Results 321-340 of 417 for speaker:Michael Comiskey

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Michael Comiskey: I call Senator Ned O'Sullivan

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Michael Comiskey: Nobody else is offering so I call on the Minister to reply.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Michael Comiskey: The Minister without interruption.

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for taking the time to discuss this very important issue of water metering. The Water Services (No. 2) Act received lengthy debate both in this and the Lower House prior to Christmas and provided for the necessary implementation of water charges. These are necessary to ensure we can provide the best quality water system for the...

Seanad: Water Services: Motion (21 Jan 2015)

Michael Comiskey: There is a serious problem, as many people in Northern Ireland do not have water because of strikes, etc. In order to see what a publicly owned water utility can deliver, we only have to look at Scottish Water. We must support the progress that has been made in setting up the best water utility in the country. I take issue with Senator Craughwell in this respect. A family member travelled...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I agree with my colleague, Senator Michael Mullins, in regard to the graduates from GMIT. It is vitally important that those graduates are recognised because we will need them in the spring. There will be jobs there for those people, so this is vitally important. This issue raised was earlier this morning with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, who is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Farm Inspections: Health and Safety Authority (29 Jan 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the representatives for attending and for their presentation. Sadly, far too many lives have been lost in the past year. I join colleagues in offering my sympathy to all the people who have been affected by such loss. The representatives outlined the authority's programme for the coming year. I agree with other speakers that the knowledge transfer and the discussion groups are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Industry: (Resumed) Discussion (10 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. It is good to see good news coming through. Hopefully, it will be delivered on the ground. The question we are often asked was whether the banks were open for business. This particularly applied to land purchases. We often get comments from farmers who have long-standing relationships with banks that they are still put through strict...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I join Senator Hildegard Naughton in welcoming the IDA ireland proposals. This is great news and the proposals are important for the west, including counties Sligo and Leitrim. A fund of €50 million will be drawn down in 2015 to promote jobs in these areas. We have significant job creation in the eastern part of the country, but critics would say there has not been enough investment...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, this morning relating to what can be termed the "old young farmers". A meeting was held by such farmers in Athlone last week and further meetings are planned throughout the country. These farmers have been left out in many ways. They started farming in 2008-09 but were not in a position to...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the fact that the Minister of State, Deputy Harris, visited Sligo on Friday to examine coastal erosion around Rosses Point. I raised the matter as early as 2007 after people approached me about the danger, which still exists, to its golf course. The former Minister of State, Mr. Brian Hayes, MEP, granted €800,000 or thereabouts to Sligo County Council to carry out repair...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Promoting Sustainable Rural Coastal and Island Communities: Discussion (17 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. It is good to have them here. I must admit that I know little about fishing, but I am prepared to learn. I come from County Leitrim, which has a short coastline of only 2 km. There is not much fishing. Normally, the first salmon of the year is caught in the Drowes but, as far as I know, people are still waiting. I saw gentlemen fishing at...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I join with colleagues, including Senator Mullins and others, in welcoming the news of the new jobs being created in Athenry by Apple. It is great news for the west. I also welcome the news that the ESB has taken on 300 apprentices in the midlands. In order to attract good quality, top-class jobs we need top quality, clean water and a similar development has occurred in Sligo where AbbVie...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the good news that in the past few hours the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform has signed an agreement for an €800 million peace programme for Ireland. It is very good news and must be welcomed. That will mean there will be €100 million coming into the BMW region. This will create jobs, growth and research and development, and it will help counteract...

Seanad: Establishment of Electoral Commission: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I formally second the motion.

Seanad: Establishment of Electoral Commission: Motion (4 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector and Annual Report 2013: Teagasc (10 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I will be brief. I thank the witnesses for their presentation, which was very informative with a lot of work done on it. Back at home we work very closely with Teagasc and I am involved in discussion groups. An issue which comes up quite a lot at the moment is places for education. It is a great incentive for young farmers. Will we be able to deliver the necessary courses for them for...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I will be very brief.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the people from the Department to the meeting. This is a very important topic. I also welcome the people from the farming organisations. We all know that it is very important to highlight the issue of farm safety and there have been far too many deaths on farms over the past year. Our condolences go to the families of those people who have been lost. I am actively involved in...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Farm Safety: Discussion (23 Mar 2015)

Michael Comiskey: I thank the representatives of the organisations for being here. Perhaps I will be making comments rather than asking questions. I wholeheartedly agree with the president of the Irish Farmers Association, Mr. Eddie Downey, as it is vital that the HSA works with the farmer and educates rather than penalising him or her. That is key. My colleague, Senator Coughlan, mentioned the possibility...