Results 6,021-6,040 of 7,404 for speaker:Mick Wallace

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: Ireland currently operates under an almost totally centralised system of governance. Despite the language used in the Bill to give the impression that the Government would like to move away from this profoundly anti-democratic situation, the Bill does nothing of the sort. The phrase "local authority" is bandied about throughout the Bill but it is a contradiction in terms because there is...

Other Questions: Aquaculture Development (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: The appropriate assessment process is moving at a snail's pace, which simply makes no sense. Production and employment are being held up. These people could take on additional staff were they to get permission, and four years is a long time to be waiting. I understand this is a complicated process but I also believe the Marine Institute has carried out its assessment work. People are...

Other Questions: Aquaculture Licences Applications (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: 12. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the assessment of Waterford Estuary and Bannow Bay as suitable sites for oyster farming; if he is willing to meet with a person (details supplied) to discuss this matter further; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48210/13]

Other Questions: Aquaculture Licences Applications (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: Does the Leas-Cheann Comhairle think so? I would, except the lottery is a tax on the poor and I do not agree with it.

Other Questions: Aquaculture Licences Applications (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: This question pertains to a particular individual, Tomas Ffrench, with whom I have been dealing in Wexford. It has been a year since I asked the Minister, Deputy Coveney, whether he would consider meeting this man simply to hear his concerns. It does a Minister no harm to be in contact with people who work at the grass roots. The Minister has stated he is busy and I do not doubt he is a...

Other Questions: Aquaculture Licences Applications (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: I am glad to hear the departmental officials will meet him. This guy has been farming oysters since 1993, has been exporting them to France for 17 years, and they are considered to be among the highest quality oysters available on the market. Not alone is this man giving employment, he is involved in the export trade and is enhancing Ireland's reputation in this industry abroad. I believe...

Other Questions: Aquaculture Licences Applications (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: I thank the Minister of State.

Other Questions: Aquaculture Development (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: 11. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine in view of the fact that there are serious delays in the assessment of suitable sites for oyster farming, his views on whether it would be a good investment on the part of the State to invest more resources in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48211/13]

Other Questions: Aquaculture Development (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: The Special Bannow Bay Shellfish company in Wexford has applied for a licence for oyster farming in Bannow Bay and Waterford estuary. The company applied in 2010. We are only six weeks away from 2014. It seems crazy and I do not understand how things could be so slow. If there is a lack of staff to deal with the delay, would it not make sense to hire more people to deal with the issue?

Other Questions: Trade Agreements (14 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: The purpose of this agreement is to remove the regulatory differences between the US and Europe. The Minister of State is saying that he and his Department will monitor the situation, but if this agreement comes into effect, they will not have the power to be doing much monitoring of it. They will be watching things happen and they will not have much control over them. It is pretty...

Access to Credit: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: The majority of people in this country work in the domestic economy, but sadly, the domestic economy has not been the priority of this Government. Its members have spoken about growth, GDP and the economy coming around, but it must be hard to tell that to people whose living standards are continuing to fall. It is not right to say that austerity has worked when the majority of people have...

Access to Credit: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: That is a new one in the world of business. We have been told for a long time that these banks were of strategic importance, but they were closed for four years. I challenged a banker in AIB about 18 months ago about this. I asked him to tell me the truth on whether the banks were open or closed. He said that if I wanted the "Goddamn truth", then yes, the bank was closed. He said that...

Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: The alteration to the criteria for medical card eligibility is one of several restrictions to eligibility for the over 70s since the beginning of the economic crisis. The over 70s used to be automatically entitled to a medical card before 2008 but since then entitlement has been increasingly restricted. The Government is planning to save €113 million through medical card probity and...

Other Questions: Medicinal Products Expenditure (13 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: My question is like Deputy Ó Caoláin's. The use of generic drugs will amount to a saving of approximately 10%. As the Deputy pointed out, Lipitor's equivalent is approximately €48 in the Republic and €10.60 in Newry. Is the Minister of State able to explain why this is so? I do not understand it.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Obesity Strategy (13 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: 26. To ask the Minister for Health in view of the cost of obesity to the State, if he has a strategy for dealing with the issue. [48056/13]

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: With the permission of the Chair, I wish to withdraw my amendments and re-enter them on Report Stage.

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: 16. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the role played by the Health Service Executive in the decision to remove Roma children from their families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47833/13]

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: I understand, from the Minister's comment in answer to Question No. 2, that the Ombudsman for Children, Ms Logan, has initiated her investigation and has started her independent report, but I was of the opinion that a ministerial order, under section 42 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005, was required. I inquired on a couple of occasions from the Department about the terms of reference...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: Given that the HSE reports seem to indicate that both actions were probably Garda led, and in the Athlone case involving probably solely Garda action, why is the Ombudsman for Children investigating what seems to be principally Garda actions? Her remit, under statute, is only to look at HSE powers and if it was otherwise, we would not have to introduce legislation to give her extra powers. ...

Other Questions: Departmental Reports (12 Nov 2013)

Mick Wallace: It is difficult to comprehend. I do not doubt Emily Logan's ability to investigate matters relating to the HSE. Perhaps the final report will prove me wrong but it appears that the Garda played a stronger role than the HSE in the removal of the two children. Given there was no risk of flight as the families had been here for seven years and were not nomadic - and even if they were nomadic,...