Results 1,101-1,120 of 3,444 for speaker:Shane Cassells

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Tourism Sector: Discussion (21 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: Given that that was more a statement than a direct question, we will move on to Deputy Cannon. I acknowledge on behalf of the committee the work Deputy Griffin did in his time as Minister of State and, in particular, his work during the first lockdown. Everyone owes him a debt of gratitude. I thank him very much.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: I will touch on the debate that has been raging in the country over the past 48 hours in respect of the playing of GAA matches this weekend and, in particular, Members of these Houses weighing in and putting pressure on the GAA to concede that the competitions should be abandoned and drawing the false comparison between what has happened at club level in this country and these elite games....

Seanad: Budget 2021: Statements (14 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: The Minister is very welcome to the House. I congratulate him and pay tribute to him on his budget yesterday. I will start by referring to the contribution of a colleague of mine in the Lower House, Deputy Lahart, who in his contribution to the Dáil a few weeks ago pleaded with the Government to provide a sense of hope to the people of the country in the months ahead as we face into...

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht: Business of Joint Committee (14 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the witnesses and join them in welcoming the funding that was apportioned yesterday. It is no more than the sector deserves and, pandemic or not, it is recognition of decades of hard graft by numerous people, many in a voluntary capacity. I want to tease out not so much how the additional money will be spent, but the point touched on by the witnesses, who acknowledged that many...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: In respect of level 3 restrictions and Senator Mullen's remarks about going to church, I go to church on Sunday with my children, who serve at mass. After that, I like to pop down to the local hotel and have my dinner.When I have eaten, I like to go to Páirc Tailteann to watch a club championship match. When the match is over, I enjoy going to the Paddy Fitzsimons pub for a pint with...

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome and congratulate the Minister of State. I am delighted that she was appointed to the role because her dedication and passion for her portfolio, when in opposition, was second to none. She is going to be a reforming Minister of State. A very famous television show called "Game of Thrones" had the tagline "winter is coming". For us in this country it really is and it will be a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2020)

Shane Cassells: Yesterday's Cabinet decision to establish a commission on the future of the media in Ireland is to be welcomed. However, the absence of anyone from the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, on this commission is akin to printing a paper without a headline. We would not establish a commission on the future of agriculture, pack it full of stockbrokers and have no one from an agricultural...

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

Shane Cassells: Earlier this week we all received a briefing note from Ms Anne Timoney of the Oireachtas Library and Research Service on vaping and e-cigarettes and the negative health impacts thereof.Although smoking is banned in pubs and public spaces, the obnoxious flavoured fumes emitted by these devices waft freely through the air. Of more concern is the fact that there has been no real debate in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (24 Sep 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the Minister and I will cut right to the chase. Two weeks ago, the Minister conducted a feature interview in The Business Postwith the journalist, Michael Brennan. It was a very large splash. In that interview, the Minister set out his plans for childcare in this country, a practice that is becoming the norm in modern politics whereby politicians brief the newspapers rather than...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (24 Sep 2020)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Minister for his response. He spoke about a review but that review has clearly been prejudiced. Any report on the system has clearly been prejudiced by the interview in the Business Post. I acknowledged a briefing note was provided to Michael Brennan and prepared by civil servants but Mr. Brennan was going to publish it. As a result of this, the Minister has adopted a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: Earlier this week, the Minister with responsibility for children, disability, equality and integration, Deputy Roderic O'Gorman, told fellow Ministers he was undertaking a root and branch review of childcare services to support the delivery of affordable and high-quality school-age early learning. I sincerely hope this Minister grasps that matter. In addressing this review, the Minister...

Seanad: Tourism: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Minister, who is very welcome to the House. I wish her all the best in her new role in a new Department that has responsibility for media. I look forward to working with her as my party's spokesperson in that area not just in discussing the industry here but what is happening internationally. We saw what happened in Hungary last week when the staff of an entire newsroom...

Seanad: Tourism: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: I thank the Cathaoirleach. The fear in the industry, and among the ancillary industries that survive off it, is that the money circulating will be significantly down. The Minster has said that on her worst case scenario figures, that spending could be down by €2.1 billion. In Kerry alone, Ireland's tourism capital, anticipates a loss of €400 million this year. According to...

Seanad: Tourism: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: What about Aer Lingus?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: Last week, the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment stated that the proposed North-South electricity interconnector project should proceed as planned, in other words, utilising overhead pylons, and that he was not interested in any more reviews. Despite the previous reviews he cited ruling out underground options, such options will be considered as part of another...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: I congratulate the Minister on his appointment and I wish him well in his new position. I know his capabilities. He is a very reforming politician. I am delighted this new Department is now being established. I acknowledge what the Minister of State has told the House in respect of the €168 million package of supports. That is welcome.As Senator Ruane said, it is only another step...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: We were always a reforming party for education. Senator Buttimer should remember that.

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: We have to look at the whole picture.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: I join the call to have the new Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Jack Chambers. I congratulate him on his appointment as Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach. Sport rarely gets a hearing in these Houses but we had two notable appointments yesterday. One was the appointment of the Chief Whip and Minister of State at the Department of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2020)

Shane Cassells: I welcome the Leader outlining the very important business today in respect of the Microenterprise Loan Fund (Amendment) Bill 2020. One of the most common parliamentary questions tabled here in the Dáil Chamber asks the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation to outline how many investor visits IDA Ireland has conducted in a particular year and in which counties they took...