Results 3,521-3,540 of 5,132 for speaker:Trevor Ó Clochartaigh

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Céad fáilte ar ais roimh Seanadóirí. Ba mhaith liom, thar ceann Pháirtí Shinn Féin ár gcomhbhrón a chur in iúl do mhuintir Boston as ucht an sleacht a tharla ansin agus a rá go dtéann ár gcuid tacaíochta anonn go muintir Boston ag an am seo. I concur with the sentiments expressed by Senator O'Donovan in regard to the...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I support Senator Barrett on this. It is not the first time he has brought a very good idea to the Seanad and his thoughts on this have a great deal of merit. We have seen other scenarios where people who are entitled to tax clearance certificates have difficult obtaining them. There should be a single Government body to carry out means tests and assess liabilities so other Departments can...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I thank the Minister of State for his response, which does not surprise me. It is clear to those on the ground that those who do not have the full medical card are afraid of going to the doctor and the cost of going to doctors and the worries of the treatment that might have to follow is an issue for them.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I can understand how Senator Gilroy might not want us to raise these issues because they are issues of serious contention to the general public. Any curtailment of this, and the fact that the Minister is looking at those over 70 who worked hard over the years and taking away the medical card from them, is a retrograde step. My party made pre-budget submissions about other choices that could...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: On a point of order, Senator Gilroy cast aspersions about the professionalism of statements that we are making in these Houses and I would ask him to retract them.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Sinn Féin opposes the further restriction of this scheme leading to thousands of older people losing their medical cards. This section will reduce the income threshold for assessment for an over 70s medical card from ¤700 per week to ¤600 per week for a single person, from ¤1,400 per week to ¤1,200 per week for a couple. Those in the ¤600 to ¤700 weekly income bracket will be...

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I am opposing the section because it relates to the broader issues in the health sector.

Seanad: Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Ar ndóigh, táimid i Sinn Féin i gcoinne na hathruithe atá an Rialtas ag iarraidh a thabhairt isteach maidir leis na cartaí leighis. Is léir dúinn go bhfuil na ciorruithe breise atá an Rialtas ag cur i bhfeidhm éagórach agus mícheart. I have made the general point I intended to make. Sinn Féin opposes this section and also opposes the Bill...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I dtosach, ba mhaith liom Cáisc faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise a ghuidhe leis na Seanadóirí agus leis an fhoireann ar fad a bhíonn linn anseo. Ócáid faoi leith í seo nuair a bhímid ag cuimheamh ar na laochra a d'imigh romhainn aimsir na Cásca 1916 agus a throid ar son saoirse na hÉireann in amannaí eile. Tá sé tábhachtach smaoineamh orthu sin. The Acting Leader has a specific...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: All they were doing was to express, in a peaceful and civilised manner, their disdain at the way they are being treated. I would say they are doing that in the public interest because they are out there to defend us day in and day out. They are the people on the front line and know how cutbacks are affecting the service they are trying to deliver. They are trying to communicate to the...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Second Stage (27 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Ach an oiread le Seanadóirí eile, táimid buíoch dó as ucht an Bille seo a thabhairt isteach sa Seanad. Tá Sinn Féin ag tacú leis an reachtaíocht seo mar feicimid cé go bhfuil an Bille gearr, tá sé iontach tábhachtach - cosúil liom féin. Tuigimid freisin go bhfuil gá ann bheith cúramach i gcuid de na réimsí lena mbaineann sé. I welcome the...

Seanad: Philantrophy and Fund-raising: Motion (27 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Céad fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Is breá an rud Gaeilgeoir a bheith linn gur féidir linn beagán Gaeilge a úsáid. Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an leasú atá á chur chun cinn. I second the amendment. Aithním, ach an oiread le mo chomhghleacaí, an Seanadóir Cullinane, an dea-mhéin atá leis an rún seo agus an iarracht atá ar bun maidir le comhoibriú a fháil trasna an Tí ar...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I mentioned Jimmy Walsh last week, but I will extend an invitation to him this week. If he has time on his hands and is interested in improving his Irish, he will be welcome in Connemara any time. I support Senator van Turnhout's call on direct provision. I have visited some of the centres. This serious and complex issue has been raised a number of times on the Adjournment. The letter...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Or read one of the Senator's tweets.

Seanad: Mobility Allowance: Statements (21 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: Fáiltím roimh an díospóireacht seo, ach cuireann sé an-díomá orm nach bhfuil Aire nó Aire Stáit anseo ná aon oifigeach le bheith ag éisteacht leis an díospóireacht. I do not see any reason we would not sit on a Thursday evening for debates like this but we should have the Minister or Ministers of State in the House to listen to the debate. Having said that, I must ask whether...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: This debate has raised a number of very interesting issues. I agree with Senator Michael D'Arcy that on different levels citizens have paid a great deal and it is very unfair to go back to them looking for more of a take when these very sophisticated multinational companies are using whatever mechanism is necessary to try to avoid paying a fair amount of tax. Fairness is what this budget...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I would echo a lot of what Senator MacSharry has said. We have actually called for a debate on poverty in this House on a number of occasions but have yet to have that debate. People are experiencing levels of poverty in Ireland that have not been seen before. Poverty is affecting householders who have never previously found themselves unable to pay for the very basics, such as heating....

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: This section deals with increases to VRT and motor tax. The Minister of State will be aware that the automobile industry is on its knees. Representatives of that industry suggested that VRT and motor tax be decreased but the Government has chosen to increase them. In that context, I ask the Minister of State to indicate what he thinks the knock-on effect of this will be on the motor...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2013 [Certified Money Bill]: Committee and Remaining Stages (21 Mar 2013)

Trevor Ó Clochartaigh: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I would like to come back to him with his logic on a previous section, where he rightly pointed out there were no tobacco companies in Ireland. However, there are alcohol companies here which are making substantial profits. Has the Minister considered taxing companies as opposed to taxing consumers directly? Would that bring in the projected...