Results 1-20 of 265 for speaker:Michael Brennan

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy. (25 Apr 2007)

Michael Brennan: I also wish to share in the tributes arising from the sad loss of our great colleague and friend to all, Senator Kate Walsh. Kate was a lady in every sense of the word. She was a gentle person who respected every Member of the Oireachtas and who always listened to the views of Members whenever debates took place in this House. All Members are aware she had two favourite Ministers when they...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Apr 2007)

Michael Brennan: With regard to the water and sewerage investment programme, I compliment the Government on the amount of money allocated under the National Development Plan 2006-2011. Recently in the House, my party held discussions on local government planning and water services. What happened in Galway could happen in any county. Where record amounts of money are at the disposal of local authorities,...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Apr 2007)

Michael Brennan: We must question why the same private consultants' reports are used to upgrade local authority water and sewerage facilities at present when those schemes are sanctioned to go to contract this year. Will the Leader ask the Minister to audit the implementation of this programme at local authority level?

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (29 Mar 2007)

Michael Brennan: I wish to thank you, a Chathaoirligh, and other Members of the Seanad for their speedy consideration of the Bill. I regret I was unavailable to attend the House earlier in the week but I read carefully everything that Senators said during the debate. I have been in the House as often as I possibly could. The debate on Committee and Report Stages threw up some enlightening subjects which we...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (6 Mar 2007)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Haughey, to the House. As a member of the board of Scoil Naomh Iosaf in Adare, I ask the Minister of State for an update on the school's request to have an assessment carried out to determine the role of the Old Monastery CBS buildings in meeting the school's future education needs. The buildings are in...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (6 Mar 2007)

Michael Brennan: I thank the Minister of State for his commitment to have the requested assessment carried out. I stress the importance of ensuring discussions on the suitability of the premises take place at an early date.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2007)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Finance that he is to extend the period of tax relief for private developers where they provide facilities for the elderly and the disadvantaged. Being involved in two voluntary organisations I see first-hand the tremendous work being carried out in this area. The Minister has now put in place a provision that the services will have to be...

Seanad: Defence of Life and Property Bill 2006: Second Stage (28 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: Today and yesterday are sad occasions for the Irish people, particularly those of County Limerick, where Brian Kelleher and Mike Liston are being laid to rest today. I ask the Leader to convey the sympathies of the House to the families, the fire service and the Garda Síochána. I apologise for not being present yesterday, as I was visiting the bereaved families. The Government should...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (15 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the Minister for State to the House and thank Senator Finucane for sharing his time on this matter. I support the points raised by the Senator. The school in Croom has 729 pupils and a staff of 65, and it is to take in 150 students next September under the common enrolment system. It is a very valuable campus situated on less than six acres of fully serviced land in the centre of...

Seanad: Physical Education Facilities. (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I wish to share my time with Senator Finucane.

Seanad: Physical Education Facilities. (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey, to the House and wish him well in his new portfolio. I raise the matter of the lack of playground facilities at St. James's national school, Cappagh, Askeaton. I acknowledge the tremendous work carried out in this school in Cappagh as part of the capital programme. A total of €457,000 was provided for classroom extensions together with a...

Seanad: Physical Education Facilities. (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I thank the Minister of State for the information given. If the Department had carried out the works under the scheme, it would have saved a lot of money. The amount needed to complete the playground area is less than €50,000. I ask the Minister of State to convey to the Minister that the lines of communication must be kept open, so that we can resolve this problem in the near future.

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I do not have any quibble with the intention of this and the other amendments. The intention is good and the principle behind the amendments makes sense. However, in the stark print of legislation, an amendment may not achieve the desired objective. The Senator is attempting to ensure there is a strong complaints procedure and that complaints about personal advocate performance may be made...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I thank Senators for their thoughtful consideration of the legislation and enlightening and useful contributions. I am also grateful to my colleagues in the Dáil who examined the Bill in a rigorous but fair manner. As always, I must say a special word of thanks to my over-worked officials who have spent many years bringing this legislation to the Statute Book. They have been engaged in...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: I thank the Senator for proposing this amendment to section 5. She seeks to provide in the legislation that personal advocates should have particular qualifications. I do not have a difficulty with that. There is no need and it could be counterproductive to lay down the qualifications in legislation because the necessity for qualifications of a certain type changes from time to time. I...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Michael Brennan: The 2007 budget — the opening budget — of the advocacy and interpretative service is €4.3 million. Data compiled for a Comhairle report, Developing an Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities, indicate that approximately 26,000 people, including 9,200 children, are registered on the national intellectual disability database. Approximately 14,800 people with mental or intellectual...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Dec 2006)

Michael Brennan: I refer to a matter raised by Senator Finucane and wish to support my west Limerick colleague regarding the payment of redundancy payments to the Castlemahon workers and the request of the Minister, Deputy Martin. I acknowledge that the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, met the workers. That was one of the items discussed some...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2006)

Michael Brennan: I also welcome the Law Reform Commission's consultation paper on legitimate defence and the six issues with which it deals, namely, legitimate defence as a justification and the need for a clear statement of the law; the essential components of legitimate defence; the threshold requirement; the imminence and emerging new cases; lethal force and law enforcement officers; and legitimate defence...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Nov 2006)

Michael Brennan: If there is unanimous support from both sides of the House to deal with No. 8, we would be prepared, with the agreement of the House and the Leader, to progress Second Stage of that legislation if time could be made available. I welcome the statement yesterday by the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform that he would deal with the points raised in the Law Reform——