Results 721-740 of 830 for speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank all my colleagues for this very important debate on housing and its supply, which I welcome. There is no doubt in my mind that we are in the middle of the biggest housing crisis ever to hit this State. Like many in this House, I am sure, my phone is full of messages, phone calls and emails from those who are struggling to get the basic human...

Seanad: Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to speak on this important Bill that I am proud to co-sign with my Labour colleagues. I thank Senator Ivana Bacik for her work on the Bill. Once again, she is promoting women's health in this country and identifying the many failures we have with regard to the health of women.Once again, she is introducing a Bill to assist women at one of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pre-Budget Submissions and Considerations (Resumed): Irish Local Development Network (19 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank both witnesses for their presentations, and all those who work in LEADER programmes throughout the country. I have been involved in a number of them in my own County Kildare over a long period and have realised the great work they do on the ground. I want to pick up on one aspect mentioned by the Chairman in his introduction of the representatives, namely, tackling isolation....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pre-Budget Submissions and Considerations (Resumed): Irish Local Development Network (19 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the witnesses.

Seanad: Loan Guarantee Schemes Agreements (Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland) Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I want to be associated with the Leas-Chathaoirleach's words regarding the momentous occasion we have all seen today in our towns and villages with so many retail outlets opening. I had the great pleasure of driving through my hometown of Athy this morning and seeing the pride businesses were taking again...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pre-Budget Submisssions and Considerations: Discussion (12 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I wish to be associated with the remarks of the previous two speakers in welcoming representatives of both The Wheel and Community Gardens Ireland. I thank them very much for their presentations. I wish to be associated with the words of Deputy Carey on what community and voluntary organisations have done for us all during the pandemic. I am always struck by the volunteerism of so many...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I agree with and support Senator Chambers's call for clarification on maternity services. I have also received calls in recent days about partners still being obliged to sit in cars, making those phone calls and text messages to loved ones. The Leader has also supported those calls. The HSE has been out but we need clarity and, more importantly, those sitting in cars, sending texts and...

Seanad: Carer's Allowance: Motion (10 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I too welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, to the House. It is good to see him again. I thank Senator Seery Kearney and her Fine Gael colleagues for bringing this very important motion to the House today. However, it is beyond time for action to replace words. Government action is urgently needed on the motion before the House today. Last Wednesday, the Oireachtas Joint...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank Senators Blaney and McGreehan for tabling the motion along with the other Fianna Fáil Senators. Those of us in the Labour Party agree with the opening statement of the motion. As political parties we must all reaffirm our commitment to the Good Friday Agreement. We will always support the full implementation of all aspects of this...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Customs Checks and Trade Flows in and out of Irish Ports: Discussion (10 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome everybody. It is great to have representatives from three agencies in front of us. I thank them all for their contributions so far. I have a few questions. One of the issues raised, and already referred to by the Revenue witnesses, is the 24-hour rule. People in the road haulage sector have been asking if there is any leeway in that regard. The closeness of the UK and Ireland...

Seanad: European Digital Green Certificate: Statements (7 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is important that we discuss this matter and the potential it offers us as an island nation. There is undoubtedly a palpable degree of optimism and hope in the country at the moment, and we must do everything we can to protect it. The vaccination roll-out has created a sea of optimism that is capturing more people every day. The discussion...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and Family Carers Ireland (5 May 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the representatives from St. Vincent de Paul and Family Carers Ireland for joining us. I also thank the 500,000 carers in Ireland. It is important that we always thank those people providing care 24-7. Staying with carers, I have been following up on refusals for carer's allowance recently. The latest figures I have show the rate of refusal at 50%, or even above it. There were...

Seanad: Business and Covid-19: Statements (30 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I too, welcome the Tánaiste to the House, as well as the hope that many of the Government announcements brought to people around the country. One only had to listen to "Morning Ireland" this morning to hear what this meant to grandparents, in particular. It gives hope to so many people. However, there are a number of areas I would like to bring up with the Tánaiste that have been...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I too offer my condolences to Senator Mullen on the passing of his father. I raise with the Leader the importance of community first responders, CFR, and the magnificent voluntary work they do in many communities. I am sure the Leader is well aware of it and I know locally in County Kildare there are many groups operating. The issue with community first responders is the need to vaccinate...

Seanad: Post Office Network: Motion (26 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House today. I thank the Fianna Fáil Senators for introducing this important matter to the Seanad today. There is no doubt the post office network is vital to the future prosperity and social cohesion of this country. The numerous call by different parties and interested groups to support the post office network must be seriously considered...

Seanad: Future of Gambling Regulation: Statements (23 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank Senator McDowell for facilitating a change in speaking times. I welcome the Minister of State to the House for this very important discussion. According to some of the latest figures on gambling spending, Ireland is spending €9.8 billion a year, marking us out, as my colleague said, as the world's seventh biggest spenders on gambling per head, at almost €380 for every...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Development Strategy: Engagement with Minister for Rural and Community Development (20 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister. I support Deputy Ó Cuív with regard to local parishes. I live in Castlemitchell in rural Ireland and I am very worried about the one-off housing the Minister has mentioned, and how the Minister's plan stacks up against the national planning framework and the regional planning guidelines. I would love to see the Minister's plan happening. The Minister...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services Provision (19 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her for coming in. Over the last number of months, I have received many representations from parents in south Kildare who are exhausted trying to get any level of assessment and help for their children. Their loved ones are being put on waiting lists that are getting out...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services Provision (19 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister of State for outlining that. However, the issue at hand is the length of waiting times. The Minister of State said that investment has been made, and that is most welcome. She mentioned colleagues. I am sure her colleagues in this House today and throughout county Kildare and the State will be aware of the issues being raised in our offices and the problems people are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (19 Apr 2021)

Mark Wall: Well done. We all look forward to seeing the Bill. I thank both Senators for bringing up the matter today. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education, Deputy Josepha Madigan, to the House.