Results 81-100 of 1,000 for speaker:John McGahon

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: I would like to be associated with the comments made by my colleagues on the death of John Connor. John served for a long time as a Member of Dáil Éireann and of Seanad Éireann. Indeed, when Longford was in the same constituency as Roscommon, there were some very close battles between him and the late Louis Belton. On each occasion, though, where either Louis or John lost...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: That was excellent timing. I thank the Cathaoirleach for letting me in at the very last minute. I do not want to anticipate what I hope to say later in the Second Stage debate on the Limerick mayor. It is very specific to Limerick, however. Therefore, I just want to talk about local government in general and the concept of mayors. First, they are a very good idea. Second, every county...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: The debate later today is specifically about Limerick. While I will chat about that, that is Limerick based. What I would actually like a debate about is the concept of directly elected mayors for every local authority. The idea of having to have referendums for them does not necessarily work because as we see with referendums, and as we may see with the referendums coming in March, people...

Seanad: Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: As I am following Senator Byrne and the Minister of State, both of whom are from the city where this will be implemented, I make my comments with that in mind. The concept of directly elected mayors is an excellent one. It is the way forward for local government. My vision for local government would be to see a directly elected mayor for every local authority, for example, Louth, Donegal...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: I would like to follow up on the call by Senator Warfield for a debate on emigration. The Senator and I are a similar age. When we were maybe 18 or 19, people were emigrating from this country in their droves. They were doing that because there was no employment in this country. There were physically no jobs in this country. Today in Ireland, we are at full employment. People emigrate...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: I have four questions, two of which are for Mr. Byrne as financial controller and two for Mr. Tarrant. First, to Mr. Byrne, according to the opening statement, "the cause of this error was the changing of the calculation formulas in the financial model in the second year of implementation ... to one where a percentage change of total revenue was used in a calculation instead of a fixed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: Okay. What was the reasoning behind the financial controller's decision to make that switch after the first year? What was the logic behind that decision back then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: Forgive me, as I accept this is a complex financial calculation. Based on that response, the whole point of this in the second year was to make it simpler to calculate in the first place, which ended up causing this overcharge for the last decade. It was really done to try to make it simpler.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: In hindsight, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: Was that human error or an error within a financial model?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: So it was a human error making a mistake inputting data into the model. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: I accept that it was the way the modelling had been done for a considerable time before that. Paragraph 4.3, on page 3 of the presentation, states: "With the complexity of the calculations together with the way it was programmed in the financial model, it was difficult to detect the error after the second year of implementation." This mistake was not realised for more than a decade. Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Large Energy Users Rebalancing Subvention: Discussion (23 Jan 2024)

John McGahon: My time is up and thank the witnesses.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: That was a very powerful contribution to follow and I commend Senator Clonan on it. I agree wholeheartedly with his words. Not to move on to more minor matters but I wish Tom Hickey, the deputy head usher of the Houses, all the best in retirement after 22 years of service in Leinster House. Tom is someone we all know very well. He is an excellent representative for the Oireachtas, whether...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: I am asking for some guidance really. I have come to this debate late. I make no bones towards my Fianna Fáil colleagues, who can do what they wish. What we are witnessing now is so well choreographed that it is like watching Swan Lake or some other ballet. It is so well done.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: If this debate is going to run until 6 p.m. and if Fianna Fáil Members insist on running it out and wasting the time of Members and the Minister, how do we, as a House, decide to sit past 6 p.m.? I am happy to sit here all night until we get this done.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: This is what we are elected to do.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: I mean this in the most respectful way to my Fianna Fáil colleagues. If they wish to continue on with this, it is absolutely fine. I will continue on with this all night. I will listen to point after point all night. I have no problem sitting here until 12 midnight. How can we, as a House, sit past 6 p.m.? That is what I am asking.

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: Can we get clarification on this?

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: On whether it is the Leader or the Chief Whip, or both.