Results 1-20 of 3,859 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election and express my sympathies regarding the recent outrage in Orlando.I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs to come to the House to debate the crisis in child care. There is a massive crisis in child care, at the root of which is funding. As an illustration of how bad the funding situation is, as a percentage of...

Seanad: Poverty and Homelessness: Motion (15 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: We have witnessed our first Bobby Ewing moment in this new Seanad. It is as if our colleagues in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael woke up this morning as born again social democrats with a lifelong commitment to investment in housing. The reality, however, was not a dream, it was a nightmare born out of an ideology of the hard right, that said the State does not need to invest in housing any...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: I also want to raise the issue of Childminding Ireland. I attended the protest at lunchtime today. I have to say I was shocked to hear about the treatment that has been meted out to workers like Bernie Griffiths, Jacquie Donnelly, Fiona Turner and Anne McCourtney, who have over 60 years of loyal service to a company that is funded by the State through the Department of Children and Youth...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: I am here to support them.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Thank you, a Chathaoirligh. I accept your point. We have heard much about new politics and we have a new Minister in place. However, when the union wrote to the Minister, effectively, she appeared to sit on her hands, saying it had nothing to do with her. This Department funds the child care facility in question. This facility has made these people redundant and, at the same time, told...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: They were sacking workers too.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: I wish to continue on the point Senator Norris was making. It is an important point given the industry we are talking about. It is a scandalous industry, because of the privatisation which happened throughout the country with the active support of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. In fairness, that is their ideology and it always has been. It has been a disaster. I call on the Minister to...

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Not once has anyone from Fine Gael mentioned the rights of workers in the waste industry and the disgraceful standards that exist.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has called for a joint labour committee to be set up in this sector. Of course, in reality it should be brought back into public ownership, as Senator Norris has pointed out. However, if we cannot achieve that because it is against Fine Gael ideology, then at least the Government should set up decent standards for the industry. Again, it is nothing we...

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: We had a chance to demonstrate the real relevance of this Chamber by standing together and annulling this statutory instrument. Fianna Fáil, however, would not do so. In fact, Fianna Fáil has some cheek sitting on the Opposition side of this Chamber. Two weeks into this term, we can see Fianna Fáil is joined at the hip with Fine Gael. It seems to have adopted the words of...

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Our proposal is to annul the legislation.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Did the Senators not read it? At this point, our Fianna Fáil colleagues look bluer than Boris Johnson. While it is a huge disappointment that Fianna Fáil has stood with the bin companies, it is hardly a surprise. After all, that is what right-wing parties do.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Thank you, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. Fine Gael does not have the courage to stand against the private waste companies. Today, we can see neither does Fianna Fáil. Sinn Féin wants to annul the statutory instrument and then have a wider debate on this issue with a public model of waste collection introduced which delivers an effective public service to all the citizens of the State....

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Fine Gael?

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Will the Minister include rates of pay for workers in the review?

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: No, he will not.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Fine Gael's pets.

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: Fianna Fáil cheerleading privatisation.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2016)

Paul Gavan: I join will all colleagues in congratulating the two teams who have done us proud over the past few days. I am looking forward to the match on Sunday, in particular, and hopefully we will get a positive result. Regardless of the result we will support our team. It would be nice to get back at France for the infamous hand ball incident. Yesterday, I met Mr. Kevin Donoghue who is president...