Results 421-440 of 704 for speaker:John Kelly

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I support the call by Senator Harte for a debate in this House on the issue of poverty. We all know that poverty comes in all shapes and forms. It is evident every morning in the number of people lying in sleeping bags in doorways, the number of people on social welfare in poverty and the often forgotten middle-income earners who are now the new poor, including prison officers, gardaí,...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: Last night I watched "Prime Time" which explored the issue of wind energy and wind farm development, an issue in which I am deeply interested and which has been raised ad nauseam in this House by myself and Senator Whelan. Those Senators who watched that programme will have only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of how wind farm developments affect people's lives. I was disappointed with...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I expected nothing from the Department other than the response given by the Minister of State, because it appears it has a total reluctance to revisit the issue which is so important to the people of Roscommon, bearing in mind Roscommon County Hospital was always considered by virtue of the county's rural nature to be a special case. I also note that in his response the Minister of State...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospital Services (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I also welcome the Minister of State, Deputy White, to the House. As he will be aware, prior to the last election the issue of Roscommon hospital and Roscommon accident and emergency department was hot on the agenda in the county of Roscommon. Prior to the election, there were promises given by the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, that the accident and emergency department would be...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I have just been informed of a worrying development from a person who, like me, has raised funds for good causes. Dunnes Stores has banned all animal charities from collecting in its stores nationwide. Apparently, it is not willing to discuss its new decision with anybody. It is also unwilling to talk to Joe Duffy about it and will not give any good reason it has decided to do this.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: Yes. At the same time the company sells dog food, cat food and other pet products but it is not interested in contributing to the welfare of these animals. I have been in touch with organisations like the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, and the ASPCA. These organisations survive solely on voluntary contributions, donations and fund-raising. For them to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: During the good times, Dawn Meats was located in our town and the previous Government gave it a grant of €17 million to do up another plant in Ballyhaunis in County Mayo, and once it did that, it closed the factory in Ballaghaderreen. At the time, not much was said because those who had been in the factory could find work building houses. Everyone had another job to go to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Rural Communities Report: Discussion with Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (12 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister and what he is seeking to do in trying to revive rural areas. I feel as if I am living two separate lives. I come to Dublin for three or four days a week and the place is hopping. When I go home, the complete opposite in the case. It is all doom and gloom. There is absolutely nothing happening in smaller towns. Obviously many people have emigrated, although...

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: The Minister said that this was the Garda Commissioner's plan. Why is it only now that he has come up with this plan? If one was in any way cynical, one could ask Fianna Fáil colleagues why he did not do it when they were in Government. Why is he doing it when we are in Government?

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: The Minister was here to speak on an Adjournment debate about the closure of Garda stations in my county of Roscommon. I am not trying to justify the closure of many of the Garda stations, but I reiterate a point I made during that debate. Tarmonbarry on the River Shannon is one of the few-----

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: It should be looked at again. I appeal to him not to write that one off.

Seanad: Garda Resources: Motion (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister to the House again. The Garda Síochána has and always had my full support. However, as we speak, it is a force that is disillusioned and semi-demoralised, mainly with the direction the force is going. I would have to agree with the suggestion of Senators Landy and Whelan that it might have been a mistake to close down the Garda stations before first putting in...

Seanad: Private Rented Sector: Statements (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I was timing it and some Senators were given an extra two minutes.

Seanad: Private Rented Sector: Statements (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I will make three final brief points. I mentioned previously that the shared ownership scheme must be examined because as the mortgage part of the shared ownership goes down, the council's share of it goes up. I am aware in one case that when the mortgage is paid off the tenants will owe the council ¤35,000. We need to examine that. I made a submission on that to the then Minister of...

Seanad: Private Rented Sector: Statements (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: The Minister of State's smiling face is always welcome in the House.

Seanad: Private Rented Sector: Statements (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: A Senator mentioned the housing crisis, but there are many forms of housing crisis here. This morning I had intended to raise homelessness in Dublin city on the Order of Business. My route to work took me along Talbot Street, O'Connell Street, Westmoreland Street, Grafton Street and Molesworth Street. Along my way I counted seven homeless people lying in doorways with rucksacks, which is...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: Along with other Members I support the call for a Government apology for those who were institutionalised in the Magdalen laundries. I support Senator John Whelan's call for a debate on the future of our health service, which appears to be semi-privatised as we speak when we consider the following: closure of public nursing homes and the supporting of private nursing homes; the Health Service...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: It is unbelievable. The end result is that the ordinary Joe Soap with private health insurance will pay for the health service in the future. We need to address that, and that is the reason we must have a debate on it in this House. I call on the Leader to see if we can get clarity from the Minister for Health on what we are doing about the mobility allowance. The Ombudsman found we were...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2013)

John Kelly: I support the call by my colleague, Senator Whelan, for a debate on wind energy and its future. In that past, I have said that these wind energy developers can advertise 66,000 jobs to build 1,500 wind turbines while another wind energy operator will employ 10,000 to build half that amount. The figures do not add up and it is time we knew where we were going before we do untold damage to...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2013)

John Kelly: I support the comments made by Senators Whelan and O'Donnell on Coillte and the sale of State assets. I have noticed of late that there seems to be a cosy relationship between Coillte and wind farm developers.