Results 61-80 of 1,874 for speaker:Richard O'Donoghue

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: It is great to see €500 million being used for environmentally friendly projects. I note, however, that nothing has gone to agriculture, which is always being wrongly blamed as the cause of emissions in Ireland. Some €8.5 million is being provided for a gas project; €15 million is going to Irish Rail to reduce the number of diesel engines; €20 million is going to...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I will try and not take the full 20 minutes. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said earlier this funding is very welcome and wanted but it must be given in a responsible way. I have no confidence in giving funding to Irish Water as it has wasted what money we have had in the country to date. It put in meters throughout the country and used all of its funding but was able to keep back €500,000...

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I am sorry but everyone else spoke at length. The Acting Chairman said he did not see me. I would like to get a couple of these facts out.

Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank the Acting Chair. All restaurants were closed for 105 days during this time. There was significant cash burning. Large hoteliers were out of pocket by €2,000 at day. Local authority charges need to be waived. This funding needs to be given to local authorities so they can waive the rates system to get our businesses back up and running. That is one way to do it. The...

National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: This oil Bill has already raised €3 billion in carbon taxes since 2010. The Green Party has included certain projects that its members want rural Ireland to pay for. Some €8.5 million is being provided for gas projects. Dublin City Council is to get €20 million for green heating systems. Some €4.5 million is being provided for the Tallaght district system,...

Employment Rights: Motion [Private Members] (15 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Deputy Danny Healy-Rae and I are sharing time, with four minutes each. If this pandemic has taught us anything it is how we need to invest in our front-line workers. We can see it from all the front-line workers who came home and all the trainee nurses who helped the front-line services while getting paid during the Covid-19 crisis. Up to the outbreak of Covid, they did not get paid for...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (16 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: My question concerns the front-line workers who booked and paid for holidays last year that were to be taken this summer. The flights are going out but, according to the Government direction, people are not supposed to travel. Most are being responsible and not travelling. If they travel, they are told they will have to stay off work for two weeks when they come back. If they do not...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: People with Disabilities (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: In mid-March, disability day services, including the intellectual disability services, were closed with a small number of exceptions. In May and early June, Inclusion Ireland surveyed the people who use these services and their families to establish the impact of the closure of services. In total, 291 family members answered the survey, as did 55 people with intellectual disability. The...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Impact of Covid-19: People with Disabilities (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: We have homecare agencies that give support to the elderly and people with disabilities in their houses. They were offering to work and looking for more hours and they were not allowed to work. The people who wanted to work had their hours reduced but their hours were kept to a bare minimum to stop them getting the carer's Covid payment.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Mary Fogarty, a nurses' representative, says there is no social distancing taking place in the hospitals. On Monday, 13 July, there were 56 patients on trolleys in one area in the regional hospital with a capacity of 20 patients. This has increased now to 40 patients. Some patients are sitting on chairs. There is no social distance and staff are exposed. The INMO has asked for an...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: My second question is: why there is such a high turnover of nurses in certain hospitals compared with others? In certain hospitals around the country there is a massive turnover of nurses who are not staying within the hospital system. Is this not a clear indication that in some of the hospitals there is a breakdown of management or communications to let the nurses do their job properly?...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I brought this up earlier and the witness mentioned that facilities for 100 beds are being built in Limerick at the moment. On 13 July some 56 patients were on trolleys in one area in University Hospital Limerick, UHL, with capacity for 20 patients. This number has increased to 40. Some patients are sitting on chairs with no social distancing and with staff exposed. The Irish Nurses and...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I am asking about Limerick specifically.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Some patients are sitting on chairs. That is not a trolley, a bed or a room with a door. Why are numbers in Limerick always higher? Is it because it covers counties Tipperary, Clare and north Cork and Mr. Woods probably does not have adequate staff to do this?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: The UL hospitals group has offered to help. This has to come from management. Is that not correct? The hospitals have offered to help with the overflow. This has to come from management.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: Let us consider other hospitals and the management of other hospitals throughout the country. I asked this question in the Chamber earlier today. Are there certain areas of certain hospitals where we might have a small problem with management of the systems rather than the hospital itself? Might there be a problem around management and asking for help?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Non-Covid Healthcare Disruption: Waiting Lists and Screening (Resumed) (17 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: What about the employment of consultants? I said this earlier but not in the Dáil. We have no Ehlers-Danlos syndrome consultant. For two years they have been looking to replace the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome consultant. When will we have one? I have a second question. Perhaps Mr. Woods can answer both together. It relates to our personal protective equipment if we have another...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: In the programme for Government, I highlight the section on building stronger and safer communities on page 84. It states: Community safety is at the heart of the ongoing transformation of An Garda Síochána. The new Government will ensure that this will be a key part of our social contract with citizens. An Garda Síochána is enriched by its resilient links in the areas...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (22 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: I agree with everything the Taoiseach said but the best way forward in respect of this matter is to take an all-island approach. There should be a link to the passport number of anyone leaving this country by air or by ferry. This is the fastest way to police matters. Using the passport system to police the pandemic is the fastest way to track anyone leaving the country or coming into it....

Post-European Council Meetings: Statements (22 Jul 2020)

Richard O'Donoghue: As noted at the European Council meeting, in addition to the €1.824 trillion approved by the EU, there is €5 billion in the Brexit reserve. It is earmarked for unforeseen consequences in the most affected member states and sectors. Surely this will be passed on to Ireland. I hope that this matter is being examined by our MEPs in addition to what is required to meet the Covid...