Results 1,361-1,380 of 5,046 for speaker:Paschal Mooney

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: Notwithstanding the ruling on the amendments, we are of the opinion that there needs to be some flexibility on qualifying payments. We tabled an amendments to section 8 which states, “(3) Where a qualified adult as defined under this section is temporarily resident outside the state in order to provide care for an ill relative, the provisions as outlined under this section shall not...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: The Minister will then have to engage in a new round of competitive tendering.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: What about after six?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: The Minister might outline who was involved in the contract. How many companies were there and what were the terms of the contract? It seems to me that this is an area where Government could word legislation in such a way as to ensure that an entity like An Post would be the obvious choice to win a tender if the other competing interests could not provide the type of service its network can...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: They could not compete with the post office network. There is no one.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: We are opposing the section. I was not going to engage in debate on this. It is inevitable that, because of the wording of the various amendments concerning section 3, the Minister and Senator Cullinane will engage on this at the heart of the debate. I have just a couple of points. Will the Minister outline the terms of the contract? Of course I congratulate An Post. This is not my first...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: Due to the close relationship between this country and America, all sides of the House would like to join me in wishing American citizens in this country and in the wider United States a happy 4 July, which is on Friday. Also, in the context of the outstanding performance by the United States team in the World Cup, which sadly went out last night having put up one of the bravest fights...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Paschal Mooney: We thought it might have gone to a penalty shootout. Who knows what would have happened then? It did not, unfortunately, but I am sure the Deputy Leader would like to convey the good wishes of the House to the new ambassador, Mr. O'Malley, and raise with the Tánaiste and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade ongoing negotiations on the J1 graduates visa, which is due to expire in...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: The Government keeps trotting out this figure but what is the context? The context was an economic downturn.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the Minister. As she will be aware, a number of our amendments were rejected in the other House and, consequently, we are not supportive of the Bill. We admit that social protection payments provide vital support for people and at a time of constrained budgets, it is vital that the budget is spent in the most effective manner possible. Effective control measures are essential to...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (25 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I join the tributes to the late former Senator, Sam McAughtry, and endorse the welcome extended to his daughters, Marion, Elaine and Angela. The Leader gave a comprehensive overview of Sam's life. When one considers the remarkable contribution he made over a long period, it would take much longer than the time available today to go into his life in...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I second the amendment proposed by Senator Brian Ó Domhnaill. I seek to draw the attention of the House to a document circulated by Seamus Dooley, general secretary of the National Union of Journalists, seeking urgent support for its campaign against the imprisonment of al-Jazeera journalists by an Egyptian court. Al-Jazeera journalists Peter Greste and Mohamed Fahmy have been...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I sat through nearly all of this debate and commend the Minister again on his initiative, bravery and courage because he and the staff in the Department of Health know better than most that this is a very powerful industry. The most insidious aspect of the opposition to the legislation is the involvement of the American Chamber of Commerce with the subliminal message that it would somehow...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: The tobacco industry will continue to fight a rear-guard action against this legislation. I appreciate the convention is that regulations are laid before both Houses. However, this does not necessarily oblige that there be a debate on them. Due to the large number of statutory instruments passed by the Government, few of them come on to the floor of this House. I recall only one over the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Drinks Industry and Rural Economy: Discussion (24 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: Go raibh maith agat. I also wish to welcome the presentations. If I were cynical I might think that this debate was about Diageo rather than anything else. Let us think about this matter from an agricultural perspective. I congratulate Ms Byrne on her initiative. I know from having limited experience of a distillery that has been set up in my home town of Drumshambo, County Leitrim, that...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I wish the banking inquiry committee the best of luck in its endeavours. It is meeting for the first time this morning and I hope it will expedite matters, rather than drag them out, as appeared to be suggested, with a political agenda in mind. In a month during which the Minister for Social Protection has been out on the hustings and reassuring Labour Party members that she has learned the...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I am aware of that, but I raise the issue in the context of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill. Perhaps the Leader might indicate when it is intended to take that Bill because I am referring certain provisions contained in it. On an unrelated matter, the continuing sectarian war in the Middle East is a source of great concern. It might appear that it involves countries about which we in...

Seanad: Public Health (Standardised Packaging of Tobacco) Bill 2014: Second Stage (17 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I wish to share my time with Senator Ó Domhnaill. I welcome the Minister. I wish to endorse everything that has been said. This Bill is probably as significant, in terms of the impact it will have on the general health of the population, as that of the former Minister, Deputy Micheál Martin, which introduced the smoking ban and hopefully that legacy will remain for all time and...

Seanad: Industrial Development (Forfás Dissolution) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: I welcome the passing of the Bill and endorse everything the Minister has said about continuing efficiency in an important area that is central to our economic development. I wish it well.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Anne Brasseur (Resumed) (12 Jun 2014)

Paschal Mooney: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group I am honoured to welcome Ms Brasseur to the Upper House. It is an historic day not only for us, but, as she outlined, for her as she is addressing a full Parliament during her tenure as president. As was already outlined, Ireland is a founder member of the Council of Europe and has a very proud history and tradition of participation in it. I could not...