Results 1,241-1,260 of 3,998 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Residential Tenancies (Deferment of Termination Dates of Certain Tenancies) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome this legislation and we will be supporting it insofar as it goes, in that it is very much an emergency stopgap legislation to deal with the crisis that has evolved. The crisis in a rental sector reaches to every part of the country. My colleague from Galway mentioned a city area. In rural areas everywhere, this problem exists where people who are in accommodation, many of them...

Public Transport: Motion [Private Members] (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I commend my colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, on bringing forward this motion. Public transport needs to be accessible, reliable and safe for people. Accessibility is certainly one of the issues raised in this motion with regard to the western rail corridor for people living in my region in the west and in the Minister of State's region. It is one of the big factors that could be a game changer...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (25 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: 120. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department plans to make supports available for those wishing to introduce solar energy generation on their farms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53170/22]

Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: This Bill is mainly administrative but it contains a large number of minor changes. Some amendments will have positive impacts and the majority of them are very welcome. The delays in courts and the backlogs we have seen have become a serious concern. The ongoing review of the Judiciary and judicial system is reflected in the Bill. The general consensus is that given that much of the...

Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: Deputy Kenny.

Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: You put "Deputy" and "Kenny" together and got "Kennedy".

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I again raise the issue of school bus transport, which has been a huge problem in recent months. Thankfully, the Minister for Education recently announced she was going to introduce a system whereby children who had been on a concessionary ticket last year or who had been entitled to concessionary travel in the past would be allowed on a bus this year, with a provision put in place for that....

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I met with the Garda Commissioner recently and, of the number of issues he outlined to me, one was that we have two economies in this country. We have an international economy whereby people are in very high paid positions in the various technological companies. Many of the gardaí being recruited have skills and we need those skills to deal with cybercrime and all these areas. They...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I appreciate that. In the new work environment that is evolving since Covid-19, more and more people are looking for flexible work arrangements. When everyone else in society is getting flexible work arrangements and when gardaí have very rigid ones, it poses a difficulty and a problem. In respect of that, I want to raise the point that retention and recruitment is also about...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: 3. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties in recruitment and retention in An Garda Síochána; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52718/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: An Garda Síochána (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: The Minister referred to the difficulties in respect of recruitment for the Garda in her response to the previous question. That needs to be addressed. The increase in our population, according to the most recent census, tells us the numbers of gardaí and the civilian capacity of the Garda need to be increased. Many gardaí on the ground are telling me that many people are leaving...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: 1. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide an update on the timelines for appointments of new members of the Judiciary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52628/22]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome the announcement in the budget that we are going to get more of a commitment to ensure that our judicial system, and particularly our courts system, get more resources. I ask the Minister to provide an update on the timelines for the appointment of new members of the Judiciary; and to provide a statement on the matter. Clearly, in many aspects of our Courts Service there are huge...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I understand the situation in regard to the High Court judges, and there has been an improvement in respect of that. However, I think the key area in which we need to see improvement is in the Circuit Courts and District Courts, in particular. Indeed, the whole family law system is hugely backed up. Access to justice is a primary need and a primary right that citizens must have. At the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Judicial Appointments (20 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: I appreciate all of that, but at the same time, we have to recognise that the shortage of judges is having an impact not just on the number of cases going through the courts, but on the full utilisation of the services we have. For instance, there are new court buildings that were established a number of years ago in Limerick. Most of the time, half of the courts there are not being used....

Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: The Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022 is very welcome. It is clear to all of us that this legislation is coming from the pledge that we will implement a zero tolerance strategy, particularly in regard to violence, domestic violence, sexual violence and violence against women. It is very welcome in respect of that. Anything that can support victims of stalking,...

Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (12 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: This legislation comes from the European Union directive. It is welcome that progress is being made on all of these issues. The notion of work-life balance always comes to the fore, as has been mentioned by colleagues, particularly for women who have to balance family life and incorporate work into that life. As the price of houses and the cost of living soar, few families can survive on a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (12 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: 127. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on when the circular related to partial refunds on fees paid before the €1,000 reduction came into effect can be expected by institutions of further and higher education. [50441/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (12 Oct 2022)

Martin Kenny: 128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on when a person (details supplied) can expect their partial refund of fees paid before the €1,000 reduction announced in Budget 2023. [50442/22]

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6: General: Financial Resolution (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: In the context of a budget, we first look at the overall budget and we then get into the detail of each particular section of it. I commend the budget spend this year in the area of justice. There is a clear commitment to provide the numbers of gardaí that we need to see. That is welcome. All those we talk to, whether rank-and-file gardaí or senior members of the force, tell us...