Results 13,281-13,300 of 26,208 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I join my colleagues in wishing Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh all the best. He is going back to familiar pastures in TG4. His family will probably return to some element of normality. A career in politics is very hard on families. People have made reference to being a politician. Whether we admit it or not, we actually enjoy it. We enjoy the buzz of being involved in politics but...

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I suggest that the Minister of State start again. It is only a line or two and we might as well start again.

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: Will the Chair indicate when there is one minute remaining. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael D'Arcy, to the House. I expect Permanent TSB to come before the finance committee next week.

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: We have asked it to come in and I expect it to come in. Its representatives were in with us a little over two weeks ago and to be honest their answers were not up to par. We as a committee, a body representing the ordinary people, need to get answers. We need answers around a couple of areas. We need a proper functioning banking system. We need proper competition in the banking system....

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: We welcome that.

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: Can I make a point of order?

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: In the limited time I had with the Central Bank I asked what was the form of regulation over the loan book administered by the agent. It was based on risk analysis and I asked if the bank went to the premises to carry out audits, to which the reply was that it did not. The level of regulation is more light touch than heavy prudential, as in the other institutions.

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: At 2.30 p.m.-----

Seanad: Sale of Permanent TSB Loan Book: Statements (22 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: At 2.30 p.m. next Tuesday.

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (21 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, for coming to the House. The Minister of State came to Limerick on 1 December 2017 at my invitation. He was very well received. I remember he announced in Castleconnell, when the cameras were there, that he was seeking €1 billion in funding. I am glad that has come to fruition. He announced on the day that Limerick would get €57...

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (21 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: This happens repeatedly in debates. From now on, if a Minister or Minister of State has come in and there are a large number of speakers, we must find some way for a reply, even if it is only an interim response.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (21 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank my colleague, Senator Martin Conway, for tabling this motion. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy English, for attending the debate. He is a regular visitor to the House. Up to €1.8 billion goes into services for people with disabilities. However, there is probably a need for due diligence, a NCT check so to speak, on how particular programmes are working. I did a survey...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Life Insurance Policies (20 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Cathaoirleach for allowing this matter to be raised in the House. This long-standing matter came to my attention when a constituent came to me about a whole-of-life assurance policy he had taken out ten years previously when he was 80 years of age. It was a policy of around €100,000. When he reached 90 years of age, the policy was reviewed. By this stage, he had paid...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Life Insurance Policies (20 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister of State. Based on my experience with these policies, I think legislative change will be required. These policies are being sold as whole-of-life. As the Minister of State said, there is a review every five years. An element which is not pointed out is that people, particularly older people, pay an exorbitant premium, with many taking out the policies, traditionally...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Life Insurance Policies (20 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: Is phenomenal, at about €10,000 a year.

Seanad: National Broadband Plan: Statements (13 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: This is a very important debate. Last Thursday, I thought Fianna Fáil was having a senior moment because it said it wanted the network brought back into public ownership without realising that it had sold it. This is a legacy problem.Regardless of whether they like it, the network should never have been sold.

Seanad: National Broadband Plan: Statements (13 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am just saying this. Once Fianna Fáil sold it-----

Seanad: National Broadband Plan: Statements (13 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: Given that Fianna Fáil sold the network into public ownership, my comments can be made. At the end of the day, this is based not only on a previous action by Fianna Fáil to flog the family silver but also on a current action to effectively forget that. It is like a senior moment or a case of "Who shot JR?" when it comes to who sold the Eircom network.

Seanad: National Broadband Plan: Statements (13 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: With respect, Senator Leyden-----

Seanad: National Broadband Plan: Statements (13 Feb 2018)

Kieran O'Donnell: We need to set the record straight.