Results 241-260 of 437 for speaker:Niall Blaney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Engagement with WAVE Trauma Centre (9 Dec 2021)

Niall Blaney: I was delighted to meet Ms Peake and others at the WAVE Trauma Centre in Belfast. If there is any way those of us on the committee can be of assistance as Government representatives, they should please let us know. We will only be delighted to help their cause. We have treaded gently around this issue. This is not to have a go at Sinn Féin but, in a way, I will be having a go at...

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

Niall Blaney: I wish to discuss the railway strategic review which is now under way. It was announced by the Ministers, Nichola Mallon, MLA, and Deputy Eamon Ryan on 29 November. I did not speak on it last week because of the whole mica situation. I did not want to blur the lines. I very much want to emphasise that this review is now taking place. I thank the two Ministers for the input they have had...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Niall Blaney: This week we celebrate the first anniversary of the setting up of the shared island unit. This is at a time when we are celebrating the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. It is 23 years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Society and Members of both Houses have an opportunity to finally put to rest grievances and differences in this country and have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2021)

Niall Blaney: I will speak about the new scheme put in place by the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, yesterday. I strongly wish to put on record how much I welcome this new scheme. It affects the Deputy Leader's county as well as mine. There has been an awful lot of confusion overnight. I wonder how much of the €200,000 Sinn Féin raised at a golf event in the US over the past number of...

Seanad: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As a Donegal man, it would be remiss of me to stand here without mentioning the approval of the mica scheme by the Government. It is welcome and we will speak more about that another time. I am somebody who has taken a keen interest in the national development plans. The concept of the national development plan has come to the fore since the...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by An Taoiseach (18 Nov 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the Taoiseach. We are very proud to have him here as our Taoiseach. I was equally as proud on the day he asked me to be his spokesperson on Northern Ireland. Considering what he has done and the republican approach he has taken in the context of the shared island unit and what he is trying to do there, he is setting up an approach to deal with issues in this country in an...

Seanad: Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Niall Blaney: I, too, thank the Minister for coming to the House again with a fresh update on the Brexit negotiations and the protocol. It is fair to say we must thank the US Administration for its steady and supportive hand throughout this process. As I have said in this House before, the Minister has built up a number of contacts over the years and been a steady hand throughout this process. Our...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (2 Nov 2021)

Niall Blaney: Leading on from Senator Chambers's question, I will follow in the same vein. We have spoken about representation and disparity around human rights in different parts of Union. Many of those rights are visible on a daily basis in Northern Ireland. Mr. Cuffe mentioned earlier the mayoral positions in Galway, Dublin, Limerick, Cork and Waterford. There is a major disparity in this country,...

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Niall Blaney: I thank the Minister for coming before us today. It is appropriate he is here for the debate on this motion. I wish him well over the next few weeks with his deliberations on the workings of the protocol. I thank Senator Currie for bringing the motion before the House and sharing a little insight into her background. It is appropriate that she has led the debate given the background of...

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Niall Blaney: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the Minister to the House to discuss the mica and pyrite redress scheme. I thank him for the time and attention he has given us thus far and I also thank the Taoiseach and other parties to Government. The report of the working group released last week has caused an awful lot of distress to families in County Donegal and probably County Mayo. The Minister is well aware of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defective Building Materials (6 Oct 2021)

Niall Blaney: I thank the Minister for his comprehensive reply. It is very welcome, as is the Minister's first-hand engagement on the scheme from day one. It is very much appreciated. I do not believe we would be where we are today without his input and dedication. I wish to refer again to the planning exemption. Is there any further detail about that, particularly whether somebody who is downsizing...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome the opportunity to make a statement on the Housing for All strategy. I thank the Minister for being present and for his Ministers of State filling in as well. I thank them all for the momentous work done on this document. I refer to putting together the policies that have made it the great document it is. It well deserves the praise it is getting. Everybody agrees that the...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (29 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome this debate on lottery betting. This Bill is well-intentioned and I support its spirit. The regulation of betting must be carefully managed. Betting cannot be allowed to get out of hand. I have some concerns that I wish to express on behalf of a colleague, Senator Crowe, who cannot be here today. I told him I would pass his wishes to the House. He has fears around some of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation (28 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: There are apologies from Deputy Brendan Smith. He is running late but hopes to join the meeting at some point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation (28 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome Dr. Soares, Mr. Quinn, Ms Farrell and Dr. Ní Lochlainn here this morning to what is turning out to be an interesting debate, and which becomes more interesting the further we delve into these issues. I would first like to establish what the impact of the protocol has been on the business interests with which the ad hocgroup engages? Does the group see itself as an information...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Ad-Hoc Group for North-South and East-West Cooperation (28 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: I thank the witnesses for the replies. I was interested in what Mr. Quinn had to say in regard to the feedback from young people and also his views on the protocol. The protocol is a conversation we could have all day. I am very interested in getting more feedback from young people and youth forums on both sides of the divide in Northern Ireland. They could teach us all a lesson or two...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (22 Sep 2021)

Niall Blaney: I welcome both MEPs. This is a vital move to fight the apathy on this island relating to Europe and how we work with it. I will take up some of the remarks already made, particularly relating to agriculture, Brexit and the Border. I am a Border representative and republican at heart and we all know the difficulties we have seen with Brexit. There are counties affected including that of...