Results 1,261-1,280 of 1,356 for speaker:Robbie Gallagher

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Finance Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (14 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I put on record my support for what the previous two speakers said on mortgages. We in Fianna Fáil were slightly disappointed, in particular those of us who come from a Border area, in terms of provisions relating to Brexit. I felt that more could have been done in that regard, specifically for businesses along the Border. Something must be done to cushion them from the future effects...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I would like the Leader to ask the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Richard Bruton, to address the shortage of substitute primary teachers in our primary schools. School principals are reporting that they are finding it increasingly difficult to get substitute teachers on a short or long-term basis. Last week, a number of principals highlighted that in the case of maternity leave...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I too welcome the contributions. Professor Hegarty made an interesting point on private colleges and how we can use that facility to cater not alone for current demand but projected demand going forward. With regard to the current situation in this country and other jurisdictions that Professor Hegarty is aware of, how do the private colleges contribute?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I second the proposal by my colleague, Senator Mark Daly, on No. 27.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Yes. Today is National Missing Persons Day and an event hosted by the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Fitzgerald, is being held at Farmleigh House with some of the affected families. Every year in this country, 9,000 people go missing but, thankfully, most are reunited with their loved ones. It is estimated that approximately 50 to 80 people remain missing and I...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I was delighted to see that representatives of the Defence Forces and Reserve Defence Forces have been presented with a specially commissioned medal to mark the role they played in the 2016 centenary year.The presentation was made by President Higgins last Sunday. The medals are in recognition of the role played by soldiers, sailors and Air Corps personnel in the 1916 commemorative events...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Local Authority Members (1 Dec 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy English, to the House. As Senator Daly has outlined, this issue has been floating around for a while, and some would say for too long. I appeal to the Minister of State, and the Minister to grasp the nettle. We have all recognised that the workload and travel has increased significantly for councillors. Effectively it has become a full-time job....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Exchange Scheme (30 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. The Minister of State is very welcome and I thank him for his attendance. I raise the teacher exchange scheme which is designed to facilitate primary school teachers to temporarily exchange their posts for educational purposes. The minimum period for which they can do this is one year and the maximum period is five years. I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teacher Exchange Scheme (30 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I thank the Minister of State for his response. Most teachers who have taken part in the teacher exchange programme for five years will have set down roots in the area. If the school, local community and teacher in question are happy, it would seem fair and reasonable that a mechanism would be put in place to allow such exchange teachers to make their positions permanent. The issue appears...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Yesterday, Donegal County Council unanimously voted no confidence in the Health Service Executive, HSE. It was an unprecedented move by the councillors and it springs from their total frustration and anger at the lack of availability of health services and the ongoing overcrowding at Letterkenny University Hospital. We heard this morning from Members in various parts of the country about...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: There has been a spike in demand for Irish passports since the Brexit vote. Figures reported by RTE yesterday show that over 700,000 passports have been issued this year to date. Of that 700,000, some 117,000 are from the UK and of that figure, 59,000 are from Northern Ireland. It is time for us to consider locating a passport office in a rural area like County Monaghan, an area that is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome the Minister to the House. I compliment Senator Ruane's contribution. There is enough material in her opening remarks for a debate for another day. I commend her on her heartfelt sentiments on the issues she raised. I want to bring two points to the Minister's attention. On the class S stamp for county councillors, when it comes to the issue of councillors' terms and conditions...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: What about the redundancy payments?

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I want to raise the issue of stroke survivors and the non-availability of rehabilitation facilities for them. An audit was carried out recently by the Irish Heart Foundation, in conjunction with the Health Service Executive's national stroke programme. Unfortunately, it revealed a bleak picture of the services available for thousands of people battling to recover as a result of a stroke....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (24 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome Mr. Cassells and Dr. Doris and thank them, not only for their contributions but for this report which is very thought-provoking, to say the least. Mr. Cassells mentioned that the status quois not an option. I made a point here last week when I spoke to the heads of the universities that we have run out of road on this issue. I was told that not only have we run out of road but an...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I welcome last week's announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills that schools will be paid the minor works grant. I raised this matter shortly after the budget. Schools deserve to know at the start of the year what their grants will be. It is very difficult for boards of management and school principals to plan the year ahead when they do not know what funding they will get....

Seanad: Horticulture Industry: Statements (22 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. The horticulture sector contributes between €350 million and €400 million to agricultural output at farm gate level and provides over 6,000 jobs in the production sector and a further 9,000 jobs in the amenity services sector. In recent years, this sector has been put under increasing pressure from the large...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: I wish to raise the issue of gender imbalance in the primary teaching sector and the message that sends out to our children. An interesting statistic that highlights this problem shows that in the early 1960s, nearly 40% of all primary teachers were male. Today that figure is less than 15%. We need to get a grip on this issue because what kind of message are we sending out to our school...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Nov 2016)

Robbie Gallagher: Brexit requires an all-island approach in order to safeguard the interests of all the people who live on this island.