Results 41-60 of 4,002 for speaker:Rose Conway Walsh

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I was shocked because it undermines the whole credibility of this commission. It is like the referee setting out the result of a football match before it starts. It should not be forgotten that this commission is in place during this hiatus and is meant to be independent, so as to assure the public that whatever solution is eventually reached, it is impartial and independent. Impartiality...

Seanad: Local Authority Members' Terms and Conditions: Motion (5 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: Sinn Féin agrees with the motion to set up the time-limited committee. We recognise that Putting People First and the changes in local government have not served constituents, their councillors or local authorities. Money was saved by getting rid of town councils, but it was a major mistake, not only for the towns that they served, but for the public representatives. I have just left...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I wish to address the issue raised by Senator Catherine Ardagh who I know is genuine in her approach to home help hours. I have been dealing with home help hours for a long time. Between 31 August 2009 and 31 August 2010, Fianna Fáil cut 32,000 hours of home help from very vulnerable people in Mayo. Fine Gael when in government went on to cut 9,000 hours from people in Mayo. In...

Seanad: Communications, Climate Action and the Environment: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am glad we have a Minister who is from rural Ireland and understands rural Ireland. We have often shared the same airwaves as him, as on Midwest Radio.I very much look forward to shadowing him in the future, as I am sure he looks forward to shadowing me. We have much in common. One issue that has not gone away, however, in spite of the arrival of new...

Seanad: Communications, Climate Action and the Environment: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I will finish on the Corrib gas project. I am sorry, I could not sit down without referring to it. I refer to it in the context of the deals that have been done and in contrast to Norway in terms of the sovereign wealth fund, which is the world's largest, and under which Norwegians will benefit in 2020 by an estimated $1 trillion.

Seanad: Communications, Climate Action and the Environment: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I must ask the Minister another question about the flaring of the Corrib gas project. I ask the Minister to comment on the news that the EPA is prosecuting Shell and E&P Ireland for breaching its emissions licence in the Corrib gas refinery. I will raise this again tomorrow under the Order of Business.

Seanad: Farm Safety: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I welcome the Minister to the debate. It is timely that Farm Safety Week is the second week of July because many farm accidents occur during the school holidays and involve children, including grandchildren visiting their grandparents. I express the solidarity of the House with all those families who have been bereaved and all those who have been injured in farm accidents. As we discuss...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I, too, have concerns regarding the report relating to the fact that trauma units may be closed. However, this is not a new phenomenon. While I take on board the concerns of certain colleagues to my left in respect of the number of sick and elderly patients on trolleys, it would serve us well to remember that in January 2010, under the stewardship of then Minister, Ms Mary Harney, there...

Seanad: Public Procurement: Statements (12 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I would welcome the Minister of State's views on the impact of the public procurement and competitive tendering process on the social inclusion activation projects.Public procurement projects have a role to play in economic recovery. If the funds are directed to enhance the economic and social development of the area they are in there need to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: In a similar vein, I ask the Leader if he will ask the Minister of State in the Department of the Taoiseach to come before the House and address the confusion and concern surrounding the latest figures issued by the CSO. Many economists have questioned not only the veracity of these figures but the usefulness of releasing them.These economic figures could potentially erode any faith in...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I would like clarification on a matter. Notwithstanding that the Minister for Finance will be in the House tomorrow, the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach needs to come to the House to discuss the CSO figures in regard to repatriation of profits and how figures are presented by the CSO. Perhaps the Leader will clarify if that debate will be put on the agenda.Is that accepted?

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: As a prelude to my thoughts on the Bill I want to address a couple of points made earlier about the relevance of the Seanad and especially the attempts to denigrate the Seanad. I am a new Senator and am in the House only a couple of weeks. There are two very important things to me and to the people I serve in the west of Ireland that we were able to do through this House. One was the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I refer to the WALK PEER programme in Ardee, County Louth. The group gave an excellent presentation in the AV room, hosted by our party leader, Deputy Gerry Adams, earlier today. I have worked with similar programmes. Young people can access employment and further education through such programmes and they are crucially important. It is an excellent model of delivery of employment for...

Seanad: Summer Economic Statement 2016: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. I wish to share my time with Senator Pádraig Mac Lochlainn. Before I begin my contribution, I wish to draw attention to the most recent economic announcement from the CSO this week. The 26% growth rate was mocked and derided around the world. There is a danger that economic announcements and forecasts such as those we are discussing today...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I had not intended to speak on Irish Water, but I was upstairs and I heard Senator Coffey chatting away so I felt a responsibility to come down and respond. First, I wish to comment on the North and water charges. Let us be absolutely clear, because Senator Coffey seems to be a little confused about this. There are no water charges in the North. There are no water charges-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: Perhaps Senator Coffey will give me a chance to speak. There are no water charges in the North because the Sinn Féin Minister with responsibility for regional development, Conor Murphy, stopped water charges being brought in and stopped the privatisation of Northern Ireland Water. Senator Coffey rightly refers to the fact that some metering has been done. Again, the reason-----

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: Metering has been done in the North because there was a change of ministry to a Unionist ministry. We lost that ministry and they brought in metering as they had intended, a little like what Fine Gael is doing here and what Fianna Fáil did originally. I want to refer to the Fianna Fáil position. Certainly Senator Buttimer is right to say that it was a Fianna Fáil baby...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: We have always said - and we are absolutely consistent in all of this - we would never tell anyone to pay a bill or not to pay a bill. We have always said that people should decide for themselves. We have faith in the capacity of individual human beings to make decisions around whether they pay bills. Indeed, we would not have the responsibility of someone not paying a bill and...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: I very much welcome the Taoiseach's remarks over the past couple of days in terms of a referendum on Irish unity. For years, we in Sinn Féin have wanted a full conversation and discussion around what it would mean to have the reunification of our island. We are pleased that this is happening and, obviously, we will do everything to continue to lead that. I welcome the initiative by...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Irish Bank Resolution Corporation) Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Jul 2016)

Rose Conway Walsh: This is a last-ditch attempt to salvage a commission of investigation the Government never wanted. It remains open to debate whether it was by design or by flaw that the commission was so badly set up in the first instance. Nevertheless, I hope that what comes out of the Bill and the new terms of reference is a commission of investigation that can do its job. IBRC is a zombie institution...