Results 941-960 of 3,639 for speaker:Michael Collins

Public Transport: Motion [Private Members] (5 Oct 2022)

Michael Collins: I thank the Independent Group for an excellent discussion this morning, and for the motion. A few months ago, the Minister continuously announced a decrease in the cost of transport services, mainly in and around Dublin. That suits his constituents, but we have to drag him here tooth and nail through the Dáil to give that 20% decrease that he gave to the people of rural Ireland...

Defective Concrete Products Levy: Motion [Private Members] (4 Oct 2022)

Michael Collins: I fully support this Sinn Féin motion. The 10% levy on blocks and other concrete products introduced in the budget will have to be passed on to customers. This has led to fury in west Cork among good, honest builders who know the customer cannot afford it and among the young people who want to start their lives by building their new homes. The new levy which is designed to contribute...

Housing for All Update: Statements (Resumed) (4 Oct 2022)

Michael Collins: The Minister of State has spoken about Housing for All. One of the previous speakers on the Government side said that housing completions are up, and I will not argue with that. However, the problem is that the number of evictions is up. I know that for a fact because I am the only Deputy in west Cork who has clinics 52 weeks of the year for two or three days a week. I meet people from...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Services (4 Oct 2022)

Michael Collins: 630. To ask the Minister for Health the number of submissions that have been made to the three-year review of the abortion law that were received in the public submissions process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48150/22]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: Over the past number of months, like many other Deputies in the Chamber, we have met different sectors in respect of the budget. One of these which stood out clearly to me to be struggling was the hotel sector. In west Cork, I met the owners of the Emmet Hotel, the Fernhill House and Gardens Hotel in Clonakilty, and the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery. These are brilliant, grand, family...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6 – General (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: It would be wrong of me to come in here and condemn the budget from start to finish. There were positive points in respect of the VAT rate, the availability of defibrillators, free schoolbooks for primary school students and the 0% VAT rate for newspapers. Those are positive steps in the right direction. There are, however, many weaknesses in this budget that need to be exposed. I have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: Only three weeks ago, the Mental Health Commission report on the mental health unit at Bantry General Hospital instructed the closure of one quarter of its beds; a loss of seven beds in total. This would have been a devastating blow to mental services in west Cork that serve from Kinsale to Ardrum and parts of County Kerry. The report by the Mental Health Commission recommended the closure...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: I thank the Taoiseach very much for his reply. I have actually visited the unit and I did respect the privacy of the patients; I stayed at the door and spoke to the staff there. I have gone in to see patients because I have sometimes been asked to do so. The Taoiseach said an independent body makes that decision. That is fair enough. However, the independent body made that decision in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: Except when he visited.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: There are 18 beds.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Business of Joint Committee (28 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: I am indeed.

Financial Resolution No. 4: Special Exemption Orders (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: To be honest, it is crazy to be debating this proposal. We are talking about 50 quid. I hope we are not going to annoy Deputy Bacik any more because she said that some of the debate is stressing her out.

Financial Resolution No. 4: Special Exemption Orders (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: She comes from the party that did away with the death grant. We know what they did to women in this country with their pensions. Some people had to listen to their debates when their time came. Unfortunately, the question of nightclubs does not affect my constituency in west Cork. One time when I was going out it was full of nightclubs. There was Gatsby's in Dunmanway, Amadeus and the...

Financial Resolution No. 4: Special Exemption Orders (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: It was a great place. In fairness, 50% is fine but you have to look at nightclubs in a bigger way. Given that the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media has had her budget cut here today, it does not look like there will be much out there. The musicians are struggling at this time too. People were playing in pubs and so on and it is no longer viable for the...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Tobacco Products Tax (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: I will oppose the increased price of cigarettes. I do not smoke myself. I agree with the Minister that they have ill effects. I will not in any way, shape or form deny that, but I have much sympathy for a majority of my constituents who smoke and regularly speak to me about it. They are upset at times when the prices go up. They are not able to come off them. They have tried different...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 1: Mineral Oil Tax (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: I will support the amendment. I have been clear in discussions previously about the carbon tax. The way the budget was rolled out today was unfair. It was like a con job. There was VAT, the excise and the extensions on the taxation side. The Minister said there was excise reduction of 21 cent per litre for petrol and 16 cent per litre for diesel. People were texting me and to say,...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Budget Statement 2023 (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: While on the subject of education, I am not sure if the primary school capitation grant has been increased. Many schools cannot afford to put on the heating oil this year - perhaps that is the green way of dealing with them - or pay their electricity bill, leaving some schools having to ring the local parish priest to cough up to pay these bills. Yes, I said the "local parish priest"....

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Budget Statement 2023 (27 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: Today's budget reminds me of an assless bucket leaking beyond control. There was a time when leaks before a budget announcement would lead to Ministers' heads rolling. Now, with this slippery Government, God knows that the leaks could have come from the top and will not be dealt with. This budget was meant to be a giveaway budget, and some people did get something. However, if one...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Sep 2022)

Michael Collins: I have spoken here in the Dáil about how Ireland can become fuel independent like other parts of the world. Drilling off Barryroe is our biggest hope. The company, Providence, is ready to go but this Government is holding it up. In response to Deputy Mattie McGrath last week, the Tánaiste said that Providence needs to demonstrate its financial capital if it is to be accepted for...