Results 2,621-2,640 of 3,759 for speaker:Michael Collins

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...

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: Democracy was at work and everybody had their say. The Minister should have returned to the committee to discuss it. She should have shown some respect to those who were democratically elected by the people but she did not. She overruled them. She does not understand that while she lives in a land where there is tar, chip and plenty of concrete, we live in a rural environment and see the...

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: Rubbish.

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: Democracy out the window.

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: With regard to the islands, the Minister of State mentioned an interdepartmental committee on island development. I am blessed that there are eight islands off my own constituency of Cork South-West. They are very active islands and, in fairness, they get a lot of support. I will not discredit any of the positive works going on there. We have Bere Island, Dursey, Whiddy, Sherkin, Cape...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (1 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: 424. To ask the Minister for Health when the more than 90 type 1 diabetes young adults and teenagers attending Cork University Hospital will be transitioned form the paediatric diabetes services to the adult diabetes services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39881/19]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Staff (1 Oct 2019)

Michael Collins: 425. To ask the Minister for Health when the newly appointed paediatric endocrinologist will commence at Cork University Hospital; and the date on which they will commence. [39882/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (26 Sep 2019)

Michael Collins: 4. To ask the Minister for Finance if budget 2020 will be based on the assumption of a no-deal Brexit; his plans to make provision for timely and targeted measures for the sectors most exposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39218/19]

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (26 Sep 2019)

Michael Collins: Will budget 2020 be based on the assumption of a no-deal Brexit? If so, does the Minister intend to make provision for timely, targeted measures for the most exposed sectors such as fishing and farming? Will he make a statement on how, if there is a no-deal Brexit, the Government will ensure adequate support for both vital sectors, given that they will be hit severely by a no-deal Brexit?

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (26 Sep 2019)

Michael Collins: I have been talking to many fishermen and people involved in the farming sector recently. European and UK fishermen have shared fish stocks and fishing grounds for centuries. They have harvested limited resources, some 100 shared stocks that know no borders. The Irish relationship with our UK colleagues has always been grounded on understanding and reasoned discussion. A no-deal Brexit...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Brexit Preparations (26 Sep 2019)

Michael Collins: It is vital that the Minister have discussions with the European countries, the fisheries of which would be affected by a UK crash-out. Perhaps he might elaborate on the type of compensation package that is being envisaged for fishermen who may well lose 50% of their income and whose boats could be tied up at piers. The same applies to the farming sector. It is going through a very...