Results 6,221-6,240 of 20,860 for speaker:Mattie McGrath

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I have spoken once.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: We are speaking to about five amendments and section 12. I understood it was being recommitted to Committee Stage. This is a Committee Stage debate and I welcome that. Over-regulation is killing communities. I said that earlier about voluntary housing and the Bill passed last night in respect of approved housing bodies, AHBs. We are driving volunteers away with paperwork.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I did not interrupt the Minister of State, so I ask him to let me finish. The limits on profits have to be looked at too. We cannot allow big companies not to pay to charities what they are supposed to pay them. It was mentioned that they are not doing that. If that is the case, then it is for the Minister of State's Department and An Garda Síochána to enforce that legislation....

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: The Deputy mentioned people who were jumping on a bandwagon and that we were being lobbied by-----

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: -----"sharp-suited lobbyists" and we were jumping on the bandwagon. Deputy Thomas Byrne might clarify who he was talking about, because I do not know who he was talking about. I resent that because, as a former Member of the Deputy's party, I was never in the Galway tent but there were many sharp-suited and shady individuals in that tent and we know where that got us. I will not take that...

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I am just seeking clarification on one point. Will we have this recommitted to Committee Stage or is this the jackpot and the final discussion we will have? We need clarification on that.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: It was good, except one man cheated.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: It should not have been abandoned.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: What about here in Dublin?

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I ask the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to please let me continue. I am not doing this for fun. We in the Rural Independent Group and Members from other parties met the bingo people today. They are very concerned and unhappy.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: They feel that the Minister of State may mean well - they are not saying anything bad about him - but that he does not get it. The Taoiseach's comments this morning show that he certainly does not get it. He either did not understand the brief he was given or he misled the Dáil. It was one or the other. I am not being uncharitable in that.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: No, I mean-----

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I said that he either misunderstood the brief or misled the Dáil unintentionally.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: One can mislead the Dáil unintentionally and then correct one's ways if one finds that one is wrong. If any Member here cannot do that, he is not man enough to be here. People are concerned. They feel great concern, worry and angst. They are persecuted by the Road Safety Authority, road traffic legislation, health and safety measures, and hazard analysis and critical control points,...

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: The Leas-Cheann Comhairle should not taunt me.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: I am almost always remarkably focused. I refer to the people I represent here, the plain people of Ireland. All they want to do is go out and play bingo. They were playing it when the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was a buachaill óg. They were playing it when I was a buachaill óg, and even before I was even a bad thought in anyone’s head. We hope they will continue to play it....

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: Yes, but the Minister of State will make it so bureaucratic and cumbersome-----

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: They met the Minister of State today. We met him. I do not like to quote him but Ivan Yates said he had 20 minutes with the Minister of State on his programme and that he made no sense whatsoever and that he did not understand it. I do not know if Ivan plays bingo. What he would play is probably more serious in regard to sport. We know he is a former bookie. Does the Minister of State...

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: Amendment No. 12 is not in this grouping.

Gaming and Lotteries (Amendment) Bill 2019 [Seanad]: Report and Final Stages (4 Dec 2019)

Mattie McGrath: Is it? I did not write down amendment No. 12.