Results 2,521-2,540 of 5,632 for speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (17 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Senator McDowell is quite right. I have long-standing views about amending legislation in this way. It makes it difficult to read.

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (17 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It happens from time to time as a matter of expediency. This is one of those mechanisms. There is a view that to make the technical change to allow the Minister discharge the allowance both on a partial and full non-recurring basis, a technical change is needed to the governing Act. The statutory instrument has been made and there were previous statutory instruments made in this way going...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (17 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Before dealing with the amendment, I will speak to the broad principle behind what the Senator is suggesting. I take the view that everybody needs to be transparent in respect of their funding. Whether it is a lobbying group, a political party or any other body engaged in a political process or policy-making process, there should be utter transparency in respect of all its sources of...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (17 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is probably worth going back to first principles on the lobbying Act because there are quite a number of different issues there. The purpose of the lobbying register is to enhance transparency in the activities of entities under the Act with Government. The purpose of it is to provide people of this State with clear information about who is engaging with Government, when, and on what...

Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I am just marking that as a question.

Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Excuse me, may I finish?

Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I have tried to take a reasoned approach to what I think is very reasonable legislation. I have brought forward similar legislation in respect of cluster munitions. I am expressing my opinion, as the Deputies opposite are also allowed to do, on some of the language used. I hope I am doing that in a reasonable way. I deserve the respect of the Deputies to be allowed to finish my contribution.

Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: "Dáil Éireann resolves that the Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023 be deemed to be read a second time this day nine months, to allow for further consideration of the Bill, as the Bill as drafted raises specific practical and legal questions, is not likely to achieve...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I will deal with the issues in reverse order. On the oral hearing piece, the approach adopted in the Bill is based on the advice of the Office of the Attorney General. As Senator Martin said, the Bill does not require all hearings to be in public. There is no responding party, therefore it will involve only persons under investigation before the commission. The basis for this, as the...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I forgot to flag one Report Stage amendment from the perspective of the State which relates to the Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices (Amendment) Act 1992. We are using this legislative opportunity to make provision for a scheme of allowances for politicians to be able to claim expenses for security upgrades to their homes and businesses, as agreed...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I will leave the question of the sectoral order to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as it relates to it. I will observe that the Low Pay Commission pays a strong role in wages across every sector. We have had legislation on payment of wages in tips and on sick pay. There have been a number of increases in minimum wage. I note the foregoing in respect of pay, which is a...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I appreciate the Senator’s point about the divisions of Government. There is nothing more frustrating than somebody saying that is the responsibility of a different Department. I understand that. However, there are many tools that can be used. Tax is one of them. Subsidies and grants are another piece in relation to tourism and can be more targeted and beneficial to achieve the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I will take this opportunity to reflect on vacancy. I acknowledge the great difficulties faced by many people and families at this moment. The need to address vacancy and the housing crisis is a priority objective of the Government. Senators are aware that in Housing for All the Government has set out a suite of incentives to try to encourage the reuse of properties and increase the supply...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. It is the intention of Revenue to publish such information. It will publish details of recipients of the scheme in due course, but I can tell the Senator, in advance of that, that I am advised by Revenue that fewer than ten businesses with a connection to the economic activity defined as data processing, hosting and related activities applied for...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2023: Committee Stage (4 May 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. The TBESS is for businesses and it has an important state aid element to it. A charity that carries on a trade, the profits or gains of which would be chargeable to tax under case 1 of Schedule D but for the exemption provided for in section 208(2)(b)of the Taxes Consolidation Act, would be regarded as an eligible business under the TBESS as...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (26 Apr 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Garvey for raising this important issue in Lahinch and more broadly around the country. I will cut to the chase with the Senator. The Department has told me the new treatment plant for Lahinch is currently at feasibility stage, it expects to be at planning permission stage in 2024 and ready for construction in 2025. It is a €20 million to €50 million project....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (26 Apr 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I could not agree more with the Senator regarding the way in which State agencies - I am not singling out Uisce Éireann - lean into the citizens and residents of this State and provide information to them in a really stakeholder and customer focused way to make it as easy as possible for people to access the information they deserve to have at every point in their lives. When a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I have a difficulty because this is not a court. This is a conversation about a matter referred to by the Deputy that may, in fact, go in front of a court in terms of a dispute resolution process. I have every sympathy with every workplace issue, but without getting into the details of any individuals or any company. This is not a conversation I believe should be happening in this Chamber,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: What I said, irrespective of the script, was that I urge all parties to resolve their difficulties, without getting into the specifics of any individual case. The Deputy is entitled to use her time her way and I am also entitled to express my opinion. I am also entitled to say that the reason I do not want to get into the specifics, and I do not know if the Deputy has assumed bad faith or...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Industrial Relations (26 Apr 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I think great detail was provided.