Results 321-340 of 417 for speaker:Michael Comiskey

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Public Expenditure Allocation 2013: Vote 30 - Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (25 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: Is it possible for several schemes to be grouped together in terms of their administration? Given that there are fewer people in REPS, for example, could some of the staff employed to administer that scheme be deployed to other schemes, thus allowing for a reduction in costs? Perhaps that is already happening.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I agree with my colleague, Senator Hayden, in regard to the whole area of social protection and the survey done by FLAC. It is unacceptable that people, who have a social protection need, must wait 32 weeks for an appeal. If there is an oral hearing, it takes up to a year. This is putting undue pressure on people who are in that difficult position. The same applies to disability appeals,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sugar Beet Industry (18 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I am disappointed by yesterday's announcement of 180 job losses in Abbott Nutrition in Sligo. Our thoughts must be with those who will lose their jobs. The announcement was made on the back of good news for the town, including the decision to retain 120 jobs at Stiefel Laboratories. We must ensure employment becomes available to those who will be made redundant. I call on the Minister for...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Sugar Beet Industry (18 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I am disappointed by yesterday's announcement of 180 job losses in Abbott Nutrition in Sligo. Our thoughts must be with those who will lose their jobs. The announcement was made on the back of good news for the town, including the decision to retain 120 jobs at Stiefel Laboratories. We must ensure employment becomes available to those who will be made redundant. I call on the Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I join my colleague, Senator Imelda Henry, in welcoming the good news we received in Sligo yesterday. The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Richard Bruton, was present there yesterday morning when an announcement was made that 120 jobs would be saved in the company in question. There is even the possibility of a further 50 jobs being created in the future. We had a very...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I have been approached by people in small towns and villages who are in the pub trade. One person told me that he pays rates of ¤4,500 for the pub even though he has only a few customers during the week and a few more at the weekend. The rates are a significant burden for such businesses. The possibility of a reduction of rates for such...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I join in welcoming the good news announced yesterday by the Kerry Group. It shows that the agrifood industry is up and running. It can solve our current economic problems and we should support the industry in every way. I want to refer to the news that has broken over the past couple of days about the failure of sewage treatment systems, particularly in Longford, and the health risks posed...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: The sewerage systems were unfinished. In many cases tankers draw sewage away from these estates. Who is responsible? The issue must be sorted out as a matter of urgency.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Motion (4 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: It is welcome that we are united on this issue, as it is important that we achieve a good outcome in the CAP negotiations because that is what will support family farms in the future. I also fully endorse the Minister's ambition of achieving a positive outcome in the negotiations on the multi-annual financial framework. It is crucial that we agree to the budget before we move on to deal...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Motion (4 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: We are prepared to agree to it.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Motion (4 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 9 October 2012.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Motion (4 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I move: That Seanad Éireann:- recognises the importance of an effective and well-resourced Common Agricultural Policy in creating sustainable development of agriculture across Europe supporting the ambitions and targets of the Irish agricultural sector; - notes that the amount of EU funding attributable to CAP will depend on the outcome of parallel negotiations for the new multi-annual...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I wish to raise with the Leader the issue relating to the appointment of a new director at the National Office for Suicide Prevention. I am not sure of the facts but I understand that this position was previously filled and then vacated and that the person subsequently appointed to it did not take up the offer. It is important that this matter be dealt with. I was not present for the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Foresty Industry: Discussion with Coillte (2 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: That is better.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Foresty Industry: Discussion with Coillte (2 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Foresty Industry: Discussion with Coillte (2 Oct 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I thank Mr. Gunning and Mr. Egan for attending today. At this stage many of the questions have been raised. I am very much in favour of wind farming. Where Coillte has low-lying land or commonage land attached to forestry, where the commonage is not planted could farmers be allowed to buy or lease the commonage? There is a great deal of such land in my area. In cases where reasonably...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Sep 2012)

Michael Comiskey: Like previous speakers, I welcome colleagues back to the Seanad. I also welcome the forthcoming referendum on children's rights, which will be held on a Saturday. The latter is an important consideration for people who work away from home - in Dublin or wherever - and who will be able to return there to vote. I hope that we will continue to hold referendums, etc., on a Saturday in the...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (18 Jul 2012)

Michael Comiskey: I second the amendment but I am agreeable to what has been outlined. We had discussions with the officials and there may be a compromise on the issue.