Results 4,041-4,060 of 5,120 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Jun 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome this legislation, which attempts to tidy up, reorganise and improve the method by which we make transfers of payments and thereby look after the people who need to be looked after. The first objective of the Bill is to effect the transposition of certain aspects of EU Directive 2010/41 to ensure that a spouse or civil partner of a self-employed person can benefit from social...

Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (27 May 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. The Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill is a long-overdue update of the existing Employment Permits Act 2006, which at that time was a reforming Bill. In 2012, the Amjad Hussein v. the Labour Court and Mohammad Younis case unearthed a serious discrepancy in our work permit laws. There was damning evidence of serious exploitation taking place,...

Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the legislation. Housing is a basic human need and right. All efforts of Government, and all of our energies must be directed to ensuring that people who are not in a position to purchase a home have access to one, and those who are have access to affordable housing. Those are reasonable requirements in a civilised modern society. I welcome the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting and European Parliament Elections: Minister of State for European Affairs (6 May 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for his thorough overview and explanations which were very helpful. I salute his huge work in this area and the effort he is making to do the job very well. I want to raise a few questions or observations. First, the likelihood of an historic free trade agreement between the US and the EU is welcome and will bestow many benefits on this country, but one of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: General Affairs Council Meeting and European Parliament Elections: Minister of State for European Affairs (6 May 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: That just shows how objective my comment was.

Children First Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 May 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: "For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be." These words of the Irish novelist and journalist, John Connolly, are extraordinarily relevant. Childhood should be a happy time and should not be violated in any way. A civilised society should provide its children with a happy, secure environment. According to an African proverb,...

White Paper on Universal Health Insurance: Statements (Resumed) (17 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: The publication of the White Paper on universal health insurance represents the cornerstone of a move towards full implementation of the system. This move towards an all-inclusive model is reflective of the commitments made under the programme for Government that health care should be provided across the board to everyone, regardless of illness or income. I firmly believe that it is right...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Voting Rights of EU Citizens: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: The question arises as to how seats would be given to the diaspora.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Voting Rights of EU Citizens: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I see nothing wrong with the principle. It is good from a number of perspectives that members of our diaspora would have the right to vote. I also agree with using the embassies. That makes sense. Electronic registration should be allowed, to enable people to indicate their interest. How far would we go down the generations? We would have to go to the first generation to have left the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Voting Rights of EU Citizens: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: There is a distance at that point and the person is more likely to identify with his or her adoptive homeland. It becomes messy. It is difficult to administer and where is the cut-off? Could a third-generation person, who has a very romanticised and distant concept of the homeland, vote and influence the outcome of elections here? I think not. I would stop at the first generation but I...

Confidence in the Minister for Justice and Equality; and Defence: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: The cynicism of tonight's attack on a veryy good man with a passion for public service will not, ultimately, be lost on the public. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, has responded to what are essentially legacy items in quick time. The Cooke and Guerin inquiries and the Fennelly commission will independently and objectively evaluate the issues. For there to be a...

Topical Issue Matters (2 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 27A and the name of the Member in each case: (1) Deputy Terence Flanagan - the need for more beds for cystic fibrosis patients to be provided at Beaumont Hospital; (2) Deputies Michael P. Kitt, Éamon Ó Cuív and Denis Naughten - the need to address the issues raised...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: National Reform Programme for Ireland 2014: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the targets set for early school leavers. I know it sounds outside the box, but the provision of two years of preschool education will alleviate poverty and in the long run will deal with much early school leaving. From my experience as a teacher I know that intervention at the youngest possible age is the way to deal with educational disadvantage. Will the Minister give some...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: National Reform Programme for Ireland 2014: Minister of State at Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (1 Apr 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for his presentation. The entire plan is highly laudatory, as are its objectives, which we support. Naturally, we will place individual emphasis and make individual comments on aspects of it. I had intended to start where the Chairman left off - that is, on the question of regionalisation. I missed the initial presentation from the Committee of the Regions....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Forthcoming General Affairs Council: Minister of State (13 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for the very comprehensive overview. It does not give rise to many questions because he has covered all the areas and explained what he will do. I welcome the fact that he had a meeting with Mr. Kurt Bassuener of the democratisation policy council in Bosnia. In a paper he recently produced, he said: "Even if the protest movement dissipates, the deep social...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (13 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: My indulgence with regard to the Deputy's speaking time would suggest my assent.

Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge: Statements (Resumed) (13 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: Ós rud é gur beatha teanga í a labhairt, mar a bhí mé ag rá roimh an mbriseadh, tá na scoileanna lán-Ghaelacha thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá an Rialtas seo ag cabhrú leo siúd atá ag iarraidh a leithéid de scoileanna a chruthú. Tá ceithre bhunscoil lán-Ghaelacha i measc an 20 bunscoil atá le cruthú...

Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge: Statements (13 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil teanga álainn againn sa tír seo. Tá oidhreacht agus cultúr faoi leith againn agus ba chóir dúinn iad a cheiliúradh agus a choimeád. Tá dualgas ar gach uile dhuine, go háirithe daoine sa Teach seo, an-iarracht a dhéanamh an Ghaeilge a choimeád beo agus an teanga a...

Government's Priorities for the Year Ahead: Statements (Resumed) (6 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I am grateful for the opportunity to speak today and I do so with considerable happiness, given the way we are performing. Since taking office in 2011, we have restored Ireland's international reputation and successfully exited the bailout, and our economy is experiencing growth for the third consecutive year. Approximately 61,000 new jobs were created in the last year, at a rate of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Northern Ireland - Time to Deal with the Past: Amnesty International (6 Mar 2014)

Joe O'Reilly: I join in welcoming our three guests. It is instructive to have pointed out to us the limitations of the work of the historical investigations team and particularly the failure to get a handle on collusion on state involvement, as well as the institutional culture of the armed groups. There is also the failure to establish complete trust across the community and among victims. The...