Results 501-520 of 1,625 for speaker:Pat O'Neill

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Oct 2014)

Pat O'Neill: Do I have the floor? I will put my question to the Leader. First, I congratulate the Commissioner-designate, Mr. Phil Hogan, on his magnificent performance in Brussels last Thursday. I warn the Irish people to beware when looking at the voting pattern after that meeting of who Sinn Féin voted for. It voted for the Greens - look at where they put the country - and the communists....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Oct 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I ask the Leader to invite the Commissioner to the House when he is appointed to address us on agriculture matters.

Seanad: Matters on the Adjournment: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: As the Minister of State notes, the school is sharing a site with Ormonde College, a post-leaving certificate, PLC, college, and is sharing some of its woodwork, science, technology and computer facilities. The school has now been granted three rooms in Ormonde College, which means the PLC college is being squeezed for space. It is imperative that this matter progresses because the concept...

Seanad: Matters on the Adjournment: Schools Building Projects Status (30 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: My Adjournment matter concerns Colaiste Pobail Osraí and is similar to Senator Cullinane's but it may not be as advanced. Colaiste Pobail Osraí was established in Kilkenny as an ionad in 1991 with 13 students. It now has 193 students and is the only Irish language second level school in County Kilkenny. Following an inspection by the Department of Education and Skills, it was...

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: Amendments Nos. 9, 10, 12, 24, 25, 31, 32 and 41 are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: Senator Norris is next. Sorry; Senator Quinn is next.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: Amendment No. 6 is in the name of Senator Quinn. Amendments Nos. 6, 17 and 27 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (25 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I call Senator Norris to speak to amendments Nos. 6, 17 and 27.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: If I were to bet through Senator Maurice Cummins and give him money to hold for the bet between Senator Denis Landy and me, or if he asked us if we wanted to have a bet, does that make him a remote operator, an intermediary, and does he have to pay the 1% betting tax? We have got to get the legislation right. No matter what anyone says, there are people in this country and all over the...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I will conclude. I ask the Minister of State to explain what is an intermediary service. I thank the Minister of State. It is important that the Bill is supported by both Houses, as it will level the playing field in the betting industry, which directly and indirectly supports almost 50,000 jobs in rural areas. My last point is about the extra €14 million or more that may be raised...

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: One never knows anyone's secrets.

Seanad: Betting (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I thank the Minister, Deputy Noonan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, for attending the House to introduce this important Bill. It is important legislation that will extend the betting levies to remote betting intermediaries and online betting concerns that take bets from Irish customers. Little did we expect when Tommy Flowers invented the Colossus, the first electronic computer,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: My question relates to TB testing as well. I have the figures on BSE testing in front of me. I note the Department is not testing healthy slaughtered animals from 4 March. In other words, animals that are brought to knackeries have to be tested. Does this apply only to animals over four years of age? Are they the only animals being tested or are all animals at knackeries over a certain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: Let us consider the €83 million for animal welfare. I realise the figure is not broken down specifically. How much of that figure is going on BSE testing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: That figure is down from what, approximately?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I compliment the Minister. It is important that we open new markets and it is to be hoped the US market will be an exciting one for Irish beef. I have a question on the new markets. They will also be opened to other countries. The Minister and the new Commissioner will be part of the discussions on world trade agreements, especially those on South American beef, which will become our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I asked a supplementary question. It came from what the Minister said.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Vote 30 - Update on Pre-Budget and Policy Issues: Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (23 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: The Minister's progress report sets out in relation to Food Harvest 2020 that 55% of recommendations were achieved and substantial progress was made on another 37%. That is good progress, adding up to nearly 92%. In relation to the 37% figure for substantial progress, can the Minister provide a breakdown of what can be done to achieve full progress?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: The next matter has been raised by Senator Thomas Byrne. I welcome the Government Chief Whip, Minister of State at the Department of Defence, Deputy Paul Kehoe. Senator Byrne has four minutes.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Defence Forces Retirement Scheme (17 Sep 2014)

Pat O'Neill: I thank the Minister of State for attending the House, and I thank Senator Byrne for raising the matter.