Results 241-260 of 3,241 for speaker:Brian Ó Domhnaill

Seanad: Fisheries Conservation (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise the issue of the predicament facing a group of fishermen that has emerged in recent days in the Lough Foyle area, which is administered by the Loughs Agency. A number of drift net fishermen, commercial salmon fishermen, fish in this river but there are also ten draft net salmon fishermen who fish in the river who have been in touch with me about letters they have received,...

Seanad: Fisheries Conservation (22 Jun 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I appreciate the position and the reason the restrictions are in place. I note that there was €3.8 million available under the salmon hardship scheme. Perhaps the Minister of State might consider whether any of the surplus moneys available could be used to provide some compensation for the 28 fishermen involved.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I agree with Senator Bradford. We need to move politics to a new age, given the difficulties the country now faces, and we need to have co-operation. We must forget about the politics of the past, when the nod and the wink moved the line forward. We must consider co-operation. I welcome Senator Bradford's comments in regard to having that co-operation in the lead-up to the budget and...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: And Donegal.

Seanad: Electricity Charges (7 Oct 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise with the Minister of State the electricity charges being imposed on the business sector, in particular small and medium sized enterprises and the affect these are having in terms of not aiding these businesses to become more competitive. I would like first to focus on general electricity charges and the disconnection by the ESB of customers who are unable to pay their...

Seanad: Electricity Charges (7 Oct 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: The Minister of State spoke about the assistance available to a number of companies. In my experience, this assistance is not available to the small and medium-sized business sector because many of the companies I have in mind are not large enough to avail of some of the incentives available for the use of green technologies. Although the all-Ireland electricity market has resulted in...

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Tá lúcháir orm go bhfuil an Aire Coimirce Sóisialaí, an Teachta Ó Cuív, i láthair chun éisteacht leis an díospóireacht seo. I raise this matter because of my concern about the excessive length of time people are obliged to wait while their appeals against the disallowance of disability benefit, jobseeker's allowance, etc. are processed. However, the position has improved in recent...

Seanad: Social Welfare Appeals (20 Oct 2010)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I thank the Minister for his response, although it does not provide me with a date for the appeal. I cannot speak to my constituent and reassure him in any manner because of that. I appreciate that the social welfare appeals office is separate from the Department and must be for obvious reasons. Notwithstanding this, it is important that this independent office be in a position to operate...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jan 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I agree with my colleagues who called for a debate on the increases in VHI charges which many people who avail of its services have seen over the past week. We should have an early debate on that. It is causing concern to many people. I want to refer to the state of our roads and the cold weather before and during Christmas, and the difficulties associated with that. I refer in particular...

Seanad: Local Authority Charges (18 Jan 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I apologise for being late. I was at a meeting which was going on. I apologise to the Minister of State and to the Leas-Chathaoirleach. My matter relates to an issue concerning many businesses in my constituency and in the Border county of Donegal, the high cost of commercial rates, coupled with the cost of commercial water rates. I wish to focus on the issue of commercial rates in the...

Seanad: Local Authority Charges (18 Jan 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Absolutely. I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jan 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I support Senator Quinn in his call for the Construction Contracts Bill to come to the House before the Seanad breaks. I acknowledge the work done by Senator Quinn in progressing the Bill which is vital to the construction hardware sector in the country. I hope the Bill will come to the House. I refer to the proposed cross-Border radiotherapy unit for Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry. On...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (25 May 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a ghlacadh comhghairdeas ó chroí a dhéanamh leat, a Chathaoirligh, tar éis duit bheith tofa d'aon ghuth anseo inniu mar Chathaoirleach ar an Seanad. Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh an bóthar leat i do phost úr. I am delighted that you have been elected unanimously as Cathaoirleach. You are one of the gentlemen of politics. In my term in Seanad Éireann I...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I congratulate the Leader of the House on his appointment and acknowledge his wish to reform the House and its workings. In that way, the Seanad can be more effective and efficient in the way it conducts its business. I welcome the example given by the Leader that members of the European Commission could attend the House to discuss issues of relevance to this country. I respectfully...

Seanad: Environmental Policy (1 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise the matter of the gorse fires which swept across County Donegal and other counties in the midlands and the west in the period over the May bank holiday weekend from the end of April to 6 May. I am glad that the Minister of State is present because he visited County Donegal, for which I wish to thank him, when he saw first hand the damage which had been caused. It was very...

Seanad: Environmental Policy (1 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I thank the Minister of State for addressing this important issue. He has indicated the Department does not intend to offer compensation to landowners affected by the recent fires. I welcome his earlier comment that if the farming community provides information on the damage caused, the Department may consider establishing a scheme provided funding becomes available. Is that an accurate...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I support Senator Darragh O'Brien's call for a debate today on the issue of water charges, which has become a national controversy on the airwaves and in the print media. People are scared because they cannot afford to pay another utility bill or domestic rates on their properties from January next. This matter is not dealt with in programme for Government. Prior to the election, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Yes. It is vital that debate takes place to provide clarity on this issue. The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government has been saying one thing, the Taoiseach has been saying another and the Leader of the Labour Party and Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, has been saying something different. There is total uncertainty on this matter. If there is...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Cuirim fáilte roimh an díospóireacht a bheidh sa Teach ar an Déardaoin ar an straitéis 20 bliain don Ghaeilge agus todhchaí na Gaeilge taobh amuigh agus taobh istigh den Ghaeltacht. Ba mhaith liom imní iomlán a chur in iúl. While I welcome the opportunity to have a debate on the Irish language on Thursday, I object vehemently to the position being taken by the Government not to...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (7 Jun 2011)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Go raibh maith agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh, for the opportunity to raise the issue of Gortahork national school and its current position in the Department's school building programme. The construction of a new school building for Gortahork national school has been an ongoing issue for more than ten years, with successive boards of management endeavouring to progress the purchase of a site for...