Results 3,241-3,260 of 9,140 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Services for People with Disabilities (12 Jun 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The process is flawed. That is the point. There is no point appealing a process that is flawed.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I wish to fully support Senator Gallagher's call. Last night RTÉ's "Prime Time" was a devastating exposé of the failures in our criminal justice system. Shane O'Farrell was mown down by Zigimantas Gridzuiska on 2 August 2011. Not long after that I met Shane's parents. What will never leave me is their grief and the love they had for their son, and the sheer devastation....

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We cannot leave it to GSOC. The first part of its report is a shambles and a travesty in terms of what we can see with our own eyes based on the dossier of evidence that Lucia O'Farrell herself has put together. It is an insult to the Irish people just to leave it to GSOC. There has to be a public inquiry. We have some solemn powers in the House. We do not abuse them and we use them...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: -----to listen to our concerns and to tell us there will be a public inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I propose this along with my colleague, Senator Gallagher, supported by Senator Norris.

Seanad: Report on Children's Mental Health Services: Statements (Resumed) (30 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Seanad Public Consultation Committee report on children’s mental health, similar to the Citizens’ Assembly work that led to the recent referendum on the eighth amendment, is a body of work led by the citizens of Ireland who have lived experience of the issue. We see how well politics works when citizens are authentically engaged, heard and listened to. This must be the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Different Approaches and New Opportunities in Irish Agriculture: University College Dublin (29 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. In the statement submitted to the committee, reference is made to climate change as follows:Climate change impacts are real and are felt. In Ireland, we risk exceeding our emissions targets and being fined for doing so. Whatever we do from this moment on must address climate impacts. Climate change is up there in terms of its importance but...

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Statements (23 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In his speech the Minister of State said:We recognise that not all those participating in the protest were non-violent. Stones were thrown, Molotov cocktails were hurled and some protestors attempted to breach the border fence when there had been explicit warnings of the consequences of doing so. There have also been reports that many of those shot were members of Hamas. If this was a...

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Statements (23 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Last week the United States of America and Israel marked the locating of the United States embassy in Jerusalem. The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said it was "a glorious day for Israel". The US President, Donald Trump, said it was "a great day for Israel." For Palestinians, however, it was an horrific day as the toll of dead and injured rose. It was also the 70th...

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Statements (23 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The brutality and savagery of the Israeli army has once again been laid bare for the world to see. The Israeli army fired live ammunition indiscriminately and it gassed protestors. The Government must give a strong and unambiguous statement that there can be no impunity for Israel's mass killing and murder of Palestinian citizens, and its continued illegal occupation of Palestine. The...

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (23 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Over two months have passed since the launch of Project Ireland 2040. We should be dealing with legislation to give effect to its provisions instead of making more statements in which we point to the very obvious. People living in rural Ireland are suffering from announcement fatigue. We receive updates every couple of weeks on the roll-out of plans such as the national broadband plan.The...

Seanad: Rural Development: Statements (23 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister is a good man, but that is a drop in the ocean.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (22 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Dr. Beamish drew attention to sea-bass. I will take his guidance on that as I presume what he said is based on the work of the Marine Institute and assessment of the stock by scientists. Where is the measure coming from? I accept that Dr. Beamish's position is based on science and data but where is the Commission getting its information that has led to this proposal? Similarly, I would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Beef Data Genomics Programme: Discussion (22 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I found the presentation very alarming. I refer to the stated objective of the scheme and that of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation and the aims are outlined on its website. The presentation and experiences outlined by Mr. McKiernan suggests that the complete reverse is happening, which is absolutely extraordinary. I am alarmed that we have reached a situation where an organisation,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Different Approaches and New Opportunities in Irish Agriculture: Discussion (15 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Mr. Healy for his presentation. We had a pretty startling presentation made to us by the European Court of Auditors earlier this year to a joint committee session. One of the things that stood out for me and for everybody was that since 2007, one in three young farmers under the age of 44 in Ireland have left the land. That is not the same experience in every European country but...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (10 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: My colleague, Deputy Seán Crowe, is in the United States on behalf of the committee so he sends his apologies for not being here today and has asked me, as a Sinn Féin Senator, to convey those apologies and to ask some questions, if that is okay. My party supports BDS. In Ireland, we are very proud of the Dunnes Stores workers. Many years ago, they worked for Dunnes Stores here...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (10 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The discussion about the two-state solution was a good opportunity for us. On the basis of the Oslo Accords everyone in Europe subscribed to the two-state solution and the idea of the Palestinian people having their own state, limited as it is. I was in the occupied territories some years back. A presentation was made by an eminent professor. He demonstrated to us the nature of the...

Seanad: Report on Credit Union Sector: Statements (9 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Like all Oireachtas Members, I receive an invitation every year to engage with the Irish League of Credit Unions and listen to its key priorities. For a number of years, I have been perplexed as to why its eagerness and willingness to contribute to a house building programme in the State has not been addressed and facilitated. It wants to play a substantial role in that and has substantial...

Seanad: Local Government Accountability Bill 2018: Second Stage (9 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Councillors are one of the most crucial elements of this democracy. They have in-depth knowledge of a particular local area, its community, infrastructure and vitality as a part of wider society. The work we do in this House is largely focused on national issues, while their focus is largely local. While that is the way it should be, many issues such as housing, health, the provision of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fodder Shortage Risk Management Measures: Discussion (8 May 2018)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: There has to be a degree of honesty in our assessment. The pillar banks that are represented before us are in the business of making a profit for their shareholders. That is what they do; it is the task staff are given by management and shareholders. The difficulty as I see it is the framework and infrastructure provided by the Government for farmers. A range of sectors have been...