Results 1,741-1,760 of 5,932 for speaker:Eugene Murphy

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I will speak briefly as my colleagues have made the relevant and important points I was going to raise. Senator Currie raised very important points and I wish to acknowledge that the situation to which she referred is an issue for some people. I have received good reactions to the July stimulus initiative, including from small businesses. People need the support and help it will provide....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I want to raise the closing of the fire station in County Roscommon's second largest town, Castlerea. It has a population of about 2,000 people and is a very vibrant town with a strong local community. To say they are aghast at this announcement made by the CEO of Roscommon County Council last Monday is an understatement. The CEO said there was an adequate fire service to cover the area....

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I welcome the Minister and wish her well. I commend her on the work she did in her last Ministry. If we are to be fair here, with what has happened in this country, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is a baptism of fire for the Minister as well. It is not simple or easy. I am constantly reminded that while we need to be fair and make sure people are treated as...

Seanad: Tourism: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I can see I am loved by my colleagues. I sincerely wish the Minister well. I served in Dáil Éireann with her and chaired many a debate, and I found her very co-operative and fair. I think she will do a good job. I have known her brother very well for years but the Minister is catching up in terms of his wit and company. I wish her the very best of luck. As our time is limited,...

Seanad: Education: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I propose to share time with Senators Gallagher and Crowe. We will have approximately two minutes each.

Seanad: Education: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I will do my best, although I will not be able to get in everything I want. Comhghairdeas to the Minister and I wish her well. As has already been said, she had a baptism of fire. There was some veiled criticism in the background but fair play to the Minister because she kept her head down and did not come out with half a statement. It is a credit to her and her team the way that she...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I apologise to my colleagues; I am not wearing a face mask because I have mislaid it but I have one on the way. I notice all of my colleagues are wearing one and I offer my sincere apologies. I want to tell the House a very short story.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: When I was came to the Oireachtas as a Deputy in 2016 I met many bright people, many new and old faces from politics and many staff. The same happened when I became a Member of the Seanad. One of the questions I was asked was where I was from. When I said I was from County Roscommon, what was the reply 70% of the time?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: No. People said they had never been in County Roscommon, except to drive through it on the way to Westport. I will not spend my time speaking about Rooskey, the River Shannon, Lough Key, Arigna, Loughnanane Park and Slieve Bawn. I will use my slot to speak about tourism. I am very glad to see one of our colleagues, Senator McDowell, seeing the good fresh air and good people of Roscommon....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: Before the Order of Business is agreed, it was mentioned that the former Senator, Farrell McElgunn, had died. Perhaps the Leader would correspond with the McElgunn family in Carrick-on-Shannon along with the Brennan family.

Seanad: Companies (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I begin by expressing my sincere good wishes to the Minister of State, Deputy Troy, who has been a good friend in politics for many years and lives not far from me in the Longford-Westmeath constituency. He has always been a very good worker in the constituency and he did some tremendous work on the Front Bench for Fianna Fáil in recent times. I agree with Senator Bacik and others that...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I will just take a few minutes to make some comments on the Bill. There is not much point in repeating much of what has already been said. First, I give the Minister my sincere good wishes. He has great enthusiasm for the job. They say nobody wants the job of Minister for Health. When in opposition, he was always enthusiastic and listened to people's point of view. He came up with some...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I want the House to reflect for a moment or two on another sad situation that occurred recently. I refer to the words of Dr. Samar Fatima Ali about her father, who worked in Tallaght University Hospital, Beaumont Hospital and the Mater Hospital. She stated in an RTÉ interview: There are no words for the pain that we are experiencing. We did not think that at such an age that we...

Seanad: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I must say that the debate has been good from every side of the House. Some good points of view are being expressed and some genuine concerns are also being expressed right around the House. Like my Fianna Fáil colleagues, I welcome the legislation, which provides, as has been said, the largest credit guarantee in the history of the State.I welcome the Minister of State. I have no...

Seanad: Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: That is good. The Minister of State might give us an explanation of that role. The most important thing now is getting this legislation through the Houses and implementing it as quickly as possible. That is so important. We must move forward and help those businesses and the many small business people to whom I have spoken who are so determined to get back, to survive and to take back...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I wish my colleague the best of luck in his new role in this Ministry. I have known Deputy Collins for several years, and I have gotten to know him particularly well over the past four or five years when I served with him in Dáil Éireann. It is acknowledged that he is a man of vision and of thinking outside of the box. I have no doubt rhetoric will not be involved here but it...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I fully support the sentiments expressed by Senator Black regarding people in the arts sector, particularly the music industry. She puts the case very well. Due to my past involvement with media and so on, I have been dealing with representatives of those groups over recent weeks. I do not mean to repeat everything Senator Black said, but we must remember that those people are definitely...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Second Stage (17 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I sincerely congratulate the Minister on his appointment. I had the privilege of joining Dáil Éireann in 2016 and one of the greatest working relationships I had was with him. I come from a rural community where people often say that the Minister does not care about them. He does care about people. If I am not mistaken, he has a strong association with County Tipperary. I...

Seanad: National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I support the amendment, which widens the scope for communities in an appropriate way.Senator Higgins raised a very important point about communities and community projects. I am very much involved with the Lanesborough community as it is literally down the road from me. Every second household had a job with Bord na Móna or with the ESB. This is why I am so strongly committed on this....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2020)

Eugene Murphy: I will adhere to that request. I wish the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Fleming and Jack Chambers, the best of luck. I am sure none of my party colleagues would have liked to get the appointments in the way they did. To the Cowen family, I say that we all feel a certain sympathy for them. There is not a person in this House who does not feel sympathy for...