Results 321-340 of 3,510 for speaker:Martin Kenny

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (15 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: Just going back to retrofitting and the brief conversation we were having, I totally accept that great work is being done and particularly for people in local authority houses and so on. Many have schemes in place for that. However, there are a bunch of people, which I think is the majority, who are in the middle. They are people who are not in local authority houses. They are working and...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Service 2023
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (15 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: They really need the funding to be able to carry out schemes and they are the ones who cannot get it. We see underspend here and last week the Committee on Public Accounts heard about the amount of money that was underspent, and it is really frustrating for those people. They are the people who are talking to us, and I am sure they are talking to the Acting Chair as well, who would love to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: While much of the discussion is focused on where we can go from here and what is happening out there, geography and geology have a major part to play in all of this. In the part of the world I come from, farming is much less intensive and there are a lot of mountains, bogs and forestry. Much of this forestry has historically been Sitka spruce and issues around this have caused serious...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: When Dr. Bleasdale says it has to be in partnership and dialogue with them, is that about building consensus around that plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I accept that. The examples given by Dr. Bleasdale are valid, particularly those in the context of the Burren and all those places where it has worked and continues to work. In the areas where farmers are farming intensively and doing very well, however, it will be difficult to change their practices unless they are given something very big. That is the difficulty. The reality is that as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: Absolutely. Dr. Bleasdale referred to protecting species - birds and insects and getting down to the basis of it. I made the point to him previously that farmers currently need to have a certain number of livestock units to get their base payments and if a beehive, for instance, was considered a livestock unit, that could effect change. Not only would farmers have an interest in doing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: A beehive could become a livestock unit. I am not saying an individual bee should be a livestock unit. That would be pushing it. We need to think outside the box. Unless we can get farmers to buy into this and see a role from which they can generate productivity, we will not be able to deliver. That is the reality. I know farmers in many parts of the country who keep a small amount of...

Defective Dwellings Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I also commend Deputy Duffy on bringing forward this legislation. It goes back to the 1970s or before, when many of the houses that were built across the State were not up to standard. We see them all the time. All of us would have people coming into our constituency offices talking about mould growing in their houses and dampness coming up through the floor. Some of them have to buy a...

Defective Dwellings Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: That is what we need to see happen.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I support Deputy O'Rourke on this issue. I was over with the NTA this morning in Buswells Hotel and it was an issue we discussed. The difficulty in recruiting mechanics and retaining them in all aspects is clearly something that is causing a huge problem across the entire State. It is not just for buses, it is across everything. The car testing services are having the same problems. It...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I appreciate that work is being done and that the Minister of State is saying the consultation is complete and that progress will be made in due course. We have to recognise that for many people who are waiting to get a bus which does not come because it cannot be serviced, waiting on a report or for something to happen in the future is not any good to them. We need action on this sort of...

Energy Charter Treaty: Statements (9 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: We are glad to be hear today to speak about the Energy Charter Treaty. The concept of close negotiations and close co-operation between different countries on the movement of energy and development of energy resources has huge merit and a place in the modern world. However, this treaty should have been called the fossil fuel energy charter treaty because it is primarily or solely about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Business of Committee (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I second that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: I thank Mr. Bourke for coming today and for his opening statement. Many of my questions have been discussed. Approximately how many air traffic controllers are in AirNav?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: Mr. Bourke mentioned that there is a competitive international environment for that skill set. Does that mean AirNav has difficulties in losing people to other jurisdictions or organisations?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: When he says it is a risk, does he mean it is something AirNav is dealing with? Has it lost many people in that type of situation or is it difficult to attract others?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: Mr. Bourke mentioned Shannon Airport. One thing that always strikes me about regional airports or airports outside the main hub, Dublin, is the opportunities that exist to expand or grow traffic into them, which may be somewhat more restricted or more difficult. We can talk about caps and so on in Dublin Airport. Is there any issue with providing staff to the airports outside Dublin, in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: Excellent. How quickly is AirNav informed of international encroachments on the airspace and what measures can it take or what protocols are in place to deal with it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Irish Air Navigation Service: Chairperson Designate (8 Nov 2023)

Martin Kenny: As aviation grows, the AirNav team will need to grow and at the moment that-----