Results 3,681-3,700 of 5,112 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Teagasc (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I join the Chairman in welcoming the director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, and his colleague, Dr. Kevin Hanrahan. I congratulate both of them on the degree to which Teagasc has been engaging with this critical issue for Irish agriculture. It is encouraging that Teagasc has a dedicated unit and a working group on Brexit. It is clear from the nature of the paper that has been presented...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Teagasc (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I invite Professor Boyle to begin to respond to some of the issues raised.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Teagasc (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I conclude this module by thanking the director of Teagasc, Professor Gerry Boyle, and Dr. Hanrahan for giving of their time to attend and for treating us to a very comprehensive presentation. They documented everything in considerable detail and threw considerable light on our proceedings. Their contributions will greatly assist us in coming up with our final report. It has been pertinent...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Representatives of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Alliance of Racing and Breeding (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Shane O'Dwyer, chief executive officer, Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Ms Elizabeth Headon, spokesperson, Alliance of Racing and Breeding, to our engagement today. I know that all of the members will be interested in this engagement. We appreciate their presence. Before we begin, I will read an obligatory note on privilege that we read...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Representatives of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Alliance of Racing and Breeding (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank Ms Headon. I have one question before I open the floor to members. Does Ms Headon and Mr. O'Dwyer perceive that this message has percolated to Government? Do they believe there is a consciousness of it as we approach negotiations? It is our job as a committee to deal with this issue, and we will do that, but do they perceive an awareness of its gravity? I am struck by the extent...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Representatives of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Association and Alliance of Racing and Breeding (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I will invite responses now. Does Mr. O'Dwyer wish to start?

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Food Drink Ireland and Meat Industry Ireland (18 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: This is a very serious and pertinent discussion for all of us. It is particularly serious for someone coming from my region. I am a native of, and live in, County Cavan. Food processing is a huge source of employment in Counties Cavan and Monaghan. Any job losses would have serious implications and the jobs would be difficult to replace. There is a double problem there. We would all...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Representatives of the Transport Sector (11 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome our guests. Is there not such a commercial imperative to maintain the status quoand is that not so important financially to stakeholders on all sides of the Irish Sea that it is what will happen? Is the commercial logic not such that it will happen? While I understand where Senator O'Sullivan is coming from and that Mr. Kennedy referred to planning for the worst case, I share...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Mr. Eamon Gilmore (11 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I join with the Chairman and Senator Nash in welcoming Mr. Gilmore to the Chamber. I thank him for his attendance and for his paper which will be of much use to members. His contribution is informed by his wealth of experience as former Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and former Tánaiste. His very valuable insight is appreciated. His paper is interesting and challenging. It...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Will the Leader invite to the House either the Minister with responsibility for tourism, Deputy Shane Ross, or specifically the Minister of State, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, for a general discussion on tourism and the tourism product. The particular challenges to the tourism industry are presented by Brexit, fluctuations in sterling, etc. I am not convinced that we do enough to market...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Industry Representatives (4 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: In deference to the Chairman's wishes and the time constraints, I will ask specific questions. The first is to Mr. Fitzgerald. He spoke about below-cost selling. Does this dislocate jobs in bars and pubs throughout the country? Does it cost the State enormous money in the areas of health and justice, in this sense disadvantaging the country facing into Brexit? It was stated that...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Enterprise Ireland (4 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome our guests and agree with Mr. Sherry's strategy that it is good to prepare for a hard Brexit, while hoping that it will be otherwise. We very much hope that it will be otherwise, but it is nonetheless important to prepare for the worst. Coming from the Cavan-Monaghan region I am concerned about the implications of Brexit for a number of enterprises that Enterprise Ireland supports...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Central Bank of Ireland (4 May 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome our guests and thank Mr. Fagan for his submission. To begin where the Chairman left off, it has been alleged in some media outlets and anecdotally that the Central Bank is too restrictive and conservative in its authorisations and that we run the risk of missing opportunities. While I understand the point Mr. Fagan made on that, is he happy that the bank is going to strike an...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: As my party's spokesperson on foreign affairs, I support the views of Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin on what is happening in Chechnya and LGBT rights. I will raise a different issue. There is a long-standing tradition in this House which has been honoured to this day of encouraging independent thought, independent speech and the making of distinctive and personal statements....

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I shall not accept interruptions because my comments are important.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: The closure of pubs on Good Friday is part of our religious tradition. It is non-sectarian in that there has been a buy-in by all of the religious traditions. It also sends a subliminal message on our attitude to alcohol that we favour temperance and have space for a non-alcohol day or two during the year. We should not give in to every fad and whim of commercialism. If there is money to...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: We should open the debate and reflect more before getting rid of everything and giving in to every commercial whim. We should not fumble in the greasy till and add the ha'pence to the pence on every issue.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: At the outset, I join with others in welcoming the former Senator, Ms Imelda Henry-----

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (12 Apr 2017)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome Ms Imelda Henry to the Gallery today. She is a great advocate for publicans and vintners. As she is a fearless and good advocate for them and well fit to articulate their position, she is not afraid to deal with a diversity of views. I know that she will take all views on board. I rise to oppose the legislation on a number of grounds. The first is that the tradition of closing...