Results 3,641-3,660 of 5,112 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Seanad: Mid-Term Review of Capital Plan: Statements (27 Sep 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan. It is my first opportunity to congratulate him in public on his appointment as Minister of State. Knowing Deputy O'Donovan, as I do, over a number of years, he brings great ability and energy, and high principle to the office and I wish him well in it. Through a lot of hard work, great effort and great courage on the part of the previous...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I ask the Leader to facilitate as a matter of urgency a special debate on the cancellation of bus services in the east of the country over the past few days. Sixteen bus services have been cancelled, including routes to Cavan, Kells, Athboy and Wicklow. Adequate notice is not being given, which is resulting in people standing at the sides of roads waiting for buses that will not come. The...

Seanad: National Disability Inclusion Strategy 2017-2021: Statements (26 Sep 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is a particular pleasure given that in all his years in public life, he has been a passionate advocate for persons with disabilities. Now he is a very proactive Minister of State who has hit the ground running and is getting results in this sector. We now believe we have a Minister in place who has a true passion for and a real belief in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I join colleagues in expressing gratitude to the Cathaoirleach, the staff, the Leader and everyone here who made this a successful term. I wish my colleagues a good holiday. I echo the congratulations of Senator Paddy Burke to Commissioner Phil Hogan on his unique achievement in receiving the medal of honour in Austria. It is a mark the esteem in which he is held across the EU. We are...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I ask the Leader to postpone a decision on the Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017. All Stages should not be taken today. The issue needs further reflection and consideration. It breaks a very important Irish tradition and goes against health and anti-drink strategies and policies. It is offensive to many religious groupings, will not assist tourism and is a bad proposition. It is...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: My understanding of the Acting Chairman's instructions earlier was that all of us would get an opportunity to contribute.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I have no issue with that.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I join in the tributes to Senator Lawless for introducing legislation in the House, which is a good thing to do. He made the point that a publican had the freedom to opt out of this in the sense that an individual publican might not necessarily open. That is fair enough to a point, but there will be pressure and a commercial imperative on publicans. What is happening up the street can...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I formally second the proposition made by my colleague, Senator Butler, for an education campaign coupled with free blood tests for type 2 diabetes. He set out his case very well and I will not repeat his arguments. He set out a number of merits. In addition, a free blood test could diagnose other conditions that might be dealt with quickly and thus reduce the health bill. The Senator's...

Seanad: Report of Seanad Special Select Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Motion (12 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and congratulate her on a very important appointment at a crucial point in the history of our country. I wish her well in the role and I know that the Taoiseach would not have made this appointment lightly. I also thank and pay tribute to my colleague, Senator Richmond, for his chairmanship of the Special Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Will the Acting Leader invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, to the House to discuss Brexit, specifically in the context of yesterday's comprehensive report on Brexit and, more particularly, in the context of its impact on the Border areas and on communities in Cavan, Monaghan, Louth, Donegal and Sligo? The counties along the Border are likely to be hit in a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland: Discussion (4 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the witnesses. They made very interesting presentations. I have both questions to ask and comments to make. I congratulate the BAI on the 1916 commemorations, which were successful. The radio and television inputs there were highly successful also. I am happy that, as a natural spin-off from that, the BAI is involved in the Creative Ireland project, which has enormous potential...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadcasting Authority of Ireland: Discussion (4 Jul 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Yes. That is the point.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I echo the words of sympathy to the Minister for Children, Deputy Zappone, on the death of her wife, Ann Louise Gilligan. I did not know Ann Louise but I served with the Minister, Deputy Zappone, on a committee for five years and found her to be a great colleague and a very inspiring person. Our hearts and our sympathy go out to her at this time. I support Senator Conway-Walsh on the need...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I rise to join in the good wishes extended to Enda Kenny, Fionnuala, Ferdia, Naoise and Aoibhinn on the occasion of the Taoiseach's retirement. I shall make a brief comment and quickly raise another issue. Enda Kenny brought a particular energy and positivity to whatever he did. He had a leadership style that had a huge enthusiasm and optimism. All of that was tempered with humanity and...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Energy Matters (1 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the witnesses today. As a person from the Border region, it occurs to me that the one sphere in which we have a united Ireland is in the energy market. All of us who aspire to a united Ireland, and that includes virtually all of us, should be looking at a united Ireland in the context of people and services rather than something more abstract and romantic. It has to be at that...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Energy Matters (1 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Why is an operational strategy similar to that being applied to the east-west interconnector not being applied to the North-South interconnector? I commend what Ms Steen has said, but I would like to know why the same approach is not being taken in our case.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with European Movement Ireland (1 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome Ms O'Connell. I agree with Senator Paul Daly's remarks about the UK having been an important ally. I have had the privilege of working on the Council of Europe and I notice in that forum, which will be very important post Brexit, that the UK and the Republic of Ireland will regularly ally on issues and that there is a commonality of interests and constant support there. It is...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Relations between the State and Northern Ireland (1 Jun 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I will start with the last question raised by the Acting Chairman regarding a Border poll. Before I go into it, I thank Dr. Murphy for her presentation which was excellent and very accessible. To begin where the Acting Chairman left off on the issue of a Border poll, does Dr. Murphy agree with my view and that articulated by the former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern at a meeting of this committee...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Border Communities Against Brexit (25 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Today we have a series of engagements looking at the implication of the UK's withdrawal for the relationship between this State and Northern Ireland. Almost immediately after the vote, this emerged as an issue which would be of central importance to Ireland and how Brexit would work. It is core to how a significant number of citizens live their lives daily. It will also be a key part of...