Results 4,521-4,540 of 5,173 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: There has been considerable investment in the existing centres - €100 million of State funds and personnel - and that is investment worth protecting. I appeal, therefore, to the Minister to consider this amendment on the basis that we should provide statutory protection for them. Access to the market should not be below the level of existing centre, in other words, a smaller unit. While...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I support Senator O'Toole's proposition. We are not seeking to thwart the process of independent regulation but there should be ministerial oversight in order that the ultimate responsibility and capacity to interfere should rest with the Minister through the Oireachtas. Senator O'Toole makes the point well that we are not seeking a position where the Minister would interfere daily with...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister and acknowledge the fact that he has initiated a number of Bills in the House and has engaged fully with the House on all occasions. As we are debating the postal services Bill, it is worth acknowledging the current success of An Post in terms of delivery speed. The recent ComReg report is heartening in that respect. A total of 87% of mail is delivered throughout the...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Second Stage (24 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: A community is losing another vital service following the amalgamation of schools and the closure of the Garda station, which is all very depressing and brings back memories of the 1950s. There is a risk that this legislation will lead to the closure of small local postal outlets as a consequence of opening up to competition. While this is happening already to an extent, at least there is...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: It merits repeating once more that the country is in grave difficulty and that people are genuinely anxious and afraid. Taking Senator Harris's metaphor of firing on ambulances, it is important that an Opposition party identify and echo people's concern as to why those ambulances are present. They are present because of cosy cartels and successive years of mismanagement by Fianna Fáil...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: It also merits repeating that the people need an immediate election. Yesterday, the Taoiseach should have put the negotiations on hold, arranged to delay the budget and called an election in the minimal constitutional period. This is what the people want. The public wants a new source of hope and people who are responsible and were at a remove from those who were running the country. They...

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I express my sincere sympathy to Kieran's wife, Mary, his children, his mother, Delia, his extended family and his political colleagues. I met Kieran first during the previous Seanad campaign. For geographical reasons, we both visited a couple of houses of Independent councillors in County Clare and we got chatting to him. We became friends and our friendship remained. We would always...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: People have a real issue with the denial, obfuscation and distortion of the facts over a number of months. I do not refer to the highly dramatic denial that took place on "The Week in Politics" television programme the other night but to the denial, lack of information and lack of clarity that preceded it. People needed to know where they stood and need the truth at least but are most angry...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: Moreover, it is clear that we got it dramatically wrong in the case of Anglo Irish Bank and that the people are angry about this. In the midst of all this, the issue that impinges on me from my work every day is that we must have a jobs strategy. Ireland must come out of the next few days with a job strategy based on green energy, food processing, a sectoral approach and on tourism. Food...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: One should not be happy to lose sovereignty.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: It adds a sad tenor to this debate. With the Cathaoirleach's indulgence, I join with those Members who raised the mental health issues because I am a founding chairperson of a mental health association and consider it to be vital.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I wish to address a specific proposal to the Leader. At 11 a.m. today will he call for the suspension of Standing Orders to allow one minute of silence to commemorate the Irish people and all those who died in World War One? It would be a suitable gesture. From the inception of the State this House has had a reputation for taking particularly pluralist and broad-minded stances on a range...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: The national study of elder abuse published yesterday is disturbing. I ask that the Leader provide time for a full day debate on this issue. It is a matter of great concern that 10,000 people in this country over the age of 65 are deemed to have suffered abuse, much of it in their own homes. This is intolerable and unacceptable. Despite our economic woes, the is a matter we can and should...

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee: Motion (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, and hope we will have a fruitful discussion on this important area. Climate change is proving to be one of the most defining issues of the 21st century. The Stern report, which was instrumental in bringing about the United Kingdom's climate change legislation, strongly advised that the cost of inaction in terms of addressing climate change would...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: Senator Harris exhorted us to do our best to dispel the negativity. There are two sources of negativity that need condemnation by the House. Ms Megan Greene from the Economist Intelligence Unit suggested Ireland was destined-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: I apologise. She suggested Ireland was destined to take the same road as Greece and become dependent on an international bailout. This view is not sustainable and is a slanderous attack on the country. In fact, her argument did not stand up to critical questioning on "Morning Ireland". It is based on a negative frame of mind rather than on fact and she was unable to substantiate it. This...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: We should have a detailed debate on education today. Education is the one vehicle to create equality of opportunity and to achieve economic recovery. The proposal to double or almost double the registration fee is very dangerous and is not the right place to look for money. It will act has a huge barrier to access to education. Many families, with whom we deal on a day-to-day basis, are in...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: Senator O'Toole initiated an important debate this morning on the question of savings. We have €100 billion in savings and 10% of people's incomes is being saved, but it is important that this money be used in the economy. It is equally important that the moneys in the pensions reserve fund be used productively. We should examine from where we can acquire further money for the State. We...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: Great emphasis should be laid on the absolute patriotism shown by the Opposition leaders yesterday in adopting the 3% target. It displays great patriotism and they deserve enormous credit. Those who are in government should ask themselves whether, were the roles reversed, they would do the same. Second, anyone who is in Government should, at every public occasion - I presume the Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Joe O'Reilly: -----which must have international ramifications. The target of reducing the State's borrowings to 3% of GDP by 2014 is unavoidable to sustain our credibility for borrowing on the bond markets. Therein lies the critical issue, in that if we are to borrow at realistic prices we do not have an option. This is frightening and is an enormously difficult position in which to be but is...