Results 41-60 of 704 for speaker:John Kelly

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Alternative Energy Projects (29 Sep 2015)

John Kelly: Indeed, community and citizen engagement has proven to be a joke in the past but I hope the situation will improve. I read in my local newspaper this week that the ESB has launched a scheme called community fund 2015 for another development in County Roscommon. At least it has advertised that it is willing to sit down with communities to talk to people and agree a set figure. I shall...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

John Kelly: I want to raise an issue of concern relating to Bus Éireann. In my county of Roscommon, most of the established bus operators lost their runs this summer following a tender process. These operators had a relationship built up with the special needs students they were bringing to school and now the students are being asked to get to know the new bus operators. They might have great...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (23 Sep 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister to the House. I support Senator Leyden's matter. Roscommon has the highest number of people over 65per capita in the country. We have an excellent facility. If funding is provided, the project is shovel ready and the HSE knows that. It does not need to acquire land to build these extra units. It is amazing that the project is under threat and that the hospital...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

John Kelly: I join in tribute to my good friend, Jimmy Harte, and I wish him well in his retirement. I had a particular relationship with Jimmy in that we met first on the Seanad campaign criss-crossing the country and we regularly met up and stayed in the Lucan Spa Hotel. Sadly, Jimmy will not stand for re-election but I wish him well on his retirement and I wish him a speedy recovery. I wish to...

Seanad: Environment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: For the first time ever.

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

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Unlike most Senators here today, I will not be talking about statistics or Scandinavian models, or whatever. I want to focus on one thing, which relates to what Senator Mooney said. I worked with lone parents as a community welfare officer for many a year and it is as simple as this. There is a lone parent, who has been getting the lone...

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

John Kelly: I do not think that when the Minister, Deputy Burton, initiated this two years ago she envisaged that people were going to lose money and it is acknowledged that many have gained money. Fianna Fáil is calling for the reversal of these changes, but that would mean the people who gained money would now lose money. That is not a good idea either. Some 4,000 or fewer people have suffered...

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

John Kelly: The only thing that will change anything is us influencing the Minister of State and the Minister to look realistically on this. I do not want to lose the Whip so that I will lose my power of trying to influence them.

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

John Kelly: Senator Leyden said once before that he knows these motions are only aspirational. It will not achieve anything. What is achieved will be achieved by Government parties on this side of the House trying to influence the Minister of State. I will certainly be one of them.

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

John Kelly: The Senator is justifying her own position.

Seanad: Industrial Relations (Amendment) Bill 2015: Report Stage (14 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I compliment the Minister of State. He had a good day today as he passed two Bills through the Seanad. This Bill is every bit as important as the National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill. The Minister of State is trying to ensure there is fairness in the workplace and that there is security of tenure for employees. The Bill is very welcome.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: Last week we had welcome news in my county whereby a wind farm development proposed for Fourmilehouse in County Roscommon was refused planning permission. The reason it was refused was because of the impact it would have on a rare breed of swan. I read in today's newspaper that a proposed wind farm development in Doonbeg in County Clare was refused planning permission because of the impact...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I wish to share my time with Senator Moloney - three minutes each. I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome this legislation and commend the Minister of State, Deputy Nash, on bringing it before the House. Due to the importance of the provisions, I trust there will be no delay in making it the law of the land before the summer recess. The Bill provides for the reinstatement of...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: The Labour Party is in government to fix a broken economy. As we rebuild our economy and society, it is essential that our renewed country is based on equality and fairness. The sustained increase in employment we have seen is most welcome, but we must work to ensure that we are creating jobs with decent wages and conditions. Central to protecting working conditions is a strong trade union...

Seanad: Conditions of Work: Motion (8 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: ----- and will address the issue of a living wage for employees. All in all, this package of industrial relations legislation is critical to best practice in the relationship between employers and employees for the future. I apologise for going over time.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I support Senator Katherine Zappone's call for a review of the changes to the lone parent's allowance. I do not believe that initially this was meant to be a cut that would result in people losing money. The idea was to try to find more work for people but, unfortunately, situations will arise where people will lose money and they need to be addressed. I support Senator Paul Coghlan's...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: Like others, I offer my sincere sympathies to all the families who lost loved ones in the Tunisian massacre and in particular to the families of Lorna Carty in Meath and Larry and Martina Hayes in Athlone. Martina hailed from Kiltoom in County Roscommon and was a namesake of my own having the maiden name of Kelly. I cannot imagine what the families are going through. On a separate note, I...

Seanad: Growing Tourism to 2025: Statements (1 Jul 2015)

John Kelly: I welcome the Minister to the House. Since the dip in tourism figures in 2010, we have seen the huge success of The Gathering, which continues to send out a ripple effect. For example, an event along the same lines is taking place in my own village this weekend, with 50 family members, 25 of them from America, coming together. Overseas visitor numbers are up 10.3% compared with the first...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: It is not often that I find myself in total agreement with my colleagues from Fianna Fáil. On this occasion I certainly do.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jun 2015)

John Kelly: The new social welfare forms designed by the Department are showing a clear bias towards banks over post offices and should be scrapped. Our views have been made quite clear to the Minister for Social Protection. Senator O'Brien's recommendation that transition year students get CPR training is a brilliant idea. I ask the Leader that we make representations to the Minister for Education...