Results 1,421-1,440 of 1,588 for speaker:Micheál Carrigy

Seanad: Flood Risk Management: Motion (19 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his work in the Department. His passion for the job was highlighted by Senator Cummins and borne out in a recent television interview about the legal logjam that has resulted in the scheme to which Senator Murphy referred being held up. I welcome the motion put forward by Senator Garvey and other Green Party Members. It is a matter now of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: In the context of our debate yesterday on peat, a press release was issued by Friends of the Environment which stated that X number of tonnes of peat were exported out of the country. The purpose of that press release was to try and negate the debate we had yesterday. I remind Friends of the Environment that we live in the EU free market.We have the best quality peat in the EU. The reality...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. Throughout last year and this year, Growing Media Ireland and the Irish Farmers' Association, IFA, on behalf of horticultural peat producers, highlighted the many substitutes to peat, but said that, in 2021, there is not a sufficient quantity of alternatives available that are affordable, sustainable and of the quality required. They said that...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: It is important to note that this concerns a legal and a planning issue. Sometimes the media does not highlight that it was not a Government decision, but in fact a decision of the courts. Companies including Klasmann Deilmann - I spoke to Kevin Mahon outside Leinster House, and Ronan, Joe and others who have trucks and employees working at company on the Longford-Westmeath border - made an...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Infrastructure (12 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I tabled this Commencement matter in response to recent reports of a potential energy shortage in the next 24 months. This is very worrying for many house owners and businesses. We also had discussions on whether we should grant permissions to develop data centres which, in general, do not provide jobs, although many of the companies developing those centres employ thousands of people here....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Infrastructure (12 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I do not know what to say, to be honest. I am disappointed. The application is cognisant of the fact of developments in anaerobic digestion and injecting biogas.It is not a case of just looking for a pipeline in a business case scenario because the reality is that the business case is not strong. It is strong, however, when other things are taken into account, such as providing that AD and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: Last Friday 88 branches of the Bank of Ireland throughout the country closed. This is another blow to the rural economy. Along with that went the only ATM machine in a number of towns. One of those towns was Granard in County Longford where the local credit union has applied for planning permission to install an ATM at its facility. When that happens, I urge people to support their credit...

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber to discuss the budget today. I thank the Minister of State and the Ministers, Deputies Donohoe and Michael McGrath, for their stewardship of our economy throughout the pandemic and for making sure that supports for families and businesses were put in place. I want to concentrate on the measures in the areas in the Department for which I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I want to raise a couple of issues ahead of the budget. My own family are involved in the coach and bus business. We all know the tourism industry has been decimated. The cost of fuel has risen far ahead of what it is in Northern Ireland. The fact is that operators cannot reclaim VAT on diesel whereas those in the North can, so they are now totally uncompetitive when compared with the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to raise a couple of issues. Many of my colleagues have spoken about the national development plan and the welcome investment that will happen in the coming years. I want to highlight a couple of issues in the plan, in particular the upgrades to the Dublin to Sligo railway line. The upgrades are happening on the Dublin to Mullingar leg of the journey. Longford is the first point...

Seanad: Dyslexia Awareness Week: Statements (6 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State. I was struck by Senator Murphy's comment about years ago. Thirty years ago, I am not sure whether the words "dyslexia" and "autism" were even in the English language. A large number of the kids in question were at the back of the class and sometimes did not get a chance in life. Thankfully, that has changed and people are getting opportunities. I welcome...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I second Senator Fitzpatrick's comments. This issue is becoming extremely prevalent on our streets in all the towns and villages. Going home from Dublin on a Friday evening, I used to notice the large numbers of youths out with drink and so on. You need only have watched "Claire Byrne Live" last night to see images that are replicated in every single town around the country. I am a firm...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I do not think I will be going to that nightclub tonight. Those days are well behind me. I wish to raise an issue relating to Housing for All. I have spoken to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and to my local authority. I fully back the Government's plans, but there is an issue when it comes to affordable housing, that is, that under the matrix that is used as to...

Seanad: National Lottery (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (29 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: The Minister of State is very welcome. I am delighted to support this Bill. It is important to state that I am a national lottery agent. I will put that on the record. I speak on behalf of the 5,500 retailers who have licences throughout the country. As I said, I am one of them. Emails were recently sent by another organisation claiming that lobbying took place with regard to putting...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Impact of Covid-19 on National Cultural Institutions: Discussion (29 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome all the witnesses. I thank them for the work they do in maintaining and looking after our rich heritage. Covid has given us more of an appreciation of what is around us in our culture, history and surroundings. We have had more time to look at that. There is a bright future for our museum sector, etc. Evening and night-time events were mentioned and I noticed in my county of...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Impact of Covid-19 on National Cultural Institutions: Discussion (29 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I would like to comment on a couple of points Ms Heaney made about learning from our history and planning for our future. They were very apt words. Over the summer months, I did a day trip to Dublin with my kids. We visited Dublin Zoo and Collins Barracks and I thought it was very interesting, not just for them but for me. We, as parents, people in the education system and the Oireachtas...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I wish to raise two issues, the first of which is the loss of commercial rates in the local authority in my home, Longford, and in Offaly, with the closure of the power plants. I acknowledge that funding was made available for 2021 but no commitments have yet been given for the period 2022 onwards. Just transition was in place out to 2027. However, that has not happened and my county is...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her for her comprehensive statement. It is an understatement to say that Covid has had a devastating effect on a number of sectors, in particular the aviation sector which has been largely shut for 18 months. That has had a knock-on effect for the tourism industry. Tens of thousands of people have lost their jobs and others have seen...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: I am speaking in place of Senator Joe O'Reilly, who is on business with the Council of Europe. I welcome the Minister back from his UN visit where he again served our country with distinction, as he normally does. I record my support and that of my colleagues for all the work the Minister undertakes in the Departments of Defence and Foreign Affairs on behalf of the State. He is a man of...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Sep 2021)

Micheál Carrigy: Next Tuesday.