Results 4,841-4,860 of 5,118 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly
- Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: At its height, the cost of a barrel of oil was some $147, after holding at approximately $80 for a considerable period. The current price is some $45 a barrel. When the price reached its height, the ESB and Bord Gáis sought an increase in their prices in the region of 17% to 19%. That request was granted. However, now that the price of oil has fallen dramatically, there is no sign of a...
- Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Health Bill 2008: Second Stage (12 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: Ar dtús báire, ba mhaith liom fáilte a chur roimh an Aire Stáit go dtà an Teach agus go dtà na dÃospóireachta tábhachtach seo i dtaobh cúrsaà sláinte. When the social history of the 21st century is eventually written, the removal of medical cards for certain people over 70 will be seen as iniquitous and an unmitigated disaster. This represents a terrible attack on those older...
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Admissibility of Evidence) Bill 2008: Second Stage (10 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I join with others in congratulating Senator Regan on bringing this legislation before the House. It is a good use of the Seanad and his role as a legislator. We are fortunate to have someone like him to handle this. As an eminent senior counsel, he has a particular knowledge of the area. As a practising public representative, he has an appreciation of the implications for the people of...
- Seanad: Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (10 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I ask permission to share a minute of my time with my colleague, Senator McFadden.
- Seanad: Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (10 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I join others in welcoming the Minister of State. There are a number of steps that must be taken as a matter of urgency. They merit repeating, although a number of them have been in the media over the past few days. As a result of the grave losses that processors and producers have had to accept, a compensation package must be put in place. That matter is under negotiation but there is a...
- Seanad: Regional Fisheries Boards: Motion (9 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire chuig na dÃospóireachta. The restructuring and reorganisation of the fisheries boards have become such a long running saga that it will soon be on a par with that relating to the draining of the River Shannon. The recent suggestion that they were part of an overall rationalisation of State agencies is something of a distortion, particularly in view of the fact...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: On the issue raised by Senator Norris, if there is somebody in immigration leaking false information to the media, it must be immediately investigated. I support Senator Norris's call and I appeal to the Leader to take very grave and serious action. That is beyond acceptance. I support the remarks of the acting Fine Gael leader today, Senator Bradford, in regard to the unemployment...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: There are a number of people who were half way through apprenticeships in plumbing, carpentry, electrical and so on but, through the decline in construction and the closure of firms, they are now displaced. Will the Leader make arrangements and use his good offices to ensure those people are trained by FÃS â that body is under discussion in another part of Leinster House today â which...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I appeal to the Leader to act on those issues and to grant the debate on employment requested by Senator Bradford and me. I formally second the proposition that we would have a special debate on unemployment, not just in the general sense but on specific strategies to deal with the issue.
- Seanad: Shoppers Task Force: Motion (3 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: Mo bhuÃochas duit, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, as ucht an fháilte a chur roimh muintir Coill an Chollaigh atá mar mo chuairteoirà anseo inniu. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I congratulate the Labour Party on tabling this motion. It is apt, timely and a prescient response to a real problem. This is a major problem. People are going in massive numbers and we have heard stories of...
- Seanad: School Accommodation (2 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I wish to share time with Senator Wilson. I welcome the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the House and thank him for dealing with this matter. Laragh national school is a five-teacher school with 130 children on its roll book. Four out of five of the classrooms are prefabricated buildings, with 80% of the children being educated in these rooms, which is an...
- Seanad: School Accommodation (2 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister for his reply. It is disappointing that in the six months since Senator Wilson spoke on this issue, the school's band rating of 2.1 has not changed. Could the Minister clarify what exactly a band rating of 2.1 means? There is great concern among parents, pupils and the teaching staff at the school as well as among local public representatives. Senator Wilson correctly...
- Seanad: School Accommodation (2 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: Could we have any kind of time frame?
- Seanad: School Accommodation (2 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister for his reply. I would be very grateful if he could send me in writing the explanation from the Department of what the band rating of 2.1 means because the people in my area will want to know. I again appeal to the Minister to convey to the relevant Minister, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe in this instance, that I cannot imagine a greater priority. We are talking Dickensian...
- Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: The news relating to the private pension schemes is extraordinarily serious. Many people have worked hard, put in a lifetime of effort and they are looking forward to their pensions. It is their pride and joy and their future. Many people boast about their pension schemes, which are important. If there is a threat to their pensions, this is a very serious matter. I call on the Leader to...
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: As others have mentioned, people travelling to the North to shop pose a significant problem along the Border. There are tailbacks into Newry and we have heard stories of people leaving overcrowded shops in Enniskillen for health and safety reasons. This serious matter has been worsened by the reduction in the UK rate of VAT and the corresponding increase in our VAT rate. It has...
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Nov 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I join the call for an urgent and comprehensive debate on the economy. A meeting is planned today between the Taoiseach and the heads of the financial institutions. I appeal to the Leader to ensure the following issues of concern to the public are put on the agenda. The public needs to know that future interest rate reductions will be passed to the consumer immediately, that is, on the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (19 Nov 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: I have visited a couple of secondary schools in the past few days. I was disturbed to note that morale among the teaching profession is quite low. Teachers are concerned about the implications of the cuts which will affect secondary schools. I am aware of a number of schools that have sent notices to parents indicating they intend to withdraw extra-curricular activities like football,...
- Seanad: Order of Business (19 Nov 2008)
Joe O'Reilly: It is not realistic either, with respect.