Results 1-20 of 23,052 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 Mar 2024)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach for taking this Commencement matter. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, to the House. Castlebar Educate Together National School was started by a group of people in 2015. They organised an old national school, the Burren National School, but the parents rejected this. It was not suitable. It was outside Castlebar and did not have what was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (21 Mar 2024)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Minister of State for outlining what the Department is doing. I know he can appreciate the difficulty that the school faces in operating over a number of campuses. It is quite difficult, particularly with small kids. I ask for a site to be identified immediately. I am sure that there is some fundraising that the school will have to do as well. It needs to be able to get on...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2024)

Paddy Burke: I also express my thanks and good wishes to the Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, a man who has experience at Cabinet as Minister, Tánaiste and Taoiseach over a 13-year period. He has been an excellent ambassador for the country, a great Taoiseach and a great Minister over the past 13 years. I wish him well and thank him for his public role for the country over those years. I support also...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: Much has been said recently about the revival of the Irish language. We should start with planning guidelines with regard to Gaeltacht areas. Planning guidelines should be weighted in favour of people living in Gaeltacht areas, whether they are from the area or from outside and want to move into the Gaeltacht areas. The language is dying in some areas and this could be a way to revive it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I have a couple of brief questions to follow what Deputy Ó Laoghaire about the fabric and how that ties in with the heat pump. Heat pumps are very complicated to use. They are very complicated machines. It is not like turning on or off the gas or oil boiler. They have to be set and people have to use the best rate they can, whether it is the day rate or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: If I may put a supplementary question please, a Chathaoirligh. Ms Corcoran says there is nothing coming through. Does she mean from the Department of housing, from SEAI, from local authorities or from where is it not coming through?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: I would like the Department to look into that because it would seem that people have no other option but to go for solar because the grants are for solar. That is basically it.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: I ask the Leader to contact the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The Department has acquired quite a number of houses throughout the country for road construction and so forth. We have a number of them in our own county. These houses are lying idle and we have a housing shortage. There is a desperate need for housing on many fronts. There is also a need for housing for people...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House, and I wish her well with this Bill. It is a short, small Bill, but it is very important and it covers quite a considerable amount, given its size. I welcome the amendment the Minister will table relating to 18-year-olds. As she has rightly pointed out, many kids do not now start national school until they are five years of age and are still going to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2024)

Paddy Burke: I raise an issue in regard to benefit-in-kind. At a time when we are trying to become more environmentally friendly, the Department of Finance's arrangements for benefit-in-kind, particularly for company cars, are ridiculous. I have been contacted about this issue by a number of business owners and employees who drive company cars. In the case of hybrid cars, people can get the VAT back on...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jan 2024)

Paddy Burke: I rise to support the motion for John Connor. I was saddened when I heard the news that John Connor had been involved in an accident and sadly passed away. I served in this Chamber with John Connor from 1997, I think, to 2002. As previous Senators said, he was one of the finest orators who graced these Chambers. He had a way with the English language and he had a great ability to put his...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jan 2024)

Paddy Burke: There is no need to highlight that, a Chathaoirleach. I congratulate Senators Carrigy, Ardagh and Wall and the Cathaoirleach with regard to the great work done on the committee in raising awareness of autistic people and the work they did to make this an autism-friendly Parliament. I raise the issue of the severe storms in recent days that have resulted in a lot of damage to property and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Paddy Burke: I am honoured to say a few words today in the absence of our leader, Senator Doherty, who is unavoidably absent as she is in Brussels. I was shocked when I heard that Senator Norris was resigning because since I came into this House many moons ago, he was always here. He was always a friend and somebody that you could get advice from. The Senator was captured completely in the words of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: The Comptroller and Auditor General makes observations annually on State bodies for one reason or another. Recently, we saw that he made some observations concerning Inland Fisheries Ireland, IFI. The issue in respect of IFI has been raised by several Senators in this House, including by me, Senator Kyne and others, over the last 12 months. When the Comptroller and Auditor General raises...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: I would like to be associated with the words of congratulations to my colleague, Senator Seery Kearney, on the great work she has done which has brought happiness to so many people. I call for a debate on the wind industry, particularly small, domestic wind turbines. We have seen huge growth in the area of solar panels for rooftops for houses. We could have small, domestic wind turbines in...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: I want to discuss class K also.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: The Senator had submitted an amendment on this.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: While I do not question the ruling made by the Cathaoirleach, I ask him to reflect on the fact that moneys collected under the social welfare legislation are not a charge on the Exchequer. Moneys paid for dental or other treatment that are collected through the social welfare system are not a charge on the Exchequer. I do not think the ruling is proper in that regard. I have to support...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: I thank the Acting Chairman. I have to agree with Senator Craughwell. I have raised class K on numerous occasions also. It affects every Member of this House and others. After the last election, the majority of people who lost their seats or retired were not even able to collect the jobseeker's benefit after doing so. This is a considerable indictment of the political system. Some of...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome what the Minister has said. An anomaly in the system that I have raised on a number of occasions is where a person who is between jobs is called for jury service. I hope the Minister will be able to address the matter in the Bill. The case I raise involves a girl who was changing jobs and found there was no onus on her previous employer to pay. She did jury duty for a week,...