Results 15,001-15,020 of 26,043 for speaker:Kieran O'Donnell

Seanad: Outcome of UK Referendum on EU Membership: Motion (21 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I move:That Seanad Éireann holds a comprehensive debate over a number of days on the results of the UK Referendum on EU membership and its implications for the island of Ireland: as part of this debate, Seanad Éireann would invite a range of persons to appear before it, including:- the Taoiseach and relevant Ministers; - Irish and Northern Ireland MEPs; - the First and Deputy...

Seanad: Outcome of UK Referendum on EU Membership: Motion (21 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I hope the Brexit debate will begin on the second sitting day after the summer recess.

Seanad: Action Plan for Housing: Statements (20 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Simon Coveney, for whom it has been a long day. I commend him for this ambitious and bold document. One of the key instruments of housing has to be the old-fashioned building programme undertaken by the local authorities. The Minister is to put 47,000 social units in place by 2021. Already that work is under way in Limerick. The Minister announced €9...

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: Who will the Senator be sharing with?

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: The Senator might get into the flow.

Seanad: Tax and Social Welfare Codes: Motion (19 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the Minister. I commend Senator Butler for putting this motion before the House. It is a topic that has been around since time immemorial and it must be dealt with. I will discuss it in a practical way. I was self employed for many years and, as an accountant, I worked with the self employed. They were my bread and butter, my business. There are anomalies that must be dealt...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: Ministers come in here quite frequently. Invariably, many of the debates are adjourned. It would be good practice for the Minister to be given the last five minutes of every debate to respond. The debate on broadband last week involving the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources contained very new and fresh information. The questions put from the floor were very...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: Could I get clarification on the point because it is something I feel strongly about? The Cathaoirleach is saying that-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: It is possible on any one day-----

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Noonan, who has just stepped out, and the Minister of State, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. The economy has recovered very well over the last number of years. There has been much debate about the CSO figures in the last number of days. The underlying figures we should be looking at are consumer spending, which has gone up by about 5%, and unemployment which is down to...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have two items to raise. The first item is a positive story for Limerick. Yesterday, I was present at an event at which Limerick city formally put in its bid to be the European Capital of Culture 2020 and I wish to commend everyone involved. It showed Limerick in the best possible light. I think a decision is being made later this week and I hope that Limerick will be announced as the...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: They must be doing a lot.

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I commend Senator Dolan on his introduction of the motion. I know him of old from his role in the disability area. It is something in which I have a particular interest and on which we can all agree. There are a number of aspects to the issue. I can only speak from my first-hand experiences in Limerick, where the main service providers in residential settings include the Daughters of...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Minister, Deputy Bruton, for coming to the House to take this issue. It is a very important issue for parents and pupils in the constituency of Limerick City. I want to clarify a number of points with the Minister. The two schools in question are for the Dooradoyle, Raheen and Mungret area to be based in Mungret, and the greater Castletroy area. They are known as the Limerick...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I have two quick questions. The demographics report to which the Minister referred and which was published in 2015 specifically recommended that one school should be provided in the Mungret-Dooradoyle-Raheen area and that a second school should be provided in the greater Castletroy area. That was based on the demographics in those particular locations. It is very important that extra...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: This is critical because these schools were recommended on the basis of the increase in the number of school-going children in those particular locations. It is extremely important to factor that into the assessment.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I appreciate that.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I support my colleagues who raised the issue of public procurement. It affects booksellers today and others on other days. As a matter of urgency, we should invite to the House the Minister of State at the Department of Finance with responsibility for public procurement, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, to have a debate on this issue.Up and down the country, SMEs are losing contracts for a service...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I want to speak about Brexit. The Seanad is very much a debating Chamber and, therefore, it should be at the forefront of a debate on Brexit. I ask the Leader and the Leas-Chathaoirleach to arrange a debate on the Brexit issue that would involve Irish MEPs, which has been done in the past in respect of other matters. I also ask the Leader to invite the First Minister and Deputy First...

Seanad: Communications, Climate Action and the Environment: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Kieran O'Donnell: I welcome the Minister to the House and wish him well. As he said, he has had a break of 19 years from the House. I have no doubt he will be excellent in his portfolio. I wish to speak about broadband, particularly in the context of Limerick, where I live, and the area I represent, the Limerick City constituency, and more particularly in the context of the rural part of east Limerick. The...