a...