Results 781-800 of 991 for speaker:Aidan Davitt

Seanad: Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I did not realise that the Senator had already spoken.

Seanad: Rebuilding Ireland: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister of State. It is nice to see him here today. I missed him. In last year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade we were knocked down with TDs and Senators from Meath but with the redrawn boundaries there were not too many visitors in Castlepollard last time out. That is the way and that is politics. On a more serious matter, Fine Gael has certainly brought in some...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (9 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Fianna Fáil fully supports the proposal to set up a statutory commission of investigation into the events surrounding the Grace case. The terms of reference are extensive and detailed. There is no doubt that the recommendations of the Dignam report have largely been taken on board and we welcome that. It is clear from the terms of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Telecommunications Services Provision (8 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister for coming today. We are delighted to see he has made a good recovery. The Minister has seen the outline of my Commencement matter on the regulation of SIM cards and SIM-only, ready-to-go and pay-as-you-go phones. Many of the larger companies have this quite well regulated. They look for identification, proof of age and utility bills before they sell any of these. I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Telecommunications Services Provision (8 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister. It is not a simple issue to solve. I would be the last person to trumpet any state or anything to that effect. The Minister hit on quite a valid point when he said the three main operators have a voluntary code of practice for this. I do not say this lightly. We have regulation for underage drinking and we are very regimental in carrying out stings on publicans to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Telecommunications Services Provision (8 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: They have to get on to the service and put in who they are and whatever else so they have to physically access-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Telecommunications Services Provision (8 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister. I appreciate the work he is doing. He mentioned to me outside that legislation is proposed. I appreciate all the hard work he is doing in regard to this and I hope this can feed into it. The last thing I want is a ban on people using phones. What we are doing is the way forward but a certain amount of regulation is required. At present, a five-year-old child could...

Seanad: Seachtain na Gaeilge: Statements (8 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Nílim líofa ach tá fhios agam go bhfuil blas an-deas ag na Seanadóirí here; Seanadóir Uí Chlochartaigh, Seanadóir Gallagher agus Seanadóir Uí Dhomhnaill. Ceapaim go bhfuil blas deas ag na Seanadóirí de chuid Fine Gael freisin. Tá sé ar chinn do chuspóirí Fhianna...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I wish to raise a matter pertaining to Bord na Móna and the overuse of bogs in Ireland. Some 4 million tonnes of peat are being stripped from Irish bogs yearly by Bord na Móna. Only 60 million tonnes of peat are left in our large bogs, which are controlled by Bord na Móna. At the current rate of extraction, which has been capped by the EU in recent years, we have 15 years...

Seanad: National Flag: Motion (7 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I second the motion. It gives me great pleasure to be associated with it. I wish continued success to Senator Mark Daly in this regard.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Last week, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Heather Humphreys, spoke here on her plan for rural Ireland. I had a detailed look at the plan afterwards. If the Minister is sincere about supporting villages and country life, I call on her to consider designating a one-off business in a village, such as a pub, garage, shop or post office, as a hub...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: It would be a very simple move. I read the whole document, which contains a lot of nice, flowery language, good intentions and many good plans to bring people back into rural Ireland and spend money on dwellings and renovate housing. However, the little post office, shop or pub is the life and soul of any village. Children are often dropped off from school, messages are left, people can...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: We will try again. I have the Senator's full support.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Laois and Westmeath stand together on it. While he comes in for a lot of criticism, and rightly so, I welcome the fact that President Trump has launched Irish-American heritage month, which happens in March. There was much talk that he was not going to do it, which would have been a backward step for relations with Irish America. I roundly welcome it.

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: Second Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I welcome the Minister. This is a very comprehensive Bill and I have no doubt that, when it passes, it will leave a great legacy. It is legislation that has long been called for and has been in the melting pot for some time. As the Minister knows, Fianna Fáil has quite a strong record in this area. It had the first national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence back...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I ask the Leader to talk to the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment in regard to minors purchasing mobile phones and SIM cards with no checks being carried out as to their identification or age by some of the telecommunications companies. At present ten year olds can rock up to a mobile phone shop and buy a pay-as-you-go phone or ready-to-go SIM without being asked...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Let him off.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Aidan Davitt: The Senator is very entertaining.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects (23 Feb 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I thank the Minister for coming. I am sure he has many pressing matters and I am aware that his time is valuable. There is quite a bit of work being done on the N52 on which a four-mile stretch from Cloghan to Turin is being upgraded. It is the main Limerick to Dundalk road, but it has been totally closed for the past four months. The project is well ahead of schedule as there have been...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Road Projects (23 Feb 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I appreciate the moneys provided for this road project. I was to the fore in demanding and securing some of the outlay for it. This stretch of road is one of the most deadly in Westmeath. The last road fatality in Westmeath occurred on it. The victim was a neighbour of mine who was knocked off his bicycle and killed. May he rest in peace. I agree with the points made by the Minister...