Results 141-160 of 904 for speaker:Ray Butler

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: I thank the Senator. The amount of people with type 2 diabetes who do not know they have it is unbelievable. I felt absolutely perfect and would not have known but for the fact that I got my blood pressure checked. One of the girls in the office bought a blood pressure monitor in Lidl and checked my blood pressure and it was crazy so I went to the doctor and that is how it all started.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: A significant number of people have type 2 diabetes and they are basically killing themselves. There is a huge cost to the State. I call on the Leader to bring the Minister to the House-----

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: -----so that we can have a debate on the issue. Perhaps we could offer incentives to people, such as free blood tests.

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: The Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016 was introduced to the Seanad on 8 December 2016. The Labour Court found that the requirement to marry or enter into a civil partnership to obtain a benefit under a pension scheme is liable to affect significantly more LGBT employees than heterosexual employees in circumstances in which the right to...

Seanad: JobPath: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: I welcome the Minister to the House. The Programme for Government 2011-2016 contained a commitment to replace FÁS with a new national employment and entitlement service. In the subsequent service plan, published by the Department of Social Protection, it was stated that the Department would explore the potential to augment internal resources through the Department, outsourcing some of...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: I refer to the Irish Credit Bureau. I am seeking a review of the Irish credit rating system because it is one that offers no forgiveness. In other countries people are given a second chance, but that is not the case in this country. Credit unions operate under strict rules imposed by the Central Bank of Ireland. The social protection scheme which is operated by credit unions and which was...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (7 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: I want to talk about President Trump and fake news, and our fake news when it comes to Facebook and the way it is run. I am sure many Senators have noticed that there are many trolls on Facebook who may be giving grief, who run out of ammunition after a period and who have to go elsewhere to get more ammunition. What they do in this regard is set up community pages. There could be the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: Yes, badly maligned. We have all come across these pages because we are all politicians and we have all experienced this. I am calling for accountability from Facebook regarding these pages. I have no problem with community pages that include the correct type of news but when we have these trolls, as I call them, putting false news about people on these pages, it is not right and there...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: No. I am if we want it

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Mar 2017)

Ray Butler: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: We all woke to hear the sad news about the passing of our friend, Peter Mathews.I say to his family, may he rest in peace. We can describe Peter by saying he was a friend to all and a lovely man. I want to speak about the Tunisian attacks of 2015. A coroner in London said today that Tunisian police were, at best, shambolic and, at worst, cowardly in their response to the attacks that...

Seanad: Developments in Organic Sector and Greyhound Industry: Statements (22 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: I welcome the Minister of State. I have been involved in the greyhound industry all my life. I have bred, raced and trained greyhounds and my family history can be traced back in the industry to winning major competitions. This industry is the best in the world. We are noted for breeding the best greyhounds in the world. The industry employs between 10,000 and 10,500 people....

Seanad: Developments in Organic Sector and Greyhound Industry: Statements (22 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: The previous CEO is gone and a new CEO is in place. I hope the rumour the previous CEO was paid to leave is not true. The new CEO has been brutal in coming to town. There are ways and means to deal with people but closing Harolds Cross stadium will not solve the problems. Between €6 million and €7 million will be raised. The problems will be solved through a betting levy...

Seanad: Developments in Organic Sector and Greyhound Industry: Statements (22 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: The party opposes the funding of greyhound racing. Its members, therefore, want 10,000 people out of work but they have no problem fundraising at greyhound tracks.

Seanad: Developments in Organic Sector and Greyhound Industry: Statements (22 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: Elvis has left the building. This strike will go on but we have to sit around a table to see what is best for the greyhound industry.We do have to look at prize money. I know that the ordinary person who has the grading dog from A5 down is not too unhappy about €300 first prize money or a little bit more. It is the bigger stakes where we need the better dogs to come into competition...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Ray Butler: I wish to raise the issue of rates, which is close to my heart and close to many business people's hearts. We see that €60 million will be put into the rural regeneration scheme, but rates are a problem in many small rural towns, although previous Governments have done nothing about it. Legislation governing the rates system goes back to the 1800s, but the only rule concerning rates...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2017)

Ray Butler: I wish everybody good health for the coming year. Yesterday I heard a lot of talk about the rural and social development fund and I welcome the sum of €60 million that has been earmarked for rural Ireland. I wish to talk about the area that I know best, namely retailing in rural towns and about closed shops. There are three major issues that need to be addressed in that regard,...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Ray Butler: Recently the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, MSP, addressed the Chamber. It was a great day and we were delighted to have her here in Ireland. She visited the Book of Kells that is housed in Trinity College Dublin. I called for her support in asking for the Book of Kells to be returned to the people of Kells in County Meath.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2016)

Ray Butler: I ask Senator Norris to have a word with his friends in Trinity College Dublin. I would like to make a few points about the Book of Kells. It is comprised of four volumes by the four Evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Two of the volumes are never displayed by the university but are kept in storage. The Book of Kells fell into the hands of the Protestant ascendency class and...