Results 1,661-1,680 of 3,646 for speaker:Michael Collins

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Michael Collins: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving us the opportunity to speak. It is very difficult for us to watch our time slots. As has been mentioned, often, Government politicians do not turn up for their slots. They fail to turn up, even though it is hugely important for them to speak on these issues for the people they represent. You could easily lose a speaking slot even if you are in a safe...

Finance (Covid-19 and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Jul 2021)

Michael Collins: I, too, ask that the Ceann Comhairle give us the opportunity to speak.

Land Development Agency Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I appreciate being given the opportunity to speak to the amendments before us. I will speak about housing, an issue I have spoken about since 2016. I do not point the finger at the Minister because he has been most helpful with housing issues in west Cork that I have approached him about. I raise urgent issues which need to be addressed in relation to the provision of homes for young...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (30 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: Tourism continues to be a shining light throughout County Cork. Walking tourism in west Cork is worth €14 million to the local economy and is growing from year to year. There are some spectacular walks, including the Beara way, Sheep's Head way and Seven Heads way, as well as Mizen Head, to name but a few. Some 695 landowners, mainly farmers, maintain these west Cork trails for the...

Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (30 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I fully agree and support this Bill. This Bill strengthens the rights of retired workers regarding their occupational pension schemes and covers issues arising from any proposed changes to these schemes after a worker has left the employment concerned and retired. The Bill does this by providing for retired workers' organisations to be consulted in the case of proposed changes to members'...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I thank my colleagues for giving me time to speak to this Bill. I have been vocal over recent weeks in the Dáil with regard to planning. The Minister's extension is something I support. Planning in my constituency now is an absolute no-go area, however. It is an outrageous attack on the young people who are trying to get planning permission in different areas in west Cork. They are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I thank the committee for creating a slot so that we could bring in the SFPA this morning. This is something I have called for since it previously attended the committee and I welcome our witnesses. There is a crisis in the fishing industry which has been going on for quite some time. In the past 12 months, in particular, we have stumbled from one crisis to another, leading to what we have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: When you hear how many questions I have, you might be in shock. I will go through as many as I can and maybe I will come back in later so as to give other members a chance. On the weighing crisis, the SFPA submitted a draft new control plan in December 2020 and again in 2021 further information was submitted. This was four or five months before any control plan was revoked. Was that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I will be brief because other members want to come in. The sanctions have been imposed on the entire fishing fleet, yet not one fisherman has seen any evidence or shared any information that was compiled by the 2018 audit or the 2019 administrative inquiry, which the SFPA carried out. Why withhold evidence and yet proceed to punish the entire sector? A real dangerous situation is happening...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Collection and Recycling of Farm Plastics: Discussion (29 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I do not have many questions as such because many of mine have been raised. I have a funny feeling that we will be returning to this perhaps after next week. There should be some evidence given. My major concern is for the farmer. He is paying for boreens and paying another tax for the purchase of farm plastics. My greatest concern is for the farmer and the cost to the farmer. My...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: The Government has failed. Despite all of the rhetoric it brings here, the truth is that it has failed on housing. The Minister has missed every deadline that he set. The Minister said he would have an affordable housing Bill in September, then it was by the budget, then it was by the new year. Week after week we have heard more infuriating stories about home buyers being locked out of...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (24 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: Tourism continues to be a shining light throughout County Cork. Walking tourism in west Cork is now worth €14 million to the local economy and is growing from year to year. We have some spectacular walks, including the Beara way, Sheep's Head way, Seven Heads walk and Mizen Head walk, to name but a few. A total of 695 landowners, mainly farmers, maintain these west Cork walks for...

Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (23 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: The purpose of this Bill is to extend the emergency period specified in the Planning and Development, and Residential Tenancies, Act 2020 until 12 January 2022. The aim is to further assist tenants who are being financially impacted by Covid-19, while recognising and balancing the rights of the landlord. Under the new regulations, which the Government plans to have passed into law by the...

State Pension Age: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I fully support the motion to restore the pension age to 65. The pension age was a key issue in the general election in February 2020. Voters across the State expressed their opposition to the pension age increase throughout the election campaign. The Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government that was in power from 2007 until 2011 decided to increase the pension age to 67 in 2021 and to...

European Council Meeting: Statements (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: In July 2020, the European Council, comprising the Heads of State and Government of each EU member state, adopted an historic €750 billion recovery package for Europe. This package, Next Generation EU, is Europe's shared response to the severe health and economic crisis caused by Covid-19. The European Commission announced on 28 May that it had received an official recovery and...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: The Taoiseach mentioned the weighing issue and suggested it is the business of the SFPA. The bottom line is that the SFPA and the Minister knew in December that there was a crisis. They did not consult with the industry and they are only doing so now when it is too late. Listening to the Taoiseach today convinces me that the Government does not have a plan for fishing other than to kick...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: Tomorrow will see the biggest national organised protest seen in this country for many years as the fishermen and women of this country from Malin Head to Mizen Head converge in Dublin, similar to the protest in Cork two weeks ago, in a show of solidarity about the scandalous way that they have been treated for decades and especially for the last 12 months under the Taoiseach's leadership....

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Local Authorities (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: 188. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport when Cork County Council will receive €750 million in funding given the findings of major underfunding for the county and in view of the fact that roads in the county are 52-years behind the standards of other counties (details supplied). [33144/21]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I welcome our guests here today. I am unsure whether it is a conflict of interest any longer, but I was an organic farmer up to last year. My son is an organic farmer now. In the 20 years that I was an organic farmer, it was the nearest thing to the biggest farce that is out there at the present time. The price of cattle never changed. If a farmer lived in a peripheral area, such as in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Jun 2021)

Michael Collins: I will keep my questions brief. I have been talking about organic farming last week and this week and the difficulties that I know many organic farmers experience. They are finding it difficult to survive. It sounds like the Minister has many ambitious plans. I sincerely hope that these will be followed through because they are needed on the ground. People with a farm of up to 70 acres...