Results 21-40 of 3,241 for speaker:Brian Ó Domhnaill

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (1 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I am pleased we have been afforded the opportunity to express our views and concerns in regard to the pre-budget outlook. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, to the House. Cuirim fáilte roimhe. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil suim mhór aige sa Ghaeilge fosta. I welcome the decision taken by the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen, as announced on 13 September, to put...

Seanad: Clár Dílárú (7 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta, an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív, go dtí an Teach. Ba mhaith liom buíochas ó chroí a thabhairt don Aire as ucht an obair go léir atá déanta aige chun ár dteanga dúchais a thabhairt chun cinn, ní amháin sna Gaeltachtaí ach ar fud na tíre freisin. Tá mé ag iarraidh an stádas reatha a fháil maidir leis an...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise the issue of the undocumented Irish in the United States and to ask the Leader when the Minister for Foreign Affairs will attend the House to have a wide-ranging discussion on this subject. This House should adopt a cross-party approach to champion their cause. I do not agree with the statements made by Kevin Myers on "Questions and Answers" when he referred to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I ask for an update on when the debate will take place.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: He was not right on that issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: They left because of circumstances outside their control. They left these shores because——

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: ——successive Governments were unable to provide them with opportunities that should have been available to them here on these shores. During the bad old days of the 1980s, thousands of people left these shores every week to avail of employment opportunities which could not be provided by Governments which were not under the leadership of Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise the issue of teams participating in the 2012 Olympic Games in London coming to Ireland to train. I ask when the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism will come to the House for a wide-ranging discussion on that matter. I also ask for the Minister to address the House on the national swimming pool programme which is due to begin in the next few months. I would like the...

Seanad: Public Transport (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: The scale of the private bus and coach industry in Ireland is little understood largely because of the absence of official information on the sector. There are now some 2,200 private bus operators in Ireland with an aggregate bus vehicle fleet of more than 5,000. This represents almost double the number of vehicles operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann combined. Between 1992 and 2003,...

Seanad: Public Transport (15 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I thank the Minister of State for his response on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I am confident that the issue is being reviewed and that the Department is aware of it. I ask that the Minister ensures coach operators remain informed and, should any negative implications ensue in terms of grant aid under EU guidelines, that he consults them prior to any decision being made.

Seanad: Cancer Services: Statements (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I ask the Minister for an update on the ongoing discussions with her northern counterpart on the provision of a radiotherapy treatment facility for cancer in the north west and, in particular, the possibility of such provision in Letterkenny, taking into consideration the ongoing discussions there with the proposed private hospital in Letterkenny. What will be the outcome? I understand that...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Statements (20 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Thankfully.

Seanad: Postal Services: Motion (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: My local postman is one of the only ones in the country who delivers all of his letters by bicycle every day. A recent TG4 programme followed him for a few days to show that he goes up and down every road on good and bad days delivering the post by bicycle. He is one of the fittest and happiest postmen in Ireland. He told me that he is happier delivering on the bicycle than in a car and if...

Seanad: Postal Services: Motion (21 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: We could give a statutory basis to the pivotal role the postman plays in providing social fabric for the elderly population of rural Ireland through assistance and daily calls. If the postman was given extra resources to make a call to every house on a daily basis, rather than just those he must visit with the mail, it would provide a sense of security to the elderly and the Department of...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I support the calls for a debate on planning issues in rural areas. When discussing the Planning and Development Act 2001 and the role of An Bord Pleanála, we should look at the objections to planning applications by holiday home owners. In Donegal, houses for members of the indigenous community have faced objections from those who own holiday homes. If those people want to object, they...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise two issues. I have raised the issue of the 2012 London Olympic Games on a number of occasions, in particular with reference to the opportunities which these games will provide to Ireland. I refer to the siting of training camps and facilities in this country as London is only about 30 minutes flying time from Ireland. I ask that the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism be...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: That party signed up to the establishment of the Mahon tribunal. The Taoiseach has given 18 hours of evidence to the tribunal. He has told his story and we should not be——

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: Those of us on this side of the House are trying to deal with the day to day issues that affect the Irish people and I ask the Opposition to do the same.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments (4 Dec 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to raise this matter. I refer to the need for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to appoint a second permanent District Court judge and the allocation of a second permanent judge to County Donegal to reduce the existing waiting times and backlog in the northern Circuit and District Court services. The Donegal Bar Association has...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2007)

Brian Ó Domhnaill: I wish to raise two issues. The first concerns the undocumented Irish to whom I have referred on a number of occasions in this House. We are now approaching Christmas, the season of goodwill, when families want to be together, yet between 40,000 and 50,000 Irish individuals in the United States of America — the so called undocumented — will not be able to return home to their families...