Results 1,561-1,580 of 5,918 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Medical Bureau of Road Safety: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank Dr. Bedford very much for being here. I was watching the meeting online from the Seanad.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Medical Bureau of Road Safety: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: The only thing I ever have to say to chair designates who come in here is that I am sorry we have wasted their time by bringing them here. We do not have any yea or nay over the appointment of chairs. This is purely a formality. However, today's engagement with Dr. Bedford has been far wider than just being a formality. I thank him for his engagement and for his willingness to engage with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I hope they are putting out plenty of fake news.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I immediately retract it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Totally.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I always put it on the record when a chair-designate comes before us that I hate wasting his or her time because as a committee, we cannot say "No, the individual should not be employed." At the end of the day, it is a courtesy call really. That said, the engagement this afternoon has been really interesting. My impression of Shannon Airport, the cohesiveness and dedication of the staff...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I was in Galway at the weekend and I purchased the Connacht Tribune. When I opened it, a piece of marketing material about Shannon fell out. It gave me a little bit of confidence that somebody somewhere is doing something to try to drive the airport. I do not understand why there is not a bus route from the major population centres straight to Shannon Airport four or five times a day, even...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Shannon Group: Chairperson Designate (25 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: My first flight out of Shannon was in 1968. It was a comfortable place to visit then and is still a very comfortable place. I am not going to waste any more of Mr. Henry's time. I am very happy for him. I think the Minister has picked a good man for the job and I wish him the very best as he moves forward. I am sure my colleagues from County Clare will have lots more questions for him so...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. In recent times capital projects have been questioned. People ask how the national children's hospital went from €600 million to possibly €2 billion, or more. It is no secret that I have had a huge interest in search and rescue. I have been spending a considerable amount of my time and that of the House trying to get to the bottom of what...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: It is the first time the Senator was ever called that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I thank the Chairman. The gentlemen are very welcome. As a leader of a trade union in a former life, I only wish I had the commitment the IPU officers have. Their work on behalf of the members is second to none. The more questions we have heard this afternoon the more depressed I have become. I am almost about to go over to our guests and tell them to do themselves a favour by shutting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I would like the following to find its way into any report we might do: modern life and modern governance requires there is a return on investment by way of profit or whatever to the State. If we are going to give post offices €12 million we want to see what we are going to get back out of it. However, some things in life simply are not quantifiable. Mr. O'Hara put his finger on it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Do the post offices get a transaction payment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: If I buy stuff online or whatever-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: Banks get a kickback on everything they do. I appreciate what Grant Thornton did and the macro view from a purely commercial point of view, but there is a side to the post office that is not commercial and cannot be quantified. I do not know how we can square that circle, and there is no answer the witnesses can give me today. I have listened to their answers and everything else. Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: On that very question, back in the day when I was a kid myself, when we were at school we had a post office savings book. I think it was stamps at the time, if I am not mistaken. We used to buy penny stamps or something and we would save up a fiver for Christmas or whatever. Do children use the saving services of the post office or do they all use the bank?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: I hope I have not reduced the union's argument by insisting there should be a public service fee available to postmasters and postmistresses. The sum of €12 million is a small amount of money to keep them alive.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: As the Chair is speaking, I am thinking of my home county of Galway and the town of Athenry. Monivea and Menlo which are two small villages outside of Athenry. All have post offices. The banks are moving away from places such as Athenry and it is difficult to carry out any banking transaction. If Monivea and Menlo post offices close, then it does not matter what age I am, if I want to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Future of An Post Network: Discussion (18 May 2022)

Gerard Craughwell: One cannot pay for that.