Results 161-180 of 951 for speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Policy (26 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate the response and I understand the challenges. I understand the funding challenges and that this scheme started in 2020, but it is disappointing that only 77 of the 930 projects have been done. While I fully understand that Covid happened, when a scheme is put in place people want it to be delivered as quickly as possible. This has not only...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the changes the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, is making in respect of jobseeker’s benefit for people who are working to be on a sliding scale in terms of when they lose their job. They will not just go straight onto €220 a week. The job they have is taken into account. The changes that happen for someone who suddenly loses their job and the expenses they have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I wish to raise an issue I have raised numerous times before in this Chamber, which is the N24 road. I noticed that the Taoiseach has spoken about a Ministry for infrastructure. This is the key infrastructure for the south-east region. It has been in the plan for a number of years but it has not received funding this year to get it to planning stage. My colleague, Councillor Pat Dunphy in...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: If there are no more contributions, I call the Minister.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Does Senator Higgins wish to reply?

Seanad: Visit of Chinese Delegation (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome to our Public Gallery Yuan Shuhong, vice chair of the Constitution and Law Committee of the 14th National People's Congress and his committee members, part of the delegation meeting the justice committee. You are very welcome and I hope it is a productive and a good visit.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Unless the Minister wishes to respond, is the Senator pressing the amendment?

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Is the Senator pressing the amendment?

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Unless the Minister wants to make a comment.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Amendments Nos 92 to 114, inclusive, are related. Amendments Nos. 106 to 114, inclusive, are physical alternatives to amendment No. 105. Amendments Nos. 109 to 114, inclusive, are physical alternatives to amendment No. 108. Amendments Nos. 92 to 114, inclusive, may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Unemployment Blackspots: Discussion (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I will be quite brief because a number of the questions I was going to ask have been asked already and there is no point in repeating them. Ms Rogers said long-term unemployment is only at 1%, which is a record low. That is fantastic. Now is the perfect opportunity to delve into that and find solutions and things we could do. Disability was touched on as well. We have the lowest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Unemployment Blackspots: Discussion (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: If unemployment was high, those figures would be high too, so, irrespective, everything is at a record low. The point I am making is not that this is brilliant but that there is an opportunity to delve into what we need to do to improve opportunities for those people in that 1% or more than 1% cohort.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Unemployment Blackspots: Discussion (25 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: With most local authorities, there is allowance for two days per week at home. That is most public sector jobs.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Inheritance tax has been well flagged in the past number of weeks as something that might be considered in the budget. I really hope it will be because the threshold at the moment is quite low regarding what people have to pay capital gains tax on if family members leave them more than €335,000. Even if we make changes to the threshold and increase it to something like...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Will Dr. Coates repeat the numbers in terms of closures and reopenings in the hospitality sector? Will he also elaborate on what he means by the hospitality sector? Is it like for like in terms of opening and closures?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: What was the period?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I am sure Dr. Coates appreciates that we get the opposite from groups representing the hospitality sector.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: In his view, this would be very different from what they are saying. Are they exaggerating the situation that exists in the hospitality sector at the moment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Does the Department not see an increase in the incidence of firm closures compared with last year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sub-Minimum Rates of the National Minimum Wage: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Sep 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Okay.