Results 161-180 of 204 for speaker:Tony Mulcahy

Seanad: National Council for Special Education Inclusion Support Services: Statements (22 Apr 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I welcome the improvements in services in this area. I speak as a parent and a long-time advocate of disability services. While this is not meant as a criticism, I am irked by the fact special educational needs organisers, SENOs, are overruling far more qualified clinicians, clinical psychologists and educational psychologists when it comes to the provision of services. I had a case...

Seanad: Appointment of Receivers: Motion (6 May 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: The tone of the motion deals with receivers as enforcers and nobody would condone such behaviour. I will not start by saying it is okay. The two Senators have outlined two cases, but will they confirm if they concern private or commercial dwellings? I seek clarity on what is being debated. If they do not wish to indicate whether the properties are private or commercial, will they name the...

Seanad: Appointment of Receivers: Motion (6 May 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: It is important that we know who and what we are talking about. If somebody reads a newspaper story, he or she can play it in any way he or she likes. The Government has opened various avenues to tackle the dire mortgage issue, as Senator Aideen Hayden indicated. I thank her for her contribution. I will not say everything the Government has done is great or wonderful and that we will dig...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Order for Second Stage (27 May 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Second Stage (27 May 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I welcome the Minister of State. I am representing Senator Naughton in this debate. This legislation is welcome. Under the National Minimum Wage Act 2000, there are three ways in which the minimum wage can be set: following a recommendation in a national agreement under section 12; in the absence of such a recommendation, following an examination and recommendation by the Labour Court on...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Second Stage (27 May 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: On Tuesday, 9 June.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Completion Programme (10 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I thank the Minister for attending. The matter is self-explanatory - the need for the Minister to confirm that funding for the schools completion programme will not be cut in County Clare or any other county and to consider increasing the funding for this valuable service for children which was established in 2002. The programme has had a significant positive impact on the retention levels...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Completion Programme (10 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: In fairness, I know the Minister has worked hard in this area but the report, when it comes back, may highlight the value of enhancing these programmes because they have been subjected to cuts in the region of 30% to 40% in recent years. I am glad the Minister is now in a position to ensure that there will be no further cuts and that the services will be maintained, if not enhanced, by the...

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I second the proposal.

Seanad: Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015: Order for Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Joe McHugh. First, I wish to point out that the Bill was published after the Government had signed off on it on the morning of 16 June. We were originally due to speak about it last Thursday. I was told the reason for the short notice was the delay in getting guidance from the European Commission on liability issues, yet we have to transpose the Bill...

Seanad: Petroleum (Exploration and Extraction) Safety Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: Next Tuesday, 30 June 2015.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Jun 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I welcome the Minister and the Bill on postcodes. The purpose of the Bill is to amend parts of the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Act 2011. It is particularly important for the introduction of Ireland's seven digit postcode system this year. Ireland is one of the last remaining countries in the world to introduce a national postcode system. This has to be welcomed by both the...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Motion for Earlier Signature (1 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Communications Regulation (Postal Services) (Amendment) Bill 2015 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (8 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: Senator Mooney gave us a history lesson but I will put a history lesson on the record. Fianna Fáil won a landslide victory in the general election in 1977. Martin O'Donoghue was the Minister for Finance at the time when the Government abolished rates. I do not know if the Minister of State is old enough to remember that. The Minister who succeeded him, Jack Lynch, who had a proud...

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: I want to bring a bit of reality to proceedings. I have been an elected representative for 22 years and have worked with lone parents since I was first elected. I employ three lone parents. People would want to tell the truth. There are anomalies and some systems do not work. I have had six representatives in my office over the past two weeks, of whom five have been better off since the...

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: On a point of order, I said if it ticked all the right boxes.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: Whatever he says will be horseshit anyway, to be quite honest.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: That is what it is.

Seanad: One-Parent Family Payment: Motion (15 Jul 2015)

Tony Mulcahy: As am I, every single day of the week.