Results 101-120 of 3,639 for speaker:Michael Collins

Maximising Artificial Intelligence: Statements (19 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I welcome the Minister of State to her new position. I wish her the very best of luck. Artificial intelligence is no longer a concept for the future. It is here and it is already transforming businesses across every sector. From automating routine tasks to analysing vast amounts of data in seconds, AI is driving efficiency, reducing costs and enabling businesses to innovate like never...

Provision of Special Education: Motion [Private Members] (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I congratulate both Ministers on their new positions and wish them the best. There are nowhere near enough special school places or classes in west Cork in my constituency. In cases where teachers suspect a child may have autism, there is a wait of 27 months to get an assessment. This is a serious issue for families who are left in limbo for 27 or even 28 months. Imagine that. We find...

Mental Health: Statements (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I welcome both Ministers of State to their positions and wish them the very best. One of the most significant criticisms concerns the persistent underdevelopment of mental health infrastructure. While the Government has announced initiatives such as the expansion of child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and the development of new specialist teams, the reality on the ground...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: We will have a debate on Thursday about the importance of agrifood to the Irish economy and I call for an extension of time on that debate. Some Deputies will only have one minute 35 seconds to discuss this. We have a lot of issues relating to agriculture that need to be discussed, especially the highest level of TB in a generation in this country - it has gone up 44%. Irish agriculture is...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Licences (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 231. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if an application (details supplied) will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6065/25]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 235. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason a person (details supplied) is waiting since November 2024 for a retest; if he will expedite a test for the person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6152/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Culture Policy (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 400. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for a full breakdown of what grants and funding is available for festivals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6127/25]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 664. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if an IPAS application has been submitted for a location (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6169/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products (18 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 798. To ask the Minister for Health to provide an update on the recommendation arising from the inquest of a person (details supplied) for the putting in place of a national policy to oversee the administration of unlicensed medicines in Ireland, which would be referred to as Ava's Protocol; the details of the process and the expected date when this protocol will be enacted; and if she will...

Road Safety: Statements (13 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I have often raised the issue of speed limits this week. I was on two radio programmes this morning explaining the situation and the crisis we in west Cork find ourselves in. There are so many roads, including local roads, and we did not have an issue. There will always be someone complaining. We accept that many of the speed limits had to move from 80 km/h to 60 km/h. I sympathise with...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Visa Applications (13 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 249. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to review the case of a person (details supplied) with a pending visa renewal. [5275/25]

Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (12 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I will beg the indulgence of the Ceann Comhairle to welcome Ryan McKeowan and Zoe Bell to the Gallery. In 2025, super junior Ministers in Ireland receive a total annual salary package of approximately €200,000. Junior Ministers have an additional ministerial salary of €45,846. There is a super junior allowance of €16,000 and an additional travel allowance worth up...

Programme for Government: Statements (Resumed) (12 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: On the programme for Government, I listened with interest to the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, saying the reason we would not go into Government with Independent Ireland was our climate plan. I am amazed that he went into Government with Independents who had no policies put in place. That is astonishing. It looks like they wrote them on the back of an A4 page a couple of days...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (12 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I thank the Minister of State. He said this decision was delayed and we know why. It was because a general election was coming. It is a hugely unpopular decision about our regional and national roads. Our councillors made queries about local roads and were told that it was basically dictated from the top. That is what the Independent Ireland councillors were told when they raised...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (12 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. Speed limits have been reduced on many roads in the past week. All these roads were deemed local roads and most people I have spoken to have no issue in the wide, earthly world with that. Where I am living, one of the roads had a limit of 80 km/h but motorists could not do 80 km/h unless they were out of their minds. The best they...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: We in Independent Ireland would like a discussion on the new speed limits that are causing serious concerns all over the country. They went down from 80 km/h to 60 km/h on the local routes, which most people accepted, but now we are being told that speed limits on regional routes, which are the main routes into a lot of a our constituencies, are going from 100 km/h to 80 km/h and from 80...

Government’s Response to Storm Éowyn: Statements (Resumed) (6 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: I extend my sincere gratitude to the Irish and international workers for their tremendous efforts to date. I am fully aware of the hardships faced by many, especially in the west and parts of the midlands. I happened to be in Whitehall and Castlebrock, Longford, over the weekend and witnessed the extensive damage at first hand, with trees lying across roads and houses with large trees...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (6 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: 35. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to expedite a driving test for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3800/25]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: The increased VAT rate on the hospitality sector has left a total of 612 hospitality businesses closed in the past 12 months throughout the country. I acknowledge that in the programme for Government a reduction in the VAT rate is planned for the hospitality sector but for hundreds of cafés, restaurants and hairdressers this will be too little, too late. After much pleading, the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Feb 2025)

Michael Collins: Can it be done immediately?