Results 10,561-10,580 of 24,326 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: In the budget, the Minister achieved the highest level of funding for health in the history of the State.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator McFadden referred to the importance of accident and emergency care. I would be happy to invite the Minister, Deputy Harris, to the House. Senator Swanick raised the important issue of the Macedonian health system. It is one that we should study. Perhaps the Seanad might consider organising a sub-committee or select committee on health, given the fact that we have no representation...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: The Order of Business is No. 1, statements on recent education announcements, to be taken at 4.45 p.m. and to conclude no later than 6.30 p.m., with the contributions of group spokespersons not to exceed eight minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed five minutes and the Minister to be given ten minutes to reply to the debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: Is the Senator ready for it?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: Is the Senator running?

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator changed quickly.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the 17 Senators who made contributions on the Order of Business. Senators Ardagh, Boyhan, Colm Burke and Murnane O'Connor referred to housing and related issues. The important point is that yesterday the Minister, Deputy Coveney, announced 8,430 social housing units across 500 developments, building on the Rebuilding Ireland initiative. He announced a total of 504 social housing...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: No.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: They are better.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: I welcome the former Minister of State, Mr. Parlon, who is in the Gallery. In his role with the Construction Industry Federation he will tell Senator Murnane O'Connor that the Government is ambitious about building houses. We want to get the construction sector moving. What we have in Rebuilding Ireland is a comprehensive plan to address the imbalance the Senator spoke about and to redress...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: We are addressing homelessness.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: We are accelerating the building of social housing. In tandem with the construction sector we are building more houses.We are improving the public realm across the country. As Senator Colm Burke said, more people are back at work. One of the things associated with people being back at work is the need for housing. It must be recognised that the Fianna Fáil-led Governments decimated...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: In tandem with that, there is an ambitious programme, Rebuilding Ireland, to address the issues raised by Senators. It is unacceptable for people to be homeless or families to be living in hotel rooms. I live in the real world, in a constituency where people come to me. This is a Government that has set about addressing the issues about which Senators have spoken. Senators Colm Burke,...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: I am responding to the points made on the Order of Business. If Senator Aidan Davitt ever has the good fortune to be in this position someday, he can reply to the Order of Business. I want to put things in context. According to the Central Statistics Office which is independent of the Government, 70% of the new jobs created are outside Dublin. The region with the fastest growing number of...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: The former Minister of State at the Department of Health, Ms Kathleen Lynch, was working on that issue. I will be happy to have the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone, come to the House to discuss the matter. Senator Higgins raised the issue of migration. We have asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to come...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: I will not politicise the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator Murnane O'Connor raised the issue of beds in the mental health services. The Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, Deputy Helen McEntee, increased funding for mental health this year. She has taken a proactive approach to mental heath. It is important to talk more about mental health and achieve a cross-party consensus on the issue. As I am not familiar with the...

Seanad: Industrial Dispute at Tesco Ireland: Motion (21 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: To get cross-party support, I will second the motion as Leader, on behalf of the rest of the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: The Order of Business is No. 1, Private Members' business, Civil Law (Missing Persons) Bill 2016 - Second Stage, to be taken at 1.30 p.m., with the time allocated to the debate not to exceed two hours; and No. 1a, motion regarding establishment of a tribunal of inquiry, to be taken at 5 p.m., with the contributions of Senators not to exceed six minutes. I apologise to Members for the late...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2017)

Jerry Buttimer: The Taoiseach was not on "Morning Ireland".