Results 3,801-3,820 of 7,961 for speaker:Imelda Munster

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Tourism Industry (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: We know the Low Pay Commission is looking at the issue but the sector will not do it unless it is forced to so do. It is up to the Government to make sure it steps up and follows through in the commitment to introduce a living wage as a matter of urgency. In 2019, almost 82,000 workers were in accommodation and food services. In 2018, their median pay was €313 per week. If one...

State Pension Age: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: I welcome the chance to speak on this important motion. The State pension age was a significant issue at the time of the last election and it remains a significant issue for thousands of people across the State. Sinn Féin will continue its campaign until the Government's plans to raise the pension age are scrapped and the pension age is restored to 65. The Government plans to raise...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: I have been contacted by numerous publicans over the past few weeks, not just in Drogheda but in my entire constituency, who obtained section 254 licences for outdoor dining. They have been told by local authorities that alcohol cannot be consumed in these areas under the liquor by-laws, however. I have contacted the local authorities for clarification. They said it is up to the Garda to...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Publicans are on their knees.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: When will the Minister for Justice, Deputy Humphreys, sign the statutory instrument to correct this anomaly? The question is not if but when. She has known about it for a couple of weeks.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Weeks are passing by and businesses are on their knees. When can we expect that statutory instrument to be signed by the Minister?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Much of this response arose out of RTÉ's misclassification of workers as self-employed. We all know that this practice and the use of freelancers as staff are rife in the media. Let us call it what it is: it is bogus self-employment. It does not do RTÉ any credit to drag its heels. It creates an air of a lack of transparency. We asked RTÉ some weeks ago to respond to the...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Okay.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: I ask that we write to RTÉ again seeking answers to the exact questions we asked.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Chairman, you said it was 14 May. What was the date after that on which we chased it up with RTÉ again?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: That is totally unsatisfactory. It is just unacceptable. I suggest we write again and highlight the fact that this is the third item of correspondence and that we expect an answer. At this stage, if RTÉ is hoping just to run down the clock or that the issue will go away, it might be no harm to flag to the Minister the fact that we have not received a response to the questions asked...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: I wish to intervene for a moment. Bear in mind that when we first raised this issue with RTÉ when its representatives were before the committee, they denied any knowledge of it on two occasions before at the third attempt by you, Chairman, they then said that they had made a settlement. On two occasions in the space of half an hour prior to that, they said they were not aware of any...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: That response is totally unsatisfactory. It is not surprising in any shape or form. The entire management of this project has been a farce from the beginning. God knows when we will see the end of it. Given it is highly unlikely it will come in this side of the summer break, I suggest that we schedule it to come in as one of the first sessions after the summer recess?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Has it given definite clarification that it will come in on 13 July?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Given what we have seen thus far, I hope I am proven wrong and it does come in on 13 July but if it does not, we should reschedule it for one of the first sessions after the summer recess.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: It was reported a fortnight ago that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, advised EirGrid to prioritise connections for data centres in areas where the grid was not already squeezed but the response from An Bord Pleanála regarding the data centres paints a bizarre picture. There was only one data centre An Bord Pleanála did not like and even that was overturned on...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: I do not know what exact action we can take on this. This is about the lack of infrastructure, the strain this is going to put on the grid and the sheer volume of data centres that we have in this country. We have to bear this in mind unless other members have suggestions on what else we can do. The fact that there is no national oversight is worrying because it is only in years to come...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: It is worrying that there does not seem to be any national oversight of the impact of these centres. It is a question then of whether we write to the Minister or whatever. If it is left as it is, given the volume of proposed data centres, the fact is that there was only one such centre with which An Bord Pleanála had a problem, a decision on which was later overturned on appeal. An...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Yes, and we can see what response we receive to that.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (22 Jun 2021)

Imelda Munster: Did the Chairman say it was 20 May when we sought correspondence seeking clarification and to date we have nothing back?