Results 61-80 of 252 for at speaker:Aidan Davitt

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: I have a couple of queries about the proposed legislation. Given that legislation on the regulation of gambling is coming from the office of the Minister of State, Deputy James Browne, in the Department of Justice, as I said the last day to my colleague, I think this issue needs to be teased out with the regulator. We would be putting the cart before the horse otherwise. We hope to have a...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: .... I am not in favour of gambling on mobile phones and other devices. It goes back to the example of the guy who wants to make a small bet and cannot afford the €6 to do the lottery on a Saturday evening. A point that seems to be glossed over is the fact that but for bookmakers and their support, we would possibly not have dog racing or horse racing industries in Ireland. That is...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (24 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: Senator Ward made some good points and I agree with much of what he said. Something that struck me, and it was in the newspapers quite recently, is that €90 million of unclaimed lottery moneys was reinvested in advertising over the past six years. This is a frightening figure. All this money could be going back into sports facilities and everything else. You are knocked down with...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Environmental Schemes (22 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: I just met the Minister of State outside the Chamber. It is a benefit of arriving early, which does not happen too often. I had a good conversation with him and he was very informative and helpful in providing information regarding this Commencement matter. He has probably alleviated most of my concerns or at least answered many of them. A massive scheme was announced last week. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Environmental Schemes (22 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister of State. The rising cost of electricity is probably the biggest concern, especially with some of the retrofit innovation. Heat pumps are probably our largest concern. They are so tied to the ESB. This is particularly the case when we cannot feed power back onto the grid. We are doing so in a very minimal way at present. That is really an issue. The sooner that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Apprenticeship Programmes (1 Feb 2022)

Aidan Davitt: I am delighted to welcome the Minister of State. He is a hard-working Minister and well known to this House. I have discussed this with the Minister of State already and am delighted he agreed to come to the House to flesh out the figures and the details. There has been a concern that there are not enough places in some of the courses at present, or qualified staff to teach these...

Seanad: Appropriation Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Aidan Davitt: He is. I re-emphasise what the Minister of State has stated which is the importance of the Bill and its passing with as much speed as possible. We have discussed it at length and there has been quite vigorous conversation and debate here on it on previous occasions. I and my party, Fianna Fáil, are fully behind it and we wish its swift passing through the House today, if possible.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Dec 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I welcome the Minister to the House. It is a great pleasure to have him here. I thank Senator Wilson who started on my behalf. I was slightly delayed on the way in. As the Minister is aware, every three years this legislation has to come to the House to be passed. Without it, these Houses could not function. That is the primary reason this Bill is here today. I hear what some of our...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (16 Nov 2021)

Aidan Davitt: Like Senator Casey, I commend the Minister on this legislation. It is productive, constructive and exceptionally brave legislation. I give credit where it is due. It is easy to knock things and to look at the negatives. Many people comment on things they are not happy with and are not as happy to give credit where it is due. Well done, Minister.

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (29 Sep 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I fully support the general thrust of this Bill to limit gambling. As Senator Carrigy has said, they have not canvassed anybody and certainly have not talked to me about this matter heretofore. The argument that the lottery has a monopoly, which is the case in Ireland, has passed me by somewhat. On altering certain freedoms concerning gambling and the lottery in Ireland, I would say it is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Work Permits (28 Sep 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister of State. It is good that the figures he outlined are significant. However, there will be a heavy squeeze coming in the next couple of weeks, probably more than his office is seeing at present. We should anticipate and deal with it head-on, instead of waiting until it comes to a bottleneck. I again thank the Minister of State because I know he is working hard on this.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Work Permits (28 Sep 2021)

Aidan Davitt: The Minister of State referred to 100,000 people in unemployment and 100,000 people on PUP. As he knows, the people driving lorries and buses during the pandemic were some of the busiest people in the country, and we have seen with our neighbours next door that there is a demand for them at present. I would be very sceptical that too many people on PUP or on the unemployment list at present...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I rise to talk on a subject that was flagged to me at the recent Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers, IPAV, annual general meeting. I would use its information quite often. The property price register, which has been a great tool since its inception, and is a fount of information on when a property is sold, the area, what it made and it is a great comparative tool particularly...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Work Permits (28 Sep 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I will not delay the Minister of State, Deputy English, as he is very busy. In fairness to him, he made it to the House by the skin of his teeth. Businesses have been in contact with me about an issue that the Minister and I briefly discussed previously. One such business is a bus company that has not been able to employ drivers in Ireland, either north or south of the Border.It is looking...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Jun 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I would like to raise the issue that has been mentioned here today, namely, the mica crisis. I totally support the campaigners who are beginning their protest at Convention Centre Dublin and marching to the Dáil today. I have had experience with the pyrite remediation scheme. It worked very well. It was introduced with a level 3 assessment from an engineer, which was a visual...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Aidan Davitt: I raise a matter on which the Cathaoirleach has worked hard for some years. In the eight years since I became a member of the executive of the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, I have met umpteen Ministers and civil servants to discuss councillors' remuneration and conditions. I am delighted that the revised Moorhead report, on which considerable work was done, was approved at...

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

Aidan Davitt: I welcome our re-elected Senators, Senator Byrne and, particularly, Senator Horkan. Senator Horkan has been a good friend and ally of mine over the years and I am delighted for him to be able to represent the people again and give us an Oireachtas Member in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area. The push is on to get him into the Dáil. It is a cornerstone of his campaign to get elected...

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

Aidan Davitt: On a serious note, well done. It is a great honour. All the talk was about splits in the Government and that they were not talking or getting on but the facts are in the votes. Maybe some journalists should study the facts in relation to this. On a more serious note, not that that was not a serious matter, school places are something most politicians here are getting calls on day in and...