Results 321-340 of 704 for speaker:John Kelly

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Wind Farm Developments (30 Apr 2013)

John Kelly: I appreciate that there is a review of the guidelines in place at present. We must wait to see what comes from that. I realise there are targets for green energy and so forth, but we have done this from 1999 to November 2012 in defiance of EU directives. That is the problem. We are clearly leaving ourselves open to be sued. The developer, the local authority and the Government will be...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2013)

John Kelly: Senator Brennan commented on my contribution yesterday on carbon tax. I agree with him and I know that down the road there will be serious job losses as a result of the imposition of this tax but I would be prepared to seek a debate on the adjournment on this matter with Senator Brennan next week if the Cathaoirleach would oblige us. I welcome the news about Coillte and that our State lands...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nessa Childers, MEP (1 May 2013)

John Kelly: I also welcome Ms Childers and compliment her on her stance on austerity, with which I agree, as does the IMF. Before I came into the Seanad I spent 28 years working as a community welfare officer dealing with people on the margins. At the time one was dealing mainly with people on social welfare, but the new poor today are the middle income earners, the gardaí, nurses and teachers....

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nessa Childers, MEP (1 May 2013)

John Kelly: Many articles have appeared in the British Medical Journal suggesting there are health implications such as nausea, sleep deprivation and even cancer and heart attacks, arising from living too close to wind turbines. Although the Irish Wind Energy Association is a large lobby group, it is not able to counter these articles. Has Ms Childers heard any other debates in other EU member states...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Marian Harkin, MEP (2 May 2013)

John Kelly: I extend a very warm welcome to Ms Marian Harkin. We go back a long way, almost nine years to the day, if my calculations are right, when we campaigned together, Ms Harkin for the European election and I for the council elections. Thankfully we were both successful and had a very enjoyable campaign if my memory serves me correctly. I agree with all Ms Harkin's views on how interactions and...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Carbon Tax Implementation (2 May 2013)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State. Like Senator Brennan, I am concerned about the imposition of this carbon tax on solid fuel from the point of view of potential job losses. I have been approached by suppliers of coal who have told me that what will happen, as happens in hard times, is that people will source their coal somewhere else - most likely from Northern Ireland, where the VAT rate on...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Carbon Tax Implementation (2 May 2013)

John Kelly: The Minister said in his response that there is a cost associated with the consumption of fossil fuels to the detriment of the environment. I have already covered that. If people are travelling to the North to buy coal containing 1.3% extra sulphur, it will surely be to the detriment of our environment and we will also lose revenue. There is no alternative for people who are hard pressed...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Carbon Tax Implementation (2 May 2013)

John Kelly: The issue here is that we might lose jobs. We must keep this under review. If we are going to lose jobs in this sector, it is not worth the revenue that will be raised. I hope the Minister of State will convey those concerns to the Minister.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Carbon Tax Implementation (2 May 2013)

John Kelly: One would have to write an essay to be specific on occasions.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2013)

John Kelly: I want to raise again an issue that I referred to in the House a number of months ago. According to today's newspaper reports, 8,300 people were sent to jail for non-payment of fines last year, which is a 10% increase on 2011. The average weekly cost of keeping somebody in jail is €1,260 which is €65,500 per annum. If the average fine was €500 and we are not collecting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Local Enterprise Offices: Discussion with Association of County and City Councils (14 May 2013)

John Kelly: I refer to how the county enterprise board structure operated in the past. I was a member for seven years in County Roscommon. Local knowledge is crucial. For example, on one occasion the valuation committee recommended support for a project in my area and refusal for another project. I argued that the project they recommended would fail and I was proven right and that the one for which...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2013)

John Kelly: Senator David Norris mentioned that we should have a debate on the economy. I raise an issue concerning the local economy, particularly the cost of diesel and the variation in cost from one part of the country to another. In some towns in County Mayo one can buy diesel for €1.41 per litre. As one travels east, one notes garages are selling diesel for €1.53 per litre,...

Seanad: Wind Energy Guidelines: Statements (15 May 2013)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this very important issue on which we have had interaction on a couple of occasions. I have been beating my drum for the past 14 months since the introduction of my wind turbines Bill, which was very reasonable. There was a similar set of circumstances in the United Kingdom when I introduced my Bill although the setback distances in the United...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: I support Senator Barrett and other Senators on the rate of corporation tax that applies in this country. Most countries in Europe and throughout the world are laughing at us for having a rate of 12.5% but it is outrageous to realise that some companies are paying only 2%.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: It is important that we find out how long this has been going on and if it is true that it was negotiated by the Government, I assume it was by the previous one, as Apple has been in this country for ten years.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: It is important that we find out-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: It is important that we find out how much we are owed and what we are going to do about collecting it. As long as we do not do so, and as we continue to withdraw disability, domiciliary care and mobility allowances, we are making life difficult for people who want to get their disability allowance or invalidity pension. The way forward is to collect everything we are owed. The point I...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: I have. I have known for a long time that only 1% raised from the sale of these multi-charity cards goes to the charities while 99% is used to keep a business going. I have no doubt that in most cases many of the people selling the cards are likely to be on social welfare.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2013)

John Kelly: Will the Leader bring this situation to the attention of the Minister in question? Proper regulation must be put in place. It is ridiculous that 1% of money raised should reach a charity and 99% facilitate a business.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (23 May 2013)

John Kelly: I support the call by my colleague, Senator Landy, for the Minister for Health to come into the House to clarify the position regarding home help hours. Prior to the last budget I made it clear that my support for the budget depended on whether the Minister restored the €8 million worth of home help hours to the HSE. I got assurances before the budget, and during the budget speech,...