Results 761-780 of 951 for speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: This Friday is Black Friday, which promotes a huge amount of Christmas shopping, predominantly done online. We see today promotions about buying on Black Friday and they will get greater and greater in number over the coming days. It is the day on which you can get products cheapest, supposedly.If there was ever a year when we should try to promote local shopping, it is this year. The...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I echo the comments made by Senator Keogan in respect of encouraging people to get into foster care. I had an opportunity to meet many foster families in Tipperary when I was a councillor. The work they do is incredible and the love and support they give to these kids is phenomenal. The Senator does a great deal of excellent work in that field and I support her call. I ask that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Impact of the Withdrawal of Covid-19 Measures on Business: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank Mr. McDonnell and Mr. Hughes for their presentations. I wish Mr. McDonnell well. He is showing good leadership in terms of staying at home. I hope he gets better soon. My first question is for Mr. Hughes. A number of people raised employment permits. A number of businesses and companies in Tipperary in particular in the agricultural and steel sectors are struggling to get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Impact of the Withdrawal of Covid-19 Measures on Business: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: If Mr. Hughes could send on a breakdown that would be very helpful. It seems to me that some people struggle with the paperwork. One or two other speakers referred to this earlier. It is frustrating for some, especially in the agricultural sector, who find the level of paperwork quite demanding. My next question is for Mr. McDonnell. When I speak to businesses, especially in Tipperary,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Impact of the Withdrawal of Covid-19 Measures on Business: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: On flexibility, and bearing in mind that currently if you come off the PUP you cannot get back on it, is Mr. McDonnell thinking that we might have a period of four to six weeks or something like that which gives people the option to come back to work? If things work out well and there are no changes in circumstances in that sector, then things continue. It would encourage people to come...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Impact of the Withdrawal of Covid-19 Measures on Business: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Okay. On another point, over the last year or so many businesses in hospitality, shops and people who do takeaway sandwiches and so on are now struggling to source simple things like packaging, spoons and forks. Is ISME finding that to be the case? These are things that cash-and-carry outlets like Musgrave would normally have, but they do not seem to have them in the same bulk anymore. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Impact of the Withdrawal of Covid-19 Measures on Business: Discussion (17 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Okay. They do takeaway soup and they have no spoons and things like that. Is ISME seeing problems for that sector in the sourcing of packaging and material like that?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (16 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I will indeed. I thank the Minister of State for being here and taking this important question on the support the State needs to give to people going through IVF treatment. I brought it up for a couple of reasons. It is very important and we, as a Government, have made a commitment to the people in this State to support them through IVF treatment, just as other EU countries do. The Bill...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (16 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I agree with her there are other things we can also do, as time is of the essence in addressing this issue. The quicker somebody finds out that they need treatment, the better. When women get a standard medical, they could get a blood test to assess their ovarian reserve, known as an anti-Müllerian hormone, AMH, test. It costs an extra...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I ask for some clarity for childcare providers. When there was a Covid outbreak in their facilities a number of months ago, before September, they would have a contact within the HSE to call to do contact tracing and get advice on what to do with the management of their facility. Childcare providers are being treated like schools in that there is no more contact tracing. I disagree with...

Seanad: Forestry Licensing: Statements (11 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for taking the debate. I know she treats this issue with the same importance as everyone else. I want to acknowledge that. I thank her for coming back from her trip to COP26, which I hope went well for her and for the Department. To follow on from other speakers, I want to share the frustration that farmers and others in the sector have in...

Seanad: Forestry Licensing: Statements (11 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Yes.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. She is always welcome and I thank her and the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this debate. I am raising this issue because the Minister of State will remember that a couple of weeks ago there was a lot of controversy about the continuation of the Covid digital certificate and the recommendations being brought in by the Government. The issue...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State. The question is fairly simple and the Department might be able to respond to it. The key figure I am seeking is how many first doses have been administered since 19 October, as this would give an indication of how many people have been vaccinated since the announcement. How many people took a first dose in the two weeks prior to 19 October, as it would...

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

Garret Ahearn: Following on from the contributions of others, I also wish to mark the sad passing of Austin Currie. I pass on my condolences, as others have done, to Emer and the whole Currie family on their sad and sudden loss. I spoke to Emer this morning and she asked me to pass on her appreciation to everyone who has contacted her and the family. It is a great source of strength to them at this time....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I have a young fella at home and he kicked a ball for the first time last weekend, so I support the previous comments. He is a future corner forward for Tipperary. Given the way Meath is performing at the moment, it would provide a good training session for him before the championship starts. On a serious note, I ask that the Leader get an update from the Minister of State at the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I agree with many of the points made by Senators Craughwell and Malcolm Byrne on protests and the abuse that many people get. This issue affects not just politicians but also many other people who work in very important roles and do what is not just very important but also what is very good. Will the Leader get an update from the Minister of State with responsibility for sport on sports...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Farm Costs (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank him for taking this Commencement matter. Agriculture has been in the news for the past number of days, or even weeks at this stage. I welcome the climate change COP26 meeting that is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. I know the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon, is there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Farm Costs (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for his response. He is right that there are a number of initiatives under way. The multispecies grass will make a difference and there will definitely be buy-in from farmers on this. Farmers recognise that they need to change many of their ways and they are totally in favour of that but what I am talking about needs to be done immediately. It will take time...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: The HSE has published a new list of locations around the country served by BreastCheck vans. The service provided by the vans stopped during Covid for the last 18 months. Before Covid, it generally did a yearly visit to Tipperary and did all its checks in one visit. However, the new list which was published has no location in Tipperary. The Irish Cancer Society has said higher numbers of...