Results 1,881-1,900 of 3,241 for speaker:Brian Ó Domhnaill

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Both of these amendments relate to the animal health levies. What is being looked at here are additional charges on farmers, which is not welcome in the industry. Without going into any great detail, will the Minister outline what levies are to be anticipated and what the additional costs would be? These costs could potentially be set by regulations. The Minister will know, particularly...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Perhaps, for a change. The purpose of tabling these amendments relates to costs. I am very concerned about a possible increase in costs for farmers as a result of animal health levies being introduced. I am not sure what the costs will be, but according to section 26 they will include milk received for processing and animals slaughtered in an establishment registered or approved, or...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Absolutely. I listened carefully to the Minister and I do not for one minute dispute what he said. However, when any Minister of the day, even one from my party in the future, decides to introduce a levy and, after signing a regulation, lays it before the Houses of the Oireachtas and seeks the approval of the Dáil and Seanad, the Members on the Government side will have to support the...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: It is different. The Bovine Diseases (Levies) Act 1979 did not place obligations with regard to the exportation of cattle as I understand it. Is it possible to get clarification on this? Perhaps this is the case. I would like clarification on the exact fees in place at present and what are the anticipated increases.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I do not want to press the amendment but I am not reassured. I know what the Minister is saying and the clarification was helpful but it is a question of additional charges. I will not press the amendment but I will have another look at it and get my colleague in the Dáil to table an amendment because I know time is against us. I would be very concerned that if additional charges were...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 21: In page 28, line 26, to delete "identified" and substitute "possible to identify". This amendment relates to the destruction and disposal of animals. It proposes to delete the word "identified" and substitute the words "possible to identify". The section would then read that it is not possible to identify the animal in accordance with animal health and welfare...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 25: In page 29, line 46, to delete "one or more persons as valuers" and substitute "a panel of valuers". This amendment relates to the panel of valuers. We had a lengthy enough discussion on the independence of the valuation panel on Committee Stage. We spoke about the need to give the applicant or the farmer the opportunity to select his or her own valuer from a wide...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: We appreciate that.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 34: In page 39, line 42, to delete "District Court" and substitute "Minister". My amendment is on animal health and welfare notices and appeals and refers to section 42(2)(b) where an appeal notice can be lodged with the District Court. The other Senators and I suggest that it can be made to the Minister instead of availing of the legal process. We discussed the matter...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I thank the Minister for his explanation. As I said the other week, the Department of Social Protection is probably a bad example. Unfortunately, genuine applicants are being refused, even cancer patients. In Donegal the other week I discovered that a cancer patient had been refused a disability allowance even though he is dying and is in St. Luke's Hospital. He lodged an appeal but that...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes.

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I move amendment No. 35: In page 41, lines 46 and 47, to delete all words from and including "judge" in line 46 down to and including "district" in line 47 and substitute "Minister".

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Go raibh maith agat. I compliment the Minister on the manner in which he has dealt with the amendments we tabled. We approached all Stages of the debate in a constructive and engaging manner, bearing in mind that this is a very important Bill to protect pets and animals on the farm and in the home. I commend the Minister and his officials Mark Winkelmann, Dermot Murphy and John Moloney on...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes.

Seanad: Patient Transport Services (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes. This matter relates to the withdrawal of an essential service connecting Donegal and hospitals in Dublin. The service has been subsidised by the HSE, formerly the health boards, for some 38 years. The service entails the transportation to Dublin of patients with hospital appointments in the city when they are unable to receive their...

Seanad: Patient Transport Services (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I appreciate that the Minister of State was reading a response from the Department of Health. Expenditure on the patient taxi service within the HSE in 2010 amounted to €26,025,000. Last year, which, according to a recent response to a parliamentary question, is the last year for which we have up-to-date figures, expenditure in this area rose by €1.6 million. The HSE's contention that...

Seanad: Patient Transport Services (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: The Minister, Deputy Reilly, made promises he did not fulfil this year.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I want to raise an issue on the Adjournment today about democracy and freedom of speech.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: The Gaeltacht Bill was subject to much debate in the House. The debate was guillotined and the legislation will do away with elections; hence, democracy was stifled twice. A revelation is emerging today about a gardener who works in Glenveagh National Park, which is under the auspices of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. The man is a member of Guth na Gaeltachta, a...