Results 6,541-6,560 of 8,984 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Cochlear Implants: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I find it hard to believe that we are arguing for this. Perhaps I am naïve, but I thought this was a no-brainer and that the Government would stand up in the House on Tuesday and announce it had made funding available for bilateral cochlear implants. Alas, that was not the case. I am proud to stand in solidarity with these kids and their families and friends. Our party is committed...

Cochlear Implants: Motion [Private Members] (17 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Why do we need equality budgeting? We need it because of the spectacle today, where parents, who are heroes, are in the Gallery advocating for their children. Every parent and every carer for a disabled person is a hero, but we have failed them in politics because we make promises and then they are broken. Equality budgeting solves that because it ensures that every single budget measure,...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (17 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 45. To ask the Minister for Social Protection her views on whether the activation programmes in her Department will have a depressing effect on wages. [43370/13]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: JobsPlus Scheme (17 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 58. To ask the Minister for Social Protection if she considered requiring employers availing of JobsPlus to pay wages at a level higher than the minimum wage. [43371/13]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed. The final petition is from Mr. Pat Brady regarding the closure of carpentry joinery at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown. I have a proposal to make on this. First, we should contact the petitioner to clarify what efforts he has made to engage with the Department of Education and Skills, the Higher Education Authority or the institute to raise these issues...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Several issues of concern have been raised. The committee would be minded to address them when we get clarification next week. There are several points in the petition that we will revisit and advance but I want to clarify what efforts the petitioner has made prior to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We will not ignore the issues raised. We just want to clarify what efforts the petitioner has made.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The secretariat has noted those points and whenever we revisit the petition, possibly very briefly next Wednesday, we can start to put in place the next steps.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed. The joint committee will adjourn until next Wednesday, 23 October, when we will meet Mr. Peter Tyndall who has been nominated as the new Ombudsman. That is a very important meeting because it will be the first time that the Houses of the Oireachtas have had an opportunity to engage with Mr. Tyndall about his vision and plans, and to revisit some of the lessons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: He has not been officially appointed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: He has not been officially appointed. The process is that he must first come before this committee. There is then a resolution of the Dáil and the Seanad following that meeting. That is the procedure. It is a recommendation from the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform which is agreed by Cabinet and it comes to us. The secretariat will issue the framework for the meeting, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is very true. We will make sure to issue a note to all the members to explain the framework in which we should work. It should be a very constructive and positive meeting. I emphasise that we brought in the outgoing Ombudsman, Ms Emily O'Reilly, who gave us a perspective based on immense experience over ten years. We might circulate the Official Report of that meeting to members to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We have had a chance to deliberate on the petitions and we will now decide on them. Petition No. 53/12 is from Mrs. Catherine Doran concerning the revised eligibility criteria for the contributory State pension. Are there any proposals?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed. That petition is closed on foot of that proposal. The next petition is No. 30/12 from Mr. Des Keane regarding cases of those convicted of capital murder whose death sentences have been commuted by the President with the result that this small group of prisoners do not have any redress to parole or remission. I open up the discussion to the members.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Is that agreed? Agreed. The next petition is No. 63/12 from Mrs. Christine Oman entitled Clean Air and Streets. Mrs. Oman is calling for an extension of the smoking ban to include all public areas including parks, beaches, streets and public squares.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I note also that the suggestion from the petitioner is under consideration by the Tobacco Free Policy Review Group-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: -----and we can make her aware-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: -----that it is being considered by relevant authorities.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is not our role to second-guess the work of the review group or to-----