Results 841-860 of 886 for speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Services (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister of State for her engagement with Senators.

Seanad: Commencement of Irish Sign Language Act 2017: Statements (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank Senator Hoey for sharing her time with me. I welcome the Minister of State into the House and join in the tributes to the Cathaoirleach for his work on this legislation. As a councillor receiving his many letters on ISL over previous years, it was excellent. Today we see the fruits of that labour and it is important we acknowledge the Cathaoirleach as the person who has driven this...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister to the House I thank her for the considerable work she and the Department have done, particularly in recent months. The Labour Party will be supporting the Bill, as we have done previously. There is an important inclusion in this Bill, which repeals the section on the pension age, as other Members have said. I thank all those involved in the Stop 67 campaign. They...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I would like to raise two issues with the Leader with a view to having a debate on them and getting answers from the relevant Ministers. The first concerns homeowners who are facing increasing and mounting bills from their management companies for retrospective work being done on their homes and apartments. For example, in one building in Newbridge, over 30 homeowners have to pay for fire...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: Absolutely on the amendment. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to confirm our total support for the overall Brexit Bill. Members have spoken about how important Brexit is to the country and we all hope we can get a deal. I again acknowledge - for the fourth time, I think - the work the Minister, Deputy Coveney, the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and their officials...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Planning Guidelines (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: It is good to see Senator Moynihan in the Chair. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The reason I have asked him to come before the House is the urgent need to change the building regulations to make it mandatory to include what are called Changing Places toilet facilities rather than the current standard accessible toilets in public buildings. In Ireland there are estimated to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Planning Guidelines (8 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State's reply, which represents a very important step forward. Having an introductory meeting next week is very positive. As I said in my introduction, we are behind the curve on the number of changing facilities we have, and we have a considerable amount of catching up to do. I welcome the Minister of State's commitment to this. For quality of life it is vital...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I wish to speak to amendments Nos. 2 and 4. I welcome this debate and welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome what seems to be total support in the House for doing something about this. It has to be done. As I said on Second Stage, the €75 threshold was an improvement on the €175 threshold initially proposed. Purchases within the €75 threshold...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I wish to come back in on a number of things. Senator Casey has made an important point. Many smaller shops do not know this debate is going on today. In fairness, we have all seen the contact from the larger organised shops but this will affect the smaller ones most, as has been said by every Member in this House today. That is a significant point. As Senator Casey said, I hope they are...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: The Minister of State said in his most recent contribution that this is not an exact science. I hope there are more of those people who we are all fighting for listening in today, because this is totally unacceptable. If we are putting in a new tax, which is what this is, then it should be an exact science. It should be agreed in this House and, more important, it should be agreed by...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I move amendment No. 2: In page 44, line 29, to delete “€75” and substitute “€50”.

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (3 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I move amendment No. 4: 4. In page 47, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “Review of operation of section 65 68. No later than 12 months after the coming into operation of section 65, the Minister shall— (a) review the operation of the amendments effected by that section, and (b) lay before each House of the Oireachtas a report of his or her conclusions...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank Senator Craughwell for those words. I am sure they are deeply felt. I want to raise an issue raised by fellow Members of the House in recent sittings and in light of a recent CSO report, that is, the social impact Covid is having on our society. As a public representative, I have noticed an alarming rise in the number of people seeking support and I have also been approached by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Rural Hubs, Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in Rural Ireland: Department of Rural and Community Development (2 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I thank Dr. O'Connor for his presentation and his responses, which have been very informative. On phone coverage, according to Dr. O'Connor's opening statement, we should have 2G coverage almost everywhere in the country. I raised this the last day. I am from Kildare, just outside Athy. It is not a million miles from here but there are people who have to go out to their back gardens to...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2020: Second Stage (1 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his considerable work on Brexit and on behalf of the Irish people. As the Minister confirmed, this Bill involves up to 11 different Departments. The purpose of the Bill is, of course, to address the many issues that will arise out of Brexit and to do our best, with all our abilities, to try to negate any harm a Brexit deal or, indeed, no deal will do...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2020)

Mark Wall: I want to raise a number of issues on our Defence Forces with the Leader. The first issue is to support calls made in this House by colleagues for getting an update on the commencement of public pay talks. There may have been some preliminary contact with the representative bodies of our Defence Forces, which is always welcome, but I am sure that those representative bodies, like the rest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme: Department of Social Protection (25 Nov 2020)

Mark Wall: I would like to be associated with the comments of other members of the committee on the work of the staff. The statistic that has struck me this morning from the two witnesses is that 18 months of work was carried out in two weeks. That is a tremendous achievement. The staff working in the Department are an asset. I would like to express my thanks to them for their work, and also for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme: Department of Social Protection (25 Nov 2020)

Mark Wall: Mr. Hession mentioned the 17-year-olds. Could he comment on the issue? I have raised it before. Are there figures concerning those who have paid taxes but who are not entitled to the PUP? Where does Mr. Hession see the affected people going? This is raised with me fairly regularly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Pandemic Unemployment Payment Scheme: Department of Social Protection (25 Nov 2020)

Mark Wall: I know 17-year-olds cannot vote at the moment but can the Department comment on the failure or inability of 17-year-olds to qualify for the PUP payment? I ask because the issue has been raised with me on a number of occasions.

Seanad: Living with Covid-19 Restrictions: Statements (Resumed) (18 Nov 2020)

Mark Wall: I too welcome the Minister of State back to the House. I also pay tribute once again to all of those who continue to put themselves forward to help others, both workers and the many volunteers who have come to the fore during this pandemic. I am aware of people with disabilities living independently who are only seeing their carers for 30 minutes in the morning and another 30 minutes in the...