Results 1,161-1,180 of 2,118 for speaker:Michael Mullins

Seanad: Order of Business (30 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: They are doing excellent work. We need to be vigilant. It is shocking and appalling that the inspectorate has been found to be so inadequate. We need legislation to be passed quickly to improve child care standards in the country. People are paying significant amounts of money to have their children taken care of on a daily basis. They need to know they are safe and are getting the best...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Africa Week: Discussion with Value Added in Africa (29 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I, too, welcome Mr. O’Caoimh. His organisation is quite small. It has two staff and four interns. Are there other such organisations promoting African goods in Ireland? Having listened to the comments around the table, I believe it is no wonder that the ratio is 43:1. People are generally unaware of where they can purchase African goods. Getting away from the concept of aid and...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Margareta Wahlström (29 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I am very pleased to welcome our very special guest for this very important dialogue. We are indeed honoured to have such a distinguished guest as the special representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations with responsibility for disaster risk reduction. I have done some research on our guest. Ms Wahlström has a glittering career, spanning more than 30 years in...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I reiterate my call made last week for a discussion with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of the situation in Syria, particularly in the light of the failure of European Union Foreign Ministers to agree a unanimous position on the supply of arms to rebels in that country. There will be a window of opportunity in the coming months to address the situation. In this...

Seanad: Diesel Laundering: Statements (23 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I must stop the Senator there.

Seanad: Diesel Laundering: Statements (23 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I gave the Senator a fair bit of leeway.

Seanad: Diesel Laundering: Statements (23 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brian Hayes, to the House and ask him to make his address.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I support Senator Sheahan's call for a pre-budget debate. I like his idea of introducing a scheme that would kick-start activity in the construction sector. Many Senators have innovative ideas that they would like the Minister for Finance to consider for the forthcoming budget. My main reason for rising is to ask the Leader a question. In light of the deteriorating situation in Syria, will...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: It would be appropriate to extend our sympathies to the people of Oklahoma who have lost so many people over the last number of days, particularly to the parents of the school children who lost their lives. It puts in context our difficulties as parents. They pale into insignificance when we see what the people of Oklahoma have had to endure in recent times. There has been much talk about...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP (16 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: Does Deputy Higgins wish to respond to the various contributions now? Perhaps we will take questions from some other Senators now and Deputy Higgins can reply to them all together.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP (16 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I think some Members would like to ask questions at this stage.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP (16 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: Each Senator can ask at least two questions. I ask them to try to confine their contributions to one minute each.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Jim Higgins, MEP (16 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: Does Senator Ó Clochartaigh have a question?

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I wish the continuing talks at the Labour Relations Commission well and hope there will be a successful outcome to the bus drivers' dispute. I also hope we will also a successful outcome to the Croke Park II negotiations. A few weeks ago the Department of Health issued Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing 2013-2025, a framework for action aimed at improving our...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I support Senator Kelly's call for a debate with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources about fuel costs in this country. The Senator is perfectly correct that there are huge variations in prices. Certainly, one can get very good value in Ballindine, County Mayo. Birr in County Offaly is another town where I encountered much lower fuel prices than in my own area. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices: Discussion with Association of County and City Councils (14 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the delegates, all of whom I know and have met many times over the years. Having served on an enterprise board for a number of years in a county that boasted of having a very successful board, I am pleased to welcome the delegates to hear their presentation. Many very successful businesses that have operated in my county, Galway, over the years got a start from the county...

Seanad: Fodder Crisis: Statements (9 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: The Senator's time is up.

Seanad: Fodder Crisis: Statements (9 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I thank the Minister. Spokespersons will have eight minutes and other speakers will have five. I will allow a facility for sharing, if that is required. I call first on Senator Ó Domhnaill, who I understand is sharing three minutes with Senator Leyden. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Overseas Development Issues: Statements (9 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: The Minister of State has said we do not have an embassy in Zimbabwe.

Seanad: Overseas Development Issues: Statements (9 May 2013)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and compliment him on the launch of Ireland's new policy on international development, One World, One Future. It builds on the solid foundation of the White Paper on Irish Aid, published in 2006, and the 2012 comprehensive review and public consultation process, which the Minister of State led with independent oversight by the Irish Aid Expert...