Results 21-40 of 5,118 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Seanad: Cathaoirleach a Thoghadh - Election of Cathaoirleach (12 Feb 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Is cúis áthais agus onóra dom a bheith atofa. Déanaim comhghairdeas le mo chomhghleacaithe uilig. Cuireann sé dualgas orainn ár ndícheall a dhéanamh gach lá ar son na ndaoine, na gcomhairleoirí agus mhuintir na gcoláistí. I salute the first speaker of the day, the person who took the Chair and who is the new father of the House....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: At the outset, I express my gratitude to Martin, Bridget and all the staff for the great work they do and for their graciousness and courtesy at all times. I also thank the ushers of the House for how helpful they are to us as we do our work. I had the privilege of working closely with the staff of the House when I was Leas-Chathaoirleach and I can testify to their absolute professionalism...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister and acknowledge his very cogent presentation of the legislation and his commitment in this sphere earlier with the vaping legislation, etc. It is excellent. I accept the caveat the Minister highlighted that we cannot be too much of a nanny state but, at the same time, this is a different sphere and we are on different terrain here. It is about addiction, health and...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: Yes, I know. I mean in the workplace, in public arenas, at functions, etc. It was a great progressive act and it set a trend for Europe and for the world. It was mould-breaking. I acknowledge that. It would be ludicrous and ridiculously partisan not to do so. However, I also say that this is a further progression of that. The balance of good, any considerations around interference in...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: Now.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: Now.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: Now.

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2022 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister and wish to acknowledge from the outset that she has a real commitment to this area. She has been a very reforming Minister and will hopefully continue to be so in the future. She is very much avant-garde in trying to modernise legislation, be it domestic violence or family law or whatever, to make a real difference in people's lives and effect real change to...

Seanad: Family Courts Bill 2022 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (7 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: If the Chair could similarly indulge me for a moment, I too want to be associated with those remarks. I am very proud that I, jointly with Senators Cassells and Wall, very consistently and almost day by day over the last term pioneered and pressed for the gambling legislation and regulator. We made great progress in that area. By working with him then, I got to know how passionate the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: We all have our own interpretation of how we have arrived at the happy condition of prosperity but I will not go into that. Now that we are in a prosperous and good budgetary position in this country, the great contemporary challenge is to end the waiting lists for assessments of our children for conditions such as autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia and so on; to improve the services after the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2024: Second Stage (6 Nov 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome one of our successful alumni, the Minister of State, back to the House. I want to address a few issues I would like the Minister of State to respond to in his concluding remarks. The infrastructure fund is important. It has been brought into sharp focus by what has happened in Spain. There are particular climatic factors there, but it is predicted that in about 30 or 35 years'...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Fifty Years of Irish Aid and Perspectives on the Crisis in Sudan: Department of Foreign Affairs (22 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: No, I just welcome our witnesses. Like Deputy Cronin, I wish them well in their distribution of the money. It is a serious responsibility.

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the discussion initiated by my two colleagues and I welcome the Minister of State. I share the view that the Curragh is an extraordinarily important national resource and centre. The horse racing industry is very important with horse breeding being a hugely important sector that is closely associated with the Curragh. We have a huge international reputation in this area and it is...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome and support the Bill. I hope it will be supported unanimously. "Catfishing" is a new term. It is a real issue for a great many people. From anecdotal and newspaper reports, we are all aware of vulnerable people and people who may not be so vulnerable whose money has been taken from them through this process. They believe they have developed a relationship with somebody akin to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the witnesses. This is an important review. I fully appreciate there is a level of overlap now, but it is important we all contribute. Before I do that, I want to say that our Defence Forces personnel serving with UNIFIL in Lebanon are in all our hearts and minds today. We can be so proud of them. It is a very distressing time for Army families all over Ireland. I have spoken to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: That is wonderful.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: Is there length and depth to it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: To me, as a former teacher, one day does not sound like enough.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: The training would need to be regular, topped up and consistent over time, in addition to being monitored and evaluated.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Engagement with Chair of Implementation Oversight Group (15 Oct 2024)

Joe O'Reilly: It is a key element.