Results 1,261-1,280 of 3,998 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I raise the issue of section 39 workers, some of whom are considering taking industrial action in the coming weeks because of the situation they are in. They cannot get a pay rise or increments. We all know and understand that the work they do is vital to our society. They work with people with disabilities, children with autism and so on. Most of them are professionals who are very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Data Protection Regulation Enforcement: Discussion (22 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank our guests for their participation and interest in all of this. I guess the unique position Ireland is in, in having so many of the big tech companies here, puts that huge emphasis and burden on the Irish system. Of course, we recognise that every country in Europe has similar issues. Many issues have been raised and I fully accept that our guests know that the work we did in the...

Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I am pleased to speak to this legislation. Online safety affects all of our lives and we all experience the issue. It is particularly acute when we think of children and young people at a very vulnerable age. All of us can be annoyed and frustrated by things that are said about us online and so on. For adults it is not as big an issue but it certainly is a big issue for younger people....

Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome the Minister of State to his new post and wish him all the very best for the time ahead. This legislation is clearly necessary. We have had considerable direct investment into Ireland, the vast majority of which has been very successful. IDA Ireland has done an excellent job. International corporations have employed many people in many regions of the country and have not just...

National Retrofit Plan: Motion [Private Members] (20 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I commend my colleague, Deputy O'Rourke, on bringing forward the motion. It is very clear that the retrofit scheme the Government has in place is not working and not delivering for very many people the length and breadth of the country, particularly those on middle incomes, who may be paying down a mortgage and who have all the other various issues in life to try to deal with. They simply...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: In the past year, on numerous occasions, I have raised with the Minister of Justice and, indeed, the Minister of Transport, the need for a public transport policing service to be put in place in this country, especially as we have seen, over the past number of months, serious attacks on people both on the public transport service and on some of the drivers of buses etc. A driver in Cavan was...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Job Losses (15 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: 7. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will provide an update on the engagement that his Department has had with the people of Collooney, County Sligo following the loss of 80 jobs with the closure of a site (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45172/22]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: Iron lady.

Ceisteanna - Questions: European Parliament (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I also raise the issue of energy. We know the emergency meeting of EU energy ministers last week in Brussels was to discuss a cap or some way to control energy prices across Europe. That is welcome and needs to happen. It is accepted the challenges may be long term in nature. The Taoiseach referred to that today and we all know that. Much of this comes from the brutal war being inflicted...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: Nearly a year has passed since the Government agreed the redress scheme for mother and baby home survivors, many of whom are elderly and getting on in life. I seek a reassurance from the Taoiseach that the legislation to progress this scheme will be published and that the scheme will be opened as a matter of urgency. As we know, many of the unfortunate survivors of these homes are at the...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I understand that.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: It meets so infrequently.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Bodies (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: The review of the confidential committee testimony.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Reports (14 Sep 2022)

Martin Kenny: I want to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, DSGBV, which was launched before the summer. Of course, the decision by the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, to publish the strategy’s implementation plan was also welcome. It placed an emphasis and on obligation on all relevant Departments, including the...

Summer Economic Statement: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle was reading the list of various Topical Issue matters, it brought into focus what we are talking about here. While the summer economic statement may paint a rosy picture, when you listen to those matters raised, you hear of all the various issues throughout the country that are affecting people. These are the issues of services mainly that are so devoid in so...

Rent Reduction Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (13 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: We support the Bill. We see spiralling rents in every part of the country. I raised Knocknashee and Tobercurry with the Taoiseach a couple of months ago. People there were paying €800 a month in rent, then the landlord increased it to €1,500 a month overnight. That happened to ten people in a housing estate, because the landlord owned many houses there. The Government made...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank all the witnesses. I have a couple of small points to make because some of my questions have already been asked. It seems to me that the old adage about the war on drugs not working is very true. That war has generally been on the supply side. We have always been trying to stop supply, find the people who are supplying it, find the dealers and cut them out. We need to look more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: Does Dr. Capaz understand the dilemma that this presents from the point of view of getting this situation to work in a way that means the State does not become an advocate for the illegal supply of drugs?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I thank Dr. Capaz. That is useful. I would like to hear the views of the other contributors on that issue. As has been said, we use a lot of other drugs in our society all the time. Tobacco has been mentioned. Alcohol probably causes more harm in Irish society than most things because we have huge issues with it. However, we regulate it. We know the strength of the bottle of whiskey or...

Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Martin Kenny: I welcome the Bill. As has been said, a few weeks ago we tabled a motion which set out the major problems with this issue across the country. We all acknowledge the serious lack of investment in special needs education over the years. The provisions in the Bill dealing with special needs education go some way to dealing with that. The section 37A process gives a lever for a Minister to...