Results 221-240 of 566 for speaker:Niall Ó Brolcháin

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: What politicians actually do is a mystery to many people, so there must also be an educational process. I hope the debate will be soon. I will not oppose the Order of Business, but I welcome Senator O'Toole's raising of the issue.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: Smarter travel.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: On a point of order, he should be allowed to get on with it.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The Minister of State did not refer to any particular parties.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: In fairness, this is an important debate and the Minister of State should be allowed to continue.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I thank Senator Norris in particular for his reference to the western rail corridor because in these debates, people sometimes have the view that public transport or transport in general ends at the border of the Pale, which it does not. I believe Senator Coffey also will attest to this.

Seanad: Smarter Travel Initiative: Motion (28 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finneran, to the House and it would be remiss of me were I to fail to congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, on his first visit to the Seanad. Unfortunately, he now has left the Chamber. In respect of smarter travel, I note that people frequently use the wonderful word "smart". We are becoming a smart nation that has a smart economy, smart...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I call for a debate on the issue of environmental health. As we sit here, there is untreated sewage flowing into watercourses. This is still the case, in spite of the increased levels of expenditure by the Government. Unfortunately, sewage still presents a major problem.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I thank Senator Healy Eames for providing that information. It is why I want to have a debate in the House because I want to bring everyone up to speed. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has not yet been in the job for three years-----

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: This problem dates back to Victorian times and is absolutely disgraceful. The reality is that the Government has put far more money into tackling it than any of its predecessors. We have seen increases in spending every single year on sewerage treatment facilities. The people are still suffering ill effects owing to the lack of treatment facilities and it is often the local authorities...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The interruptions are not appropriate.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Apr 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The matter of environmental health is multifaceted. Radon affects many people all over the country. Around 200 people die every year because of it, which is not good enough. New building regulations have been brought forward, as a result of which many new houses have barriers against radon. In spite of this, a report today shows that in a house in Sligo the level of this radioactive gas...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I acknowledge Senator Coghlan's contribution. I also call for a debate on the use of poisoned meat to poison eagles. That would be a very important debate from a wildlife point of view. I support the calls for a debate on Greece. It is interesting that we have, at last, moved away from a debate on the Irish economy to a debate on the Greek economy. The extraordinary circumstances in...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I ask the Leader for a debate on the outside influences affecting the country's economy, of which there are many. Sometimes in debates in this House and elsewhere we think of ourselves as a little island unaffected by everywhere else. There has just been a general election across the water in the United Kingdom which has a profound effect on what happens in this country. There are many...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: A large number of fires are occurring as a result of the very dry weather we are having and small gorse fires are getting completely out of control. There is also the possibility of people setting fires deliberately. We need to consider how these fires are dealt with because the emergency services in such instances are not adequate. I fear for the loss of life in the future if we do not...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: There is anger outside and inside this House, rightly so in both cases and we must acknowledge that. I join Senators Boyle, White, Ormonde and others in calling for a series of debates and initiatives on child protection. As a group of people, the Seanad can make a serious contribution towards child protection. In the same way as the Seanad took the issue of head shops and ran with it in a...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: It is in the programme for Government and we all must push for it. The difficulties in bringing it forward must be resolved and that is up to all parties. It is important that we all get together to ensure the referendum takes place. As other Senators have so done, I refer to the protests that occurred outside the Houses last night. The Leader of the House and I were in the lobby of...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: It is my pleasure to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe, to the Seanad and to see him here, covering his brief of horticulture and agriculture, key issues for the Green Party. I thank Senator Prendergast for mentioning the farmers' market aspect. So far, the debate has been good. Senator Bradford said this was a green jersey issue. That resonates with me, not because of the word...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I cannot.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 May 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I am not even going to try.