Results 1-20 of 137 for likes to work speaker:Michael Mullins

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Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2015)

Michael Mullins: Phase one of that project has been very successful but we want to get to the next phase of the investment. We need an update on the CFRAM study which will be the blueprint for flood alleviation measures and investment into the future. I would like a detailed debate on the progress of that study and what funding is likely to be put behind it. We cannot praise enough the local authority...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2015)

Michael Mullins: ...debate with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, and the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Simon Harris, if not this week, early next week, to discuss the problems that have arisen from the unprecedented flooding at the weekend? Our thoughts are with the families and the businesses which have been severely discommoded as a result of...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2015)

Michael Mullins: The signature by Ireland of that convention marks a very important milestone for all of those who have campaigned for better protections and supports for victims of domestic violence. I am pleased to note that the Minister has published an action plan for the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in Ireland. I do not doubt that we will have an opportunity to discuss this matter in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2015)

Michael Mullins: ...place in respect of burglaries in rural and urban areas and I welcome the announcement yesterday of Operation Thor, which will tackle organised crime gangs and prolific offenders. We all want to see more checkpoints put in place to disrupt criminals who use motorways to travel between areas and commit crime and we will hopefully see many extra high-visibility patrols in identified...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2015)

Michael Mullins: I support the many comments that have been made about the housing crisis, in particular those made by Senators Hayden and Barrett. As a further contribution to the debate, this morning we all received a document from the Irish League of Credit Unions. It has substantial resources available and would like to contribute to alleviating the housing crisis. The ILCU has proposed that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Humanitarian Work of the Syria Civil Defence: Discussion (21 Oct 2015)

Michael Mullins: I welcome Mr. Al Habib. It is an opportunity for him to keep us all focused on this very serious international crisis. I welcome the visitors to the Public Gallery who have certainly been playing their part in keeping this crisis at the forefront of our thoughts. We have had ongoing discussions in this committee. I am very impressed with the figures given by Mr. Al Habib about the amazing...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2015)

Michael Mullins: I would like a debate in the next week or ten days with the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the job creation measures in the budget. All fair-minded people would accept that this budget very much targets job creation and work and attempts to make work pay. I very much welcome the fact that the universal social charge has been reduced from 7% to 5.5%...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Oct 2015)

Michael Mullins: ...with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on the funding of public service broadcasting. Many of us in this House met the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland yesterday to tease out how television licence funding is dispersed. Figures show clearly that 87% or €140 out of the €160 licence fee goes to RTE and TG4. A further 6.6% is allocated to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2015)

Michael Mullins: While I support Senator MacSharry's call for a debate on rural Ireland, I take serious issue with his criticism of the Government, especially considering the unholy mess it inherited, the lack of funding available to it on taking office and the fact that during all of the years of the boom, very little was done to improve life in rural Ireland. I welcome the fact that funding of €30...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Gaza: Discussion (30 Sep 2015)

Michael Mullins: I would like to join in the welcome to Mr. Sourani and Mr. Walsh. What they outlined to us is truly shocking and appalling. The statistics provided to us by Trócaire highlight the appalling situation that exists. I apologise for having to leave the meeting; I missed some of the other contributions. The witnesses referred briefly to the lack of construction activity in Gaza since 2014...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Michael Mullins: I support Senator White's call for a discussion with the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the joint Oireachtas report that was published recently. I know she has put a lot of work and effort into it. I would like to see our discussion with the Minister encompassing the Action Plan for Jobs 2015 to see how we can accelerate the 1,300 jobs per week that are being created. We need to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Refugee and Migrant Crisis: Discussion (23 Sep 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join in welcoming our visitors this morning. They paint a grim picture, which we have become accustomed to seeing on our televisions over an extended period. The significant decision made at European level yesterday is to be welcomed. While it is regrettable that not all countries bought into the process and will participate, the onus is on every country in the European Union to...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Michael Mullins: I want to join with colleagues in complimenting the wonderful sportspeople of all codes who gave so much enjoyment to all of us as citizens over the weekend. In particular, I wish every success to our two great Irish golfers this afternoon. I have no doubt that people throughout the country will be glued to the television screens to watch their progress. It is amazing and wonderful that a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Sustainable Development Goals and Ireland's 60th Year of UN Membership: Discussion (9 Jul 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join in the words of welcome and I compliment the ambassador on the excellent work he has done in co-chairing the proceedings. Like Senator Norris, I want to refer to the issue of the process being voluntary, politically and legally, but not binding. What structure is in place to regularly review progress? Is sanction provided for against countries that do not step up to the plate? My...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2015)

Michael Mullins: We all share the concern about the health and well-being of Ibrahim Halawa and want to see him returned to his family and back in Ireland to further his education. I have every confidence in the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, his officials and our consular staff who are doing everything possible to secure his release. In the past year and a half some 42 visits have been made to him...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2015)

Michael Mullins: I join colleagues in expressing our deepest sympathy to the families who have lost loved ones in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, Baltimore in Cork. Senator O'Donovan explained matters very movingly. It is difficult to comprehend that something like this should happen; such a freak accident. It is a message we need to get out from here today to all our citizens that as the...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2015)

Michael Mullins: I call on the Leader to organise a discussion with the Minister for Health on the recruitment processes of the HSE because either the processes are not fit for purpose or else those working in recruitment in the HSE are incompetent. I say this because Merlin Park hospital in Galway has cancelled hundreds of appointments for rheumatology patients over the next three months. People who are in...

Seanad: Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (23 Jun 2015)

Michael Mullins: In the absence of my colleague, Senator Jim D’Arcy who is on Council of Europe business today, I welcome the Minister and the Bill before us. As has been said, the Bill caters for two main overarching aims, namely, underpinning the central role of the Teaching Council in the forthcoming statutory vetting arrangements for registered teachers and amending and strengthening...

Seanad: Tackling Obesity in Ireland: Statements (17 Jun 2015)

Michael Mullins: I welcome the Minister and thank him for spending so much time here this afternoon to discuss this very important issue. It has been described as a crisis and one of the major health issues of our time which consumes a lot of the resources available to the health services. The figures which have been referred to are startling. I recently spoke to a primary school teacher who teaches fourth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Deaths of Irish Citizens in Berkeley: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Jun 2015)

Michael Mullins: I thank the Chairman for putting this item on the agenda of this morning's meeting. It is important that the bereaved parents know the thoughts and prayers of the nation are with them today as they mourn their wonderfully talented young children. What occurred is particularly tragic. I heard a school principal speak this morning about one of the students, a former student of his, who lost...