Results 2,501-2,520 of 3,649 for speaker:Michael Collins

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 9: General (Resumed) (9 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: Indeed. Not one of the 43 projects in County Cork submitted received funding under the rural regeneration scheme. I hope the Government will reverse that decision this time. I want to talk about roads, although I accept I have run out of time. In west Cork we are looking for funding for a bypass in Innishannon and a southern and a northern relief road in Bandon, all of which projects...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Air Services Provision (9 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: 140. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the possibility of increasing air travel services between Cork Airport and Germany will be examined in view of the fact no routes exist (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41233/19]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Córas Iompair Éireann (9 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: 141. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the CIÉ 1951 pension scheme factors will be reinstated as per the commitment given in Dáil Éireann on 6 December 2017 that there would be agreement of the active membership in advance of changes to the discount factors in future (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41234/19]

Financial Resolutions - Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (8 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: By God, the people of Ireland will let the Government know how out of touch it is. The people of rural Ireland will let him know.

Financial Resolutions - Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (8 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I fully intend to oppose Financial Resolutions Nos. 1 and 2. Each time the budget discussion comes before the House, there is an increase on the duty on cigarettes that affects ordinary people. I do not smoke myself but respect people who have to have a cigarette, on and off. It is difficult for them and a difficult time because many of these people are on pensions and low incomes and now...

Financial Resolutions - Budget Statement 2020 (8 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: After the budget was announced, I could not but think that once again it had not provided adequately for the hard-working people of Ireland, and especially the people of rural Ireland. This budget merely hands out a few crumbs, creating the illusion that these crumbs are more valuable to the people than they are. We all know that the budget is being dubbed a "pre-election, pre-Brexit...

UN Climate Action Summit: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I am happy to contribute on this important matter. Every day we are made aware of the climate emergency that we currently face. As individuals, we have a duty to try to reduce our carbon footprint, decrease our use of single-use plastic and be more environmentally conscious about our day-to-day activities. We have moved as a society. However, the Government is not serious enough about...

Industrial Action by School Secretaries: Statements (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this issue. Prior to the recent industrial action undertaken by secretaries, most of the public was unaware of the two-tier pay system that exists in this sector. Most parents of primary schoolgoing children know the school secretary as the first point of call, the first face they come into contact with when they visit the school and the...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: Rowing Ireland has been the most progressive and successful sporting organisation during the past number of years in this country. We need only think of the glory Gary and Paul O'Donovan have brought to Skibbereen, west Cork and Ireland on many occasions in recent years. They along with Jake, Shane, Mark and Sanita as well as other rowers throughout the country have had us standing on our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I welcome Deputy Ó Laoghaire to his role. As Vice Chairman, I look forward to working closely with him. The Minister has outlined a significant budget and many projects, some of which have been ongoing for the past 12 months since the previous budget. She said the total budget was €339 million. I am not sure what the exact figures were for last year, but the Minister...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I know that, but the bottom line is that it is a very serious issue. I wish to clarify one point. I was chairing the meeting when we voted-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: It is. The Minister was before us at the time. We held a democratic vote and the matter was dealt with in the Seanad and the Dáil and at the committee. One week after we started the summer break the Minister broke that rule.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I refer to a matter I raised earlier with the Minister concerning the hedge-cutting Bill, which comes under the heritage area of her Department. I presume most members are aware that we had lengthy discussions on the Bill in the committee and in the Dáil and Seanad. In the absence of the Chairman, I chaired a committee meeting during which we voted in a democratic process. Members had...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: On whether democracy is working, the legislation came through the committee and was voted on. From what the Minister stated, it appears she attended a biodiversity conference and an interagency discussion and that, all of a sudden, circumstances changed. I do not believe that the Minister was in office at the beginning of the process, although that is no fault of her own.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: Yes, she attended a number of committee meetings and everyone had a fair opportunity to contribute. It is currently a complete hames, given that roads in west County Cork are a desperate danger, although every Deputy will speak about his or her own area.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: If one needs hedges on a road to be cut, the farmer or landowner will not allow it because he or she will be afraid of breaking the law. He or she will not allow anyone to touch the hedges. The danger is there will be blood on people's hands because of what the Minister did. That is the honest truth and I see it myself.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: Yes, it is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I apologise. The Minister indicated that hedge cutting has been thrown out the window. She made a decision that will return us to the same situation in future. Will people be able to cut verges next August? It is a "Yes" or "No" question.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: I remind the Minister of the way the legislation passed through the Houses. This is democracy at its best but she smashed democracy-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Mid-Year Review: Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (2 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: The legislation passed through the committee, the Seanad and the Dáil. Somewhere in the small print, however, after the Minister attended a biodiversity conference and a couple of other meetings, she decided that democracy would be thrown out the window. She decided to wait until the House began its recess, one week after Members went on their holidays, and to blow democracy out the...