Results 5,541-5,560 of 6,064 for speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: He ranted but we are well used to it at this stage. I welcome the newly-appointed Minister of State, Deputy Alex White, to the House. He is a gentleman I do not know well, except by reputation, and the reputation is strong. His work as Chairman of the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform certainly received a number of plaudits and I am sure the members of that...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Primary care will improve; there is no ifs, ands or buts about that. The 35 primary care centres identified by the Minister, and more, will be built in the lifetime of the Government. In recent weeks the Minister is more determined than ever to deliver on primary care and he has a good Minister of State to ensure that will happen. I can assure the House the delegation orders are signed and...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: The scaremongering that took place in Roscommon was a bag of wind. Slowly but surely the Senator will realise that.

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan and the Senator's colleagues will realise that in due course. We have had the Crowley value for money report on funding for services for people with disabilities. I commend the former Minister, Mr. John Moloney, who realised that money was being squandered on disability services that were not getting to the people in need of such services. In fairness, he...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: We will do it. Every month there will be progress and by the end of the lifetime of the Government people will get a fair day's wage for a fair day's effort. More than ¤1 billion has been pumped in, which is adequate to provide support through the myriad NGOs around the country who are doing that work. Those NGOs will be accountable and the bonuses they have paid themselves, through...

Seanad: Primary Care Centres: Motion (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: He does not need them. They have more important work to do.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Tá fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit sa Teach. I am following Senator Noone and others in giving my delivery as Béarla because my tutor has gone down the west and I must source a new tutor. I wish her well. It makes absolute sense to bring this together; it makes no sense to have two offices doing a similar job. It would be much more efficient to have one office doing it, it would eliminate...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I acknowledge that today is World Mental Health Day. It is a major issue here, particularly among young people. I concur with other Senators in their call to make resources available to deal with the issue. Other Senators have spoken about road deaths, penalty points and so forth. It is an issue but I acknowledge the effort that has been made by the past number of Governments to reduce...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: My colleagues have been talking about mortgages and the effect of the increase in the mortgage interest rate. What was said is very true. Many of the people who are dramatically affected by mortgage repayments are those living in apartments throughout Dublin and most urban areas. I refer to those who bought apartments at the height of the Celtic tiger and whose properties are in severe...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Many others exceeded it.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I welcome the farmers from County Clare who attended today. The IFA has done the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, a great favour because it strengthened his hand in negotiations in Brussels.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister's comments. The list of organisations and State bodies that will be exempt makes practical sense. I have looked through the list. There are cogent arguments as to why they should be left out. I have one question for the Minister. I note the State Examination Commission is not on the list of those exempt. Will that be within the remit of the Ombudsman?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I, too, agree with colleagues regarding the mortgage interest rate increase in AIB although I would go further and say Government-appointed directors were asleep at the wheel. They should consider their position. They are there a long time, having been appointed in the dying days of the previous Government, and are not serving the public interest. It would be preferable if they could come...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Amalgamations (3 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. I hope we will see progress with this project in the coming months as opposed to years. When the land acquisition has progressed, hopefully the funding from the Department will be ring-fenced to ensure construction of the new school will occur as a priority.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: School Amalgamations (3 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I thank my good friend and colleague, Senator Cullinane, for facilitating me as I am under a little pressure. I raised the proposed amalgamation of three secondary schools in Ennistymon, County Clare, last April. The town has a secondary school population of 670 pupils which is split between three schools, a vocational school, a convent, Scoil Mhuire, and a Christian Brothers school. All...

Seanad: Radical Seanad Reform Through Legislative Change: Statements (3 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: The people will decide.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I echo the sentiments expressed by Senator Paul Coghlan. I join my colleague, Senator Michael Mullins, in commending the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, for the reduction in fees for the co-operative sector which has made a valuable contribution to the economy during the years, particularly in rural areas. Many marts and other cottage industries were...

Seanad: Thirty-First Amendment of the Constitution (Children) Bill 2012: Second Stage (2 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire go dtí an Teach. I want to be associated with all comments made on this Bill. I am not going to get into repetition mode but the mere appointment of a senior Minister with responsibility for children showed the rights of children were at the centre of the Taoiseach's concerns. It is a commitment on which he should be commended. The nomination of Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Oct 2012)

Martin Conway: I agree with Senator Jim Walsh on holding a series of debates. The Leader gave a commitment to hold a number of pre-budget debates, which could be very useful. In other European countries parliaments debate the budget process some time before budget day, which means the budget speech of their respective Ministers are effectively a summation of what has been decided by parliament. A move...