Results 61-80 of 588 for speaker:Pat Buckley in 'Dáil debates'

High Energy Costs: Motion [Private Members] (7 Mar 2023)

Pat Buckley: I will cut straight to the chase. I thank Deputy Doherty for tabling the motion and I ask the Government to withdraw its countermotion. The Minister mentioned a few payments. He should remember one thing. Governments are supposed to serve the people. The payments the Minister mentioned are taxpayers' money. The Government is giving it back to the same people. It is not targeting it. I...

Standards in Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2023: First Stage (23 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I thank Deputy Farrell for introducing the Bill. She has raised the three relevant points on it. It is about working together and enhancing accountability. We need accountability within the HSE and other entities. In this regard, we could probably consider some more legislation. It was not too long ago that Deputy Farrell and I worked on the protected disclosures law. We worked with...

Eviction Ban Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: First, I thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for bringing this Bill forward. I listened to what previous speakers had to say. The one thing we must realise is that this is an emergency. In times of emergency, you think outside the box. It was mentioned previously that this is for the public good. It is for the public good. We all have people coming into our offices every day who are...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle and I thank the Minister of State for being here. This Topical Issue matter is exactly what it says on the tin. It is to discuss additional financial supports for people in the first two years of apprenticeships. I raise this matter because the first two years are the most crucial. I have been talking to many of the families involved,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Apprenticeship Programmes (21 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: From all of the inquiries I have received - I will not say complaints - from people and families on the apprenticeship issue, nobody actually questioned their employer. These people are very happy. It is the small additional costs that are difficult. I note the Minister of State mentioned the social welfare system. I see a problem with that. I am airing this issue to see if we can get...

Health (Amendment) (Dual Diagnosis: No Wrong Door) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (16 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I acknowledge the work Deputies Ward and Gould have put into this. I also acknowledge that the two Ministers of State are here and that there is a joined-up consensus. The Minister State, Deputy Butler, would have been aware, as well as the former Minister of State, former Deputy Jim Daly, and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, that sometimes there is no colour, class, creed, religion nor...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (16 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State. I am disappointed by that response. The Minister of State said, "Alternatively, they can choose to receive a once-off payment of €3,000 in lieu of a card". To remove two cataracts costs €3,000. That payment is a one-stop shop. A survivor receives that one-hit payment for a life's suffering. That is an absolute disgrace. I understand the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (16 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: Survivors do not have access to that money.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (16 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I will follow up on that. I thank the Minister of State.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (16 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: We are here to discuss just exactly what this enhanced medical card will be for the survivors of mother and baby homes. I know the issue has been ongoing for a long time. Unfortunately, when I say it has been going on for a long time, I mean that none of these people are getting any younger. I am being constantly asked when this enhanced medical card is going to be given to survivors, what...

Report on the Summer Programme 2023: Motion [Private Members] (2 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I will make a very quick comment. I thank everybody across the House. I enjoyed listening to their contributions and I welcome the comments of the Ministers of State. I will put on the record, and the committee is very proud of this - Senator Carrigy was the driving force behind it - that Leinster House is now in the process of becoming autism friendly. I thank everybody in the Houses,...

Report on the Summer Programme 2023: Motion [Private Members] (2 Feb 2023)

Pat Buckley: I move: That Dáil Éireann shall take note of the Report of the Joint Committee on Autism entitled "Report on the Summer Programme 2023", copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann on 28th November, 2022. I will be brief because I am sharing time with Senator Carrigy. This is a motion on the Joint Committee on Autism's report on the summer programme for 2023....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (31 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: They say that they always save the best for last, so we will see. I have raised this issue in the Chamber numerous times. It is the boil water notices in east Cork, specifically in Whitegate. I want to give the Minister of State a synopsis of what is going on. It started on 14 February 2016, so we are coming up to the seventh anniversary of these boil water notices. The following is a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Quality (31 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: I spent 22 years in sewerage and water so I know the craic on it. My area has Whitegate oil refinery, the power station and the gas station. There are alternative water sources of water and I am wondering why Uisce Éireann did not look at those as an alternative or short-term fix. One line could be tapped into the other. The area where the problem is could be blanked off and flushed...

Interim Report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (26 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: I will go straight to the punch. The following quotes appeared in a media report, and I thank Dr. Susan Finnerty of the Mental Health Commission for her contribution to that. The report states: A deep dive into mental health services for children and young people in Ireland has shown several regions in the south - including Cork - to be facing very serious issues that could be placing...

Forestry Strategy: Statements (26 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: There was a lot of anger from many people from various sections of society outside Leinster House today. I will cut straight to the chase. Investment funds or vulture funds, whatever they are called, are again making profit from taxpayers' money. It is as simple as that. Here we go again. Our natural resources for use by the Irish people are being given away or are being chipped away by...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (25 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: I will raise an issue about first responders. In Cobh in east Cork, which has a population of approximately 14,000 people there is a retained fire service but there are no first responders. The fire service is trained in first aid and first response. There was a case over Christmas where someone suffered a cardiac arrest. I spoke to members of the fire service. They were frustrated that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (25 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I will raise a few points in the short time I have. The retained fire services are well placed to assist the HSE with responses to such life-threatening emergency calls. There does not seem to be any obstacle to that. The National Ambulance Service is simply protecting its patch. I have not heard of any engagement between it and the fire...

Capacity in the Health Services: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jan 2023)

Pat Buckley: It has been said here tonight that there are 73 patients on trolleys in CUH, with 13 waiting for beds in the Mercy Hospital. What we are facing at the moment is not surprising but it is unprecedented. I am glad the Minister and the Ministers of State are present. The Government is closing a 22-bed mental health respite centre in Midleton, the Owenacurra centre, in the middle of a health...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Covid-19 Pandemic (15 Dec 2022)

Pat Buckley: I tabled a parliamentary question on this as well. It states, "Separately, the Minister for Health has stated that he believes that a review of the management and impact of COVID-19 in nursing homes is warranted". The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, mentioned in her response the €145 million provided under the temporary assistance payment scheme. Some €145 million is...