Results 1-20 of 136 for likes to work speaker:Michael McNamara

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Taoiseach a Ainmniú - Nomination of Taoiseach (9 Apr 2024)

Michael McNamara: I will begin by paying tribute to Deputies Coveney and Varadkar and their contribution to Irish life at some difficult junctures but I will move on to Deputy Harris as this is a motion of confidence in him as Taoiseach. Over the weekend he promised that he would have the back of farmers, but he has served in a Government which has been on the back of farmers. Like many small business...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Michael McNamara: At this stage, maybe it is important to remember what is being proposed to be removed from the Constitution. It is that the State shall endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home. A friend of mine with whom I went to primary school and I were sitting back over Christmas discussing life generally...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McNamara: ...apologise for that. Regardless of whether the Ceann Comhairle has sent the letter, and I accept that the decision is entirely at his discretion or that of a committee Cathaoirleach, this is no way to make law. I appreciate that the Minister of State does not think it is ideal but he is determined to get this Bill done and have everything completed. I agree with him that there is an...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McNamara: I was going to say that I too wish to speak in favour of amendment No. 9, but I am not quite clear whether Deputy Leddin has spoken in favour of the amendment or against it. In any event, I believe it is an important amendment. Unlike Deputies Leddin and Quinlivan, I do not live in Limerick and did not vote in the Limerick plebiscite, but I have an interest in Limerick. I grew up 20 miles...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Schemes (13 Dec 2023)

Michael McNamara: ...I very much appreciate the Minister of State who has come in here although it is not for her Department. I know the Minister was at COP but he is back; he was around the House last night. We were told that in the event the Minister was not here and the topic was to be discussed last night, it would be the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, who would take it. Again, the Minister of State...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Instruction to Committee (12 Dec 2023)

Michael McNamara: I would be loath to call a vote on a motion to recommit something to committee but I have two reservations I want to outline to the Minister of State and to the House. The first concerns the subject matter of the proposed amendments for which the Bill is being recommitted. Do I understand correctly that those amendments have almost nothing to do with the mayor of Limerick? Did somebody do...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Michael McNamara: We have this tome of 720 pages to reform our planning Acts and we must ask why. It seems many of us do not really know why. We know there were problems with the planning system and that reviews were carried out, but we do not really know what those reviews found as they have never been published. There was certainly a problem with An Bord Pleanála. There were many cases in An Bord...

Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (29 Nov 2023)

Michael McNamara: Like the previous speaker, I congratulate the Regional Group on this important legislation, particularly Deputy Shanahan for all the work he has done on it. It is driven by an awareness that the south east has been one of the areas which has suffered. I am from the mid-west and luckily the mid-west was represented at Cabinet relatively recently by Michael Noonan. Unfortunately, that is how...

Financial Resolution No. 3: Tobacco Products Tax (10 Oct 2023)

Michael McNamara: At best, those are estimates. At what point does it become counterproductive? Maybe the 75 cent is merely due to inflation, given how rampant inflation has been. We say that taxation is working and is stopping people from smoking but how do we know it is the taxation that is stopping people from smoking rather than the Government health warnings? Even unhealthy people like me are...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2023)

Michael McNamara: I am sorry; I thought he wanted to address me now. There are very few powers in that regard. Other than housing, what are the other big issues of the day? They are health and policing. The mayor has no powers with regard to health. Any local authority input in health has been removed. There is now a realisation that the removal of the health boards may have been a bad idea and it is...

Local Government (Mayor of Limerick) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2023)

Michael McNamara: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I suppose the Ireland Canada Business Association will be presented with a view of Ireland which sounds remarkably less corrupt than the view portrayed by Deputy Ring. Listening to him, while one might question why there has been such little change in recent years, it is hard to disagree with him. I do not mean...

Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (12 Jul 2023)

Michael McNamara: There will always be exceptions that states will cling to to justify breaches of international law, just as our near neighbour clings to exceptions, or sought to do so. This is the first time that I am aware of that Ireland has spoken about exceptions. The other is a case that did not arise as recently, which is with regard to not having to justify the DPP's election to send a case to the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Jun 2023)

Michael McNamara: It does take time and I am glad the Taoiseach acknowledges there is a problem. We need to go further than acknowledging there is a problem and maybe establish a liaison between the HSE and IPAS. I am not blaming IPAS and I am not blaming the Ministers, who are both sitting there, at all but we do need a whole-of-government approach because what we cannot have is service providers, in...

Home Care and Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2023)

Michael McNamara: I very much endorse much of what the previous speaker has said. I thank the Regional Group for tabling the motion and giving us the opportunity to discuss this very important issue. I acknowledge the Minister of State's bona fides on this issue in that she has very much sought to introduce reforms. I look forward to hearing in her closing remarks how those reforms are advancing, because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Dereliction and Vacancy: Discussion (15 Jun 2023)

Michael McNamara: I appreciate that. I have followed this debate on the monitor in my office. I am very interested in the issue. I have been surprised for some time by the lack of use of the Derelict Sites Act by various local authorities. I sent a questionnaire to local authorities on this issue and I am very grateful for their responses. I sent it to all of them and 19 responded. I am very grateful for...

Targeted Investment in the Health Service: Motion [Private Members] (17 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: The motion has been formally moved and I am grateful to Deputy Harkin for that. I note, on formalities, that there is an amendment from Deputy Shortall, which I am happy to accept. I note that there is not a Government amendment, which is appreciated. The motion is an attempt to be collaborative, or at least to acknowledge the efforts the Government has made. Despite the best efforts...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (10 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: ...indicating he will accept the amendment. It is of considerable importance that the Bill, as previously drafted, has been beefed up somewhat, if he will pardon the pun. The Bill states the regulator shall "collect, analyse and regularly publish reports" and the amendment adds to section 12(3), under the line "In pursuance of its duties under this section the regulator may, in particular,"...

Agriculture and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (10 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: I move amendment No. 7: In page 9, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(3) Without prejudice to the generality of subsections (1)and (2), the Minister may make regulation requiring that the regulator shall, in consultation with Teagasc - the Agriculture and Food Development Authority - collect such information as is required to ascertain the cost of production in the...

Food Costs and High Grocery Bills: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (9 May 2023)

Michael McNamara: Usually, the Minister of State gets to address the Members at the end of the debate on what we have said but because of the way tonight’s debate ran, we have heard his contribution first. He lauded the establishment of this agrifood regulator and he talked about real powers. He did not say what it will have power to do, if anything, he just spoke about real power. It reminded me a...

Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022: Report Stage (26 Apr 2023)

Michael McNamara: The Minister used the word "historic" quite a lot. This is historic only to the extent that never has so much been offered but so little delivered by way of concrete powers to a regulator. Where does the regulator have the power to ascertain the impact of feed lots? How will it do that unless there is a possibility to give it that power? The Minister does not have to do so, of course. It...