Results 141-160 of 23,052 for speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report Stage (28 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on the amendment tabled by Senator McDowell. I must say it has been very interesting to listen to him for the last number of minutes. I will vote for the Government, of course, whatever the Government decision is. I might be voting against my beliefs but I will vote with the Government. At the same time, as I have said, it has been very...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2022: Report Stage (28 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: The machine will reduce it to 12 people.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: I would like to ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to come before the House at some stage, because it has been brought to my attention that there are discrepancies in the testing of public service vehicles between one county and another. I have evidence of a small transport vehicle that was given the okay in the county where a man bought it. However,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: The Irish rugby team.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: I would like the Deputy Leader to invite the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, to the House to discuss the creation of offshore energy, particularly on the west coast. It seems the Government has decided to put on the back foot any developments in respect of the creation of offshore wind energy along the west coast in favour of the east coast. All...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implementation of Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (1 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome and thank all the witnesses for their opening statements. Mr. Mulherin gave a practical example of how the Department of Rural and Community Development is liaising with the Tidy Towns committees in every county throughout the country. Has there been any communication with the Department of Education on schoolbooks? I think the Department changed the curriculum such that it would...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I condemn in the strongest possible way what happened in Northern Ireland last night. We have to condemn it at every available opportunity to us. I welcome the €1.2 billion cost-of-living package provided by the Government. I ask the Deputy Leader if we might organise a debate on the VAT rates in the House. I welcome the continuing 9% rate for the next number of months but...

Seanad: Rail Network: Statements (23 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House and I thank Senator Doherty for sharing her time with me. I love the Minister's thinking about freight and passenger rail. I concur with Senator Kyne on the western rail corridor. I thank the Minister for his commitment to that. He is one of the first Ministers who has really come out strongly in favour of the western rail corridor. At this point it...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I raise the same issue Senator Kyne raised yesterday, namely, the vetting that has to be done for people taking up jobs in the HSE and teaching posts. Many of our young people travel all over the world for a number of years and, at some stage, many will come back and find work in Ireland. As a country, we are looking for a lot of people to work in the HSE, the health service, teaching and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator Boyhan with regard to asking the Minister with responsibility for inland fisheries to come to the Chamber. I compliment Senator Kyne on the battle he has fought, going back to last May, in respect of IFI. I see a huge change in what is happening in IFI. I was nominated by IFI to stand for the Seanad on a number of occasions. It is very sad to see what is going on in our...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I wish to be associated with the expression of sympathy to the family of the former Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnach. She was a very good Minister for Education and she attended this House on a regular basis during her time in the other House. I ask that we bring the Minister for Justice to the House to discuss the drone issue at Dublin Airport. It is unbelievable to think that...

Seanad: Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Bill 2022: Second Stage (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I congratulate the Minister of State as well and wish her well in her portfolio. This is very important legislation. We have seen over the years the hardship and so on that was visited at many doors in this country - not just in this country but right around the world - from the crash until now. The first two paragraphs of the explanatory memorandum set out quite clearly what the Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the delegations to the committee. Based on their experience and having looked at other systems, should it be a State system, a private system or a joint venture between the State and Insurance Ireland, for example, or an entity that would win a tender?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: Say I am investing €20 every week or month into a pension and it goes into the purchase of housing this year, for example. Does it go into something else next year or a combination of things? How does my €20 work out?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: Would it not be better from the State's perspective if it took, say, €500 million into auto-enrolment and would invest the money? If it did not collect enough then that would be the State's investment into the fund anyway so the State invests in bonds or whatever anyway. Would that not be a better system? It would be easier for the State to control it. Would it not be easier for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: Yes, but it could be a type of joint venture. Maybe the NTMA would do it or maybe Insurance Ireland could do it. Maybe it would contract somebody to do it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Feb 2023)

Paddy Burke: It does. It makes it more clear to me. So Insurance Ireland has a problem with that system.