Results 3,561-3,580 of 3,648 for speaker:Michael Collins

Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I fully support the need for women always to receive factual information when receiving counselling in a crisis pregnancy situation. I do not believe there is a single person in this House who would disagree with that. However, I have to raise concerns about the motivation behind the legislation being put forward today. The proposed legislation cannot be discussed without looking at the...

Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (17 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: Let us be very clear. That is what is happening here today and I regret to have to say it. Even at this late stage, I call on the Minister for Health to condemn what the IFPA has done and to call on it to provide a full explanation for its wrongdoings. Failure to do so leaves the Minister open to the charges of bias and double standards.

Post Office Network: Motion [Private Members] (16 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: For the past 300 years the post office network has been an integral element of Irish society. It has been at the forefront of economic and social activity in towns and villages across the country. With over 1,150 post offices nationwide, An Post is a huge resource which needs to be further utilised. The post office network provides a large range of services. As well as the standard postal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed). (9 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. I have a few questions and will start with AIB. I am a customer myself with AIB. Whether that is a conflict of interest when I ask questions I do not know. I must start on a negative with regard to AIB. I live in a peninsula in west Cork where AIB had branches in Ballydehob and in Schull, both of which have been closed. The nearest branch for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed). (9 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses for their attendance. They opened up and discussed many interesting points. I come from a rural constituency in west Cork. Earlier, I spoke about the banks. We have lost two of our banks, which resulted in a major shop in our town closing within a year. This shows the knock-on effect it has. It has a severe effect on the town. People are shopping in the bigger...

Public Sector Pay: Motion [Private Members] (8 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I commend Sinn Féin on bringing forth this motion, which I fully support. For Deputies to take a pay rise at this time is totally wrong and unacceptable. It is totally unjust that those on social welfare payments will be getting an extra €260 per annum while Deputies will get a €2,700 increase this year and next year. If, following the vote this Thursday, this motion is...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: We both agree the Irish Coast Guard is one of the most progressive search and rescue organisations in the world. This is in no small part due to the volunteer Coast Guard teams. They do this on a voluntary basis and are out there on average 10,000 man hours per year, 24-7, 365 days a year, putting their lives at risk to help others. The helicopter service which the Coast Guard provides for...

Leaders' Questions (8 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: There are four primary response agencies in Ireland; the fire service, the ambulance service, the Garda and the Irish Coast Guard. The Irish Coast Guard is the only primary response agency that is not legislated for in the State. The Irish Coast Guard is the fourth blue light service and it needs to be a stand-alone, legislated, primary response agency. The current system within which it...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Health Insurance Regulation (8 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: 109. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will investigate the cancellation of an insurance company's critical illness policy (details supplied); and if he will put supports in place for those who have lost their cover. [33650/16]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Reliefs Eligibility (8 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: 118. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will extend the incentives for first time buyers announced in budget 2017 to apply to both the purchase of new and second hand houses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33598/16]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I thank the witnesses for being with us today. Many of my questions relate to flooding. Like many other parts of Ireland, my constituency of Cork South-West has had serious flooding. Places like Bandon, Skibbereen, Ballylickey, Bantry, Dunmanway, Enniskeane and Innishannon have been seriously flooded in recent years. Many homes and businesses have been practically devastated. A great...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I am delighted that representatives of An Garda Síochána are with us today to discuss a few issues. I come from a rural community on a peninsula in west Cork. I attended a community alert meeting last night as the secretary of the Schull district community alert group. The witnesses mentioned that such voluntary organisations, including Muintir na Tíre, try to deliver as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: We resume our discussion on what it takes to sustain a viable rural community with representatives of the Health Service Executive and the Irish Medical Organisation. From the Health Service Executive I welcome Mr. John Hennessy, national director of primary care, Dr. David Hanlon, national clinical adviser and group lead primary care, Mr. John Hayes, chief officer of community health care...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: I thank Dr. Daly. I remind members of the need to be brief and give sufficient time to delegates to reply to the questions put to them. We are here to avail of their expertise. In my constituency of Cork West and other constituencies the home help service has delivered cheaply and efficiently for the people, but it has not been rolled out in a way of which we can be proud. I have been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: Mr. Hennessy might forward that to the clerk to the committee.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (2 Nov 2016)

Michael Collins: 157. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider increasing the resource hours for children with Down's syndrome and a mild intellectual disability from 2.5 hours per week to five hours per week. [32965/16]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Michael Collins: I thank both witnesses for their presentations. I have just a few questions. I intend to be a little parochial. I represent Cork South-West, which is employment-starved. While the situation in Cork city has been turned around a little, in terms of the green-shoots that are now appearing there, unfortunately, the three rural peninsulas I represent have lost a lot of young people and I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Michael Collins: I welcome the IFA representatives. I must declare an interest, as I am a paid-up member and I am a former chairman of my local branch in Schull, west Cork. I am also a paid-up member of the ICSA and I am proud to be a member of both. The Schull branch members got rid of me in the end. I was a thorn in their side because I always stood up on behalf of the small farmer. I have had lengthy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Michael Collins: I referred earlier to farmers in receipt of payments of €150,000 and the willingness or otherwise of the IFA to work towards a fair payments scheme for the significant number of farmers who receive less than €10,000 per annum and are unable to survive on that. How can we find a balance? I could not get the message through to the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Business of Joint Committee (25 Oct 2016)

Michael Collins: Many of us came here this morning with the belief that the Minister would be with us today to explain a couple of things, including the West Cork Development Partnership and the fact that a group that was rolling out the last programme are now not able to roll out this programme going forward. The Minister answered a number of questions in the Dáil last week on the same matter but left...