Results 41-60 of 1,000 for speaker:John McGahon

Seanad: Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023: Instruction to Committee (17 Apr 2024)

John McGahon: I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders, in relation to the Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023, it be an instruction to the Committee of the whole Seanad, to which the Bill may be recommitted in respect of certain amendments, that it has the power to make amendments to the Bill which are not relevant to the subject matter of the Bill, for the purposes of: (i) transferring the...

Seanad: Gas (Amendment) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (17 Apr 2024)

John McGahon: Now.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

John McGahon: One very significant goal of this Government relates to the concept of apprenticeships. Work on this was started by the Taoiseach, our former Minister for higher education. We have done really well in that sector. We have more than 65 new apprenticeships today that we did not have four years ago and more people are taking up apprenticeships today than were doing so four years ago. We are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

John McGahon: Everyone in the House will be aware of how important the scheme to essentially pay for development levies through a waiver, introduced by the Government last April, was in boosting supply and construction, and in making sure there was no prohibitive cost for people trying to build their first home. I am talking predominantly about people in rural one-off housing, but the scheme is for anyone...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (11 Apr 2024)

John McGahon: That is an extremely positive message and I appreciate that the Minister of State has taken it to the House today. It is clear that the Minister is strongly considering extending the waiver. He is reviewing the waiver and has noticed and acknowledged that it has worked really well, reduced costs for people and means that people have decided not to sit on planning permissions for a year or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (7 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: I thank the Chair. I will focus on a couple of projects that are local to the Chair, Deputy O'Dowd, and me by giving my own thoughts and asking for the witnesses' opinions on them. I will start with the Enterprise train service. The Cathaoirleach will be aware of this himself, coming from Drogheda as he does. First, I am aware of it because I am a regular train user myself. I use it to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (7 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: When Ms Deane mentions that bigger scale and the shared island fund, how does her unit make a differentiation between projects? I ask because on looking at that project, I would say it is going to have to be continually scaled up over the next couple of years. For example, if there are eight services today and another seven are added, technically we are doubling it. But compare that to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (7 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: Would the Chair like to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (7 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: To follow up on that, the Chair is quite right. It is the congestion and it is the priority that is being put over commuters coming from Balbriggan into Dublin that is causing huge problems for people from the part of the world the Chair represents. I will make one further point that again highlights why the shared island fund is so important. I note that €1.5 million is going...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: I-----

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: I think-----

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: In my four years in this House, and I stand to be corrected, I do not think I have ever interrupted anybody while they were giving a speech. Whether I agree or disagree with others, they have a right to be heard. If I can continue my comments for the next few minutes without interruption, I would greatly appreciate it. Comments were made about Australia, however, and they were reiterated...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: Before I discuss an issue, with the permission of the Leas-Chathaoirleach I would like to propose an amendment to the Order of Business today. I propose that No. 14 be taken before No. 1. Yesterday, I met Mandy Kelly in my home town of Dundalk. I am conscious that I must make sure I temper my remarks with due process. I preface my remarks my noting I am keenly aware that this is a very...

Seanad: Improved Rail Passenger Rights with Compensation for Delays and Cancellations Bill 2024: First Stage (5 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to require the National Transport Authority (NTA) to produce a report, to be delivered to the Minister of the Government with responsibility for a Department of State covering rail transport on the way in which the State may improve and strengthen rail passenger rights above and beyond the minimum requirements set down in EU...

Seanad: Improved Rail Passenger Rights with Compensation for Delays and Cancellations Bill 2024: First Stage (5 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Feb 2024)

John McGahon: It is great to have the Minister of State in the House. One of his first appearances here as a Minister of State was for a Commencement debate on work permits and their importance that I requested this time last year. I want to touch on this in this debate. We should make no mistake about the fact that we have a rip-roaring and very successful economy, particularly by European standards....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (22 Feb 2024)

John McGahon: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Seanad for this debate. I want to provide some context in anticipation of his response, which I have not seen yet, but I want to lay the groundwork for it. The reason this issue was brought up in the Oireachtas and on "Liveline" over the past two days was the result of a letter that I received from Alison McCabe from Breastcare By Alison. She...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cancer Services (22 Feb 2024)

John McGahon: I really thank the Minister of State for that. I could not ask for a more unequivocal response from a Government Minister and from this Government of which I am hugely supportive. I have always been supportive of it. The Minister of State alluded to the issue I raise. This occurred in 2017 and a Minister for Health had to come out and stop it. A HSE bureaucrat was trying to reform the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2024)

John McGahon: My apologies for being late. I thank the Leader for allowing me in. There was a wonderful announcement during the week relating to the shared island scheme, which is going to look at hourly travel between Belfast and Dublin. I believe that to be the economic engine of the island. There is an issue, however, which I have raised a couple of times. I received text messages yesterday morning...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2024)

John McGahon: I am still breathless.