Results 12,761-12,780 of 13,291 for speaker:Joe McHugh

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on the motion. I thank my party colleague, Senator Browne, for tabling it. It is a significant national issue but I find it difficult to get away from the parochial aspect of the negative experiences we have had in County Donegal in the past few months, specifically in Inishowen where five young people lost their lives tragically in a car accident....

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I agree. I would like the Minister of State to fast track the implementation of policies and dedicate resources in this regard. I refer to a specific issues in rural areas. A small percentage of young drivers act irresponsibly doing donuts and driving carelessly but they use mobile telephones. They know when gardaí are on duty and they know which crossroads they use to set up checkpoints. If...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: The Minister of State should also explore a mechanism to get them involved in this debate.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I am delighted.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Leader and Senator Callanan for their timely intervention on the single farm payment issue, which I raised last week. They used their good offices to influence the Minister for Agriculture and Food to ensure cheques were paid on time. Inishowen is sometimes mentioned in the negative because of road tragedies and job losses, of which there have been 4,000 in the past six years....

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: It is not a red herring.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I was delighted with that announcement.

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: The Minister for Agriculture and Food has been consistent in her insistence that at least 90% of farmers will be paid the single farm payment before Christmas. I hope that this will be the case but the tentative feedback I have received from different quarters is that only 40% of farmers will be paid before Christmas. I hope this figure is wrong. I ask that inquiries be made through the...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements. (23 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I am delighted to speak on the important issues of housing provision and the construction industry. We live in unprecedented times in terms of the construction of both social and private housing. A figure of 240,000 was mentioned. Will the Minister of State clarify whether this refers to the numbers working directly in the construction...

Seanad: Higher Education Grants. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State and wish her well in future career choices. I have raised this issue before and it is close to the Minister of State's heart. She has acknowledged difficulties in the facilitation and distribution of higher education grants. This issue is usually raised by politicians when they are under pressure from constituents in August, September and October. I raise it...

Seanad: Higher Education Grants. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I thank the Minister of State for outlining that this matter is being dealt with. If she used her influence to resolve the higher education grants issue it would be a nice note on which to end her Dáil career. She would be remembered for it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I support Senator Norris's proposal to debate No. 22. It is important to ventilate topical matters and I ask that the timeframe for doing so be extended to 45 minutes. The case for doing so has been proven today. Many topical issues are restricted from being debated. That is probably one of the reasons Members on this side of House have not debated issues affecting the west-——

Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I second the amendment. The Irish language is thriving in Northern Ireland. There is a new-found hunger among young and not so young people to learn the language. There is a new-found vigour for the language and it is working. In Northern Ireland, learning Irish is not compulsory.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: Will the Leader ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Heath and Children to address the anomaly in the home help sector whereby workers in Sligo and Leitrim are treated differently from those in Donegal in regard to contracts of employment and holiday pay? This should not arise given that there is one overall authority, the HSE. There is also an issue in terms of when workers in different...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: It is relevant.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: He was born in Ramelton. Letterkenny rugby club did more for tourism in forging a link——

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: My question is relevant.

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I am a GAA supporter like the Cathaoirleach but I wish to commend Letterkenny rugby club on the important work it has done in this regard.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: Figary Water Sports Development Company Limited is a private company in Donegal involved in the development of a marina in Fahan, north Donegal since 1998. Some €4 million of its money has been invested to date. Since 1998 it has lobbied for Government assistance or cross-Border funding. Two issues are outstanding and I believe solutions can be found through departmental intervention. These...

Seanad: Hospital Staff. (2 Nov 2005)

Joe McHugh: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House. I am delighted he is present to consider this important matter with respect to the permanent appointment to Letterkenny General Hospital, first, of a consultant breast surgeon. Currently there is an interim appointment of an acting surgeon on a temporary basis. Second, there is an identified need for a consultant colorectal...