Results 301-320 of 1,934 for speaker:Tom Shehan

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

Tom Shehan: Senator Ó Domhnaill, in the interests of being helpful.

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

Tom Shehan: Amendments Nos. 21 and 22 are related and may be discussed together by agreement.

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

Tom Shehan: Amendment No. 23 has been ruled out of order as it involves a potential charge on the Revenue. Amendment No. 24 is also out of order.

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

Tom Shehan: Amendments Nos. 25 to 28, inclusive, and amendment No. 30 are related and may be discussed together. Is that agreed? Agreed.

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

Tom Shehan: Amendment No. 29 is out of order.

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

Tom Shehan: Amendments Nos. 34 and 35 are related and may be discussed together.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: I welcome this afternoon's announcement of the infrastructure stimulus package aimed at labour-intensive sectors of the economy, including construction. We need to rebuild our construction sector to provide trade jobs. Funding will be in the region of €2 billion and I am delighted this will include a new primary care centre for Tralee. While this is a positive investment I would also like...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: I sense another song forthcoming from the Saw Doctors.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: That is this evening.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (13 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: The calculation of pensions on the basis of career average earnings is a change from the current position where the pension is based on final salary and is generally considered a fairer and more equitable system and one which is progressive in application. For example, it affects the pension paid to those who have high earnings, especially in late career. There are examples of people who in...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: That is wrong. The Senator is misrepresenting the Minister.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: There was no personal attack.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: It is unfortunate that it took the incidents in Pheonix Park at the weekend for people to express their frustration at the abuse of alcohol and drugs. I have raised the issue here on a number of occasions, but I am not holding my breath that something will happen because it is six weeks since I wrote to the Garda Commissioner about the activities engaged in on O'Connell Street, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: I want to raise an issue concerning representations I received in my office from a lady regarding her social welfare payments. She qualifies for and is receiving lone parent's allowance and she has two children but is only receiving payment for one of those children. She applied for the second child's payment on 7 October 2010 but her deciding officer did not examine the case for over a...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: I wish all our US colleagues and cousins a happy 4 July. I also wish to raise an issue mentioned by others with regard to sick leave in Departments. Last year, 185,000 sick days were taken at a cost of €27 million. The biggest culprit was the Department of Social Protection with 71,000 days. If we are to get the country back on track we must consider the excess in certain areas, such...

Seanad: School Transport (3 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: This is a sensitive case and I have called on the Minister to cover the costs of the €350 bill for school transport in this extreme circumstance. It concerns a 12-year old girl in my constituency who is about to start secondary school. Over a number of years she was sexually abused and a court case is ongoing. As a result of the case the girl's mother decided to change her school to...

Seanad: School Transport (3 Jul 2012)

Tom Shehan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I will engage with him on behalf of the young girl and her family. As I said, it is an exceptional circumstance and we must do everything that we can to help. I accept that the transport scheme must be administered equitably on a national scale. This is an exceptional case and I ask for the Government's sensitivity in dealing with the matter....

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Jun 2012)

Tom Shehan: I acknowledge the comments of my colleague. I have always been one for a direct hit to do the job. For example, if there was a blocked pipe in my home, I would not get the garden hose but rather a power hose. I have found piecemeal solutions irritating but I now recognise why they came about. It was impossible to deal with this issue in one fell swoop. It could not be done in such...

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Second Stage (26 Jun 2012)

Tom Shehan: I welcome the Minister of State and extend best wishes to him in his efforts. As he outlined, the delicate position in the eurozone and a lack of growth are creating an obstacle for Ireland as an exporting nation. While Irish exports are doing well, the eurozone crisis needs to be addressed in order that we can explore the potential to open up new markets. The Minister provided figures on...