Results 1-20 of 136 for likes to work speaker:Paddy Burke

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Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (28 May 2024)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. This is probably one of the most important pieces of legislation we will pass in this House for many years. We are dealing with ordinary people's money going forward and we are going to make provision for people who will be retiring in the next 30 to 40 years and way beyond. This is, therefore, hugely important. The preamble in the explanatory...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Paddy Burke: I support Senator O'Loughlin with regard to the Garda pension. I have raised this issue previously and I fully support her on it. I want to raise an issue regarding potholes and side subsidence of roads. With the constant rain we have had over the past six months, there is a considerable number of potholes. There is also subsidence along the sides of the roads. More and more people are...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Paddy Burke: I welcome our guests from Kenya as well and I hope they have a very successful trip to Ireland. I will join with the Cathaoirleach and other Members in proposing a vote of sympathy to the late Michael D'Arcy Snr., who was a former Member of this House and the Dáil, a Minister of State, and a county and town councillor. He had a distinguished political career over a very long period....

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 (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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Operation and Effect of National and Local Policy on Island Communities: Discussion (22 Sep 2023)

Paddy Burke: Like my other colleagues, I am delighted to be here on this historic occasion at the first broadcast from the islands. Ms Ní Shearcaigh is the manager of the Aran Islands Energy Co-operative. That is obviously a new company because this form of energy is relatively new in recent years. Does the co-operative carry out the retrofitting and insulation of heat pumps or whatever to the...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Jun 2023)

Paddy Burke: I would also like to be associated with the expressions of sympathy to the late Mary Jackman. I served with Mary in this Chamber between 1997 and 2002. I was the Opposition Whip at that time. It was a pleasure to work with Mary Jackman. As we all know, it is difficult at times to get people to speak in Seanad Éireann, or to keep the House going. It was always the job of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Jun 2023)

Paddy Burke: I would like to be associated with yesterday's expressions of sympathy regarding our former colleague and Leas-Chathaoirleach, Mr. Paul Coghlan. We will have another day for proper expressions of sympathy for the late Senator. I support Senator McGahon on the issue he raised regarding the €70,000 grant for first-time buyers. That issue could nearly be resolved now. I compliment the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (24 May 2023)

Paddy Burke: I also extend a welcome to our parliamentary friends and their friends from Malawi. I hope they have a very successful trip to Ireland. I would also like to be associated with the support for East Belfast GAA. I wish to raise the issue of jury service. I have come across something I have not encountered before, namely, what happens when a person who is moving from one job to another is...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Child Benefit) Bill 2023: Second Stage (24 May 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister to the House. As she has stated, this is a short Bill, but an important one. It is important for families throughout the length and breadth of the country, and for the 1.2 million children who will be in receipt of €100. I have to say that the Government and the Minister have really stepped up to the plate over the past year or two since the pandemic and the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Mar 2023)

Paddy Burke: I welcome Councillor Adam Teskey to the Public Gallery. He is a hardworking councillor from Limerick and it is great to see him in the Chamber. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate at some stage with the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications on energy and retrofitting of homes.Retrofitting is a huge area. There are considerable grants given by the Government in regard to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Paddy Burke: I thank the House for agreeing to my sharing of time with Senator Currie. I welcome the Minister to the House and I would like to start where finished. She stated: This Bill is a fair and balanced one. It responds to the needs of members of our community whose income needs are greatest. That is quite correct. Over the past 12 months, she has been listening to all the proposals that...

Seanad: EirGrid, Electricity and Turf (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (5 Jul 2022)

Paddy Burke: It is unbelievable that the Derrybrien wind farm is being dismantled. The Minister should seek a derogation from the European Union in relation to the current fines until we reach maximum energy production in this country. At a time when we are not self-sufficient in energy, it is daft that we are about to dismantle a wind farm at great cost and replace it with gas generation. The Minister...

Seanad: Sick Leave Bill 2022: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2022)

Paddy Burke: As Senator Sherlock said, this has to work for all workers. It has to work for employers as well. We have to be fair to employers as well. This is, as has been said, groundbreaking legislation. I suppose everything is relative. Whether one is on a lower wage or a middle-income wage, one's outgoings will be relative to what one's income will be. If somebody is out sick, whether he or she...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 May 2022)

Paddy Burke: I ask for a debate on infrastructure. I have in mind a piece of infrastructure extending from Longford towards Ballaghaderreen, with which Senator Murphy would be very familiar. It bypasses Strokestown. I refer to the N5, which has been the subject of problems because Roadbridge went into receivership. The project may well have to be retendered for. There are problems now. The Leader...

Seanad: Media Report on Governance in Local Authorities: Statements (12 May 2022)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, who is a great attender of debates in this House. This is a great opportunity to discuss this very important issue with him. It arose out of the RTÉ programme, which local authorities did not come out of very well. There were certain local authorities involved but one could say it represented every local authority because I am sure there are a lot of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2022)

Paddy Burke: I would like to ask if the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, could come into the House for a discussion on energy. The two big main players in this country at the moment are the ESB and Coillte. We should know their plans going forward. This behoves the Minister to come into the House to outline that to us. The other issue I would like to raise...

Seanad: Animal Health and Welfare and Forestry (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Report Stage (29 Mar 2022)

Paddy Burke: I wish the Minister well with the Bill. We spoke here at great length over quite a number of meetings with the Minister and two Ministers of State. As has been said, this is new territory for the Minister and for everyone in circumstances where we are closing down a business. There is no problem with that across the floor of the House, but there is a problem with the way people have been...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Feb 2022)

Paddy Burke: I agree with the sentiments expressed by my colleagues on Ukraine and that we would stand in solidarity with it. It is unbelievable to think that after what has happened over the past 100 years, this is happening now at this stage, and in a world that is much smaller, from a communications point of view, and much better educated. It is unbelievable to think that people are leaving and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2022)

Paddy Burke: It is very apt that the Acting Leader is here as Acting Leader on this St. Brigid's Day. We wish her well. To carry on from what Senator Cummins said, there is no reason every local authority would not be as good as Waterford City and County Council because they have the tools, as he said, to do this. They should be monitored and they should be made to do those things. I would like to...