Results 1,181-1,200 of 5,746 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish to seek a point of clarification. Forgive me because my hearing is not the best. The Minister said he sees capacity to deal with the county councillor issue at the regulation stage when regulations are being put in place. Is the Minister telling me that all is not lost in that regard? The answer to that question will inform a lot of what I do from here on out.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: As a member of the Royal British Legion and former member of the Royal Irish Rangers and a colleague of the many who served in Her Majesty's forces who now live in the Republic of Ireland, I would like to express my sympathies on their behalf. Her Majesty when she visited Ireland won the hearts of the nation of Ireland in a few short words and she is indeed a sad loss. I ask also that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: As someone who travels in taxis around Dublin all the time, I believe we are in serious danger of losing the service, or at least the quality and volume of service one would expect. The costs involved in running taxis, between fuel and insurance, seem to have gone through the ceiling. There are companies that lease the cars to drivers but I am not sure how that works. Is that in danger of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Mr. McGuinness is losing people from the single licence holders as well, is that correct? A number of them are beginning to withdraw now as it is no longer worth their while to be-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I might say, just listening to the speakers-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: First and foremost, I have huge empathy-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: They are in a profession that everybody loves to complain about.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I have huge sympathy with all of the speakers today, particularly the individuals who are running the place on their own. I was in a taxi the other day and learned they got an increase from the regulator. The car has to go in and have the meter adjusted. Surely to God in the modern day we should have meters that can be adjusted at the touch of a button. Regarding the rule, I totally...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Issues Impacting the Taxi Industry: Discussion (14 Sep 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I will make no comment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: To put things in context, since early May I have taken four flights out of the country and returned. I want to put it on record the fact that the experience from the worst time to the best time has been much better in Ireland than in other parts of Europe. I also want to put on record the work of the DAA. I am absolutely blown away by how quickly the DAA has dealt with the problems and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: On 30 June, I was at terminal 2 for a number of hours because I had family going through the airport in different groups. I observed the queues for Aer Lingus flights and observed families with young children who were 25 minutes in the queue. The Aer Lingus staff checked them in straightaway because they recognised that it is difficult to keep children controlled and I give the staff full...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Customers will be waiting a long time because most of Aer Lingus’s flights are well full these days, from what I can see.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I refer to baggage handling, which applies to DAA as well. We went through a two-year period where we had to deal with Covid. Out of all the governments in Europe - I am not a member of the Government party - the Irish Government laid on significant supports for companies to retain staff. I do not accept that staff went off and found new or better jobs, because there was nowhere to go to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I wish to make one last point. The Chair mentioned the Defence Forces. As a former member of the Defence Forces and one that was nominated to the Seanad by the Defence Forces, among others, I take grave exception to the Defence Forces being requested to go in and dig these organisations out of a hole. I fully understand the needs of the public and the needs of the airport to maintain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I sincerely hope they will not, but they should never have been asked. I will leave it at that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Situation at Dublin Airport: Discussion (26 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Sorry, what airport is the Senator talking about?

Seanad: Animal Welfare: Motion (14 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank Senator O’Reilly for tabling this motion. I am devastated by what I just heard about Dublin Zoo. The minute the Minister of State leaves here, she must contact people to get them out to the zoo to see exactly what is going on. If even only a tiny portion of what she has been told is true, it is outrageous. When I think about how I and other people bring their grandchildren...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I do many things but to repeat the same advice would be futile. The advice is very clear. One of the problems we have in dealing with this issue is that nobody in this room is an expert. The only expertise that has been involved in the drafting of this Bill is from the very people the Bill is designed to regulate. Four people lost their lives because of poor regulation, lack of oversight...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I have a few points to make. The Attorney General is one distinguished lawyer. The advice that was read into the record was prepared by another distinguished lawyer. I do not believe any lawyer is more qualified than another, lest a court adjudges the positions of both parties and makes a decision. The Attorney General's advice holds no more water for me than the advice that was read into...