Results 161-180 of 717 for speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad. The Chamber is full of representatives of the Government but there are no Opposition Senators present. If there is anything telling about today's announcement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Michael McGrath, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, it is that no Opposition Senator has been here since before I...

Seanad: Budget 2022: Statements (12 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: In that case, I have a number of initiatives to welcome but Senators from the Opposition are free to come in and interject. From my own perspective, as someone coming from a rural constituency I welcome that as a Government, we have decided to again increase funding for all rural projects across the country. Since its establishment in 2017, the Department of Rural and Community Development...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome back the members of the Opposition. They were missing last night, for large periods of time, and I was covering the Opposition benches for quite a long time. It is great to see them back. They obviously had nothing to contribute on the budget yesterday. Three Bank of Ireland branches have closed in the past number of days in County Tipperary in Cahir, Cashel and Templemore. It...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: It was essentially a conversation between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil about the budget. That was what we were doing.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I was on my own over here.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: As we are seeing an increase in the number of Covid-19-positive patients in hospital and intensive care units, we must consider the best approach to lifting the remaining restrictions before Friday of next week. I know that many people wish to continue going into bars and restaurants over the winter months, but the prospect of sitting beside unvaccinated groups in the absence of public...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the announcement by the Taoiseach earlier today on the continued use of digital Covid certificates. It is something I raised in the Chamber last week. I did so because I felt there was an opportunity to protect businesses and people. It is good that the announcement was made today, and it is significant because a number of measures would not have been possible today if we did not...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (19 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: That is correct.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I will follow on from Senator Craughwell's comments regarding the emails, which I am sure everyone will have received, in respect of the Leader's comments last week. These comments were in response to comments I made to her in respect of the digital Covid certificate. I just want to show support for the comments she made. Everything the Government is doing in bringing forward measures is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Farm Costs (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank him for taking this Commencement matter. Agriculture has been in the news for the past number of days, or even weeks at this stage. I welcome the climate change COP26 meeting that is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland. I know the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon, is there...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Farm Costs (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for his response. He is right that there are a number of initiatives under way. The multispecies grass will make a difference and there will definitely be buy-in from farmers on this. Farmers recognise that they need to change many of their ways and they are totally in favour of that but what I am talking about needs to be done immediately. It will take time...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: The HSE has published a new list of locations around the country served by BreastCheck vans. The service provided by the vans stopped during Covid for the last 18 months. Before Covid, it generally did a yearly visit to Tipperary and did all its checks in one visit. However, the new list which was published has no location in Tipperary. The Irish Cancer Society has said higher numbers of...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the four MEPs, and particularly my colleague, Ms Fitzgerald. The EU recovery and resilience facility, RRF, is a huge funding programme all about building back better. It took a serious amount of negotiation. Everyone will recall the five days of the European Council summit back in July 2020 where EU leaders agreed on its broad outlines and a seven-year EU budget. How was the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank everybody for their contributions. I want to recognise my neighbour, Mr. Traas. The engagement today has been very positive, particularly from Dr. Dunford and Dr. Moran in terms of their narrative that this is not about farmers against anybody else but about bringing farmers along with us. It was stated that the best way to do that is to support farmers financially and because that...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I agree with many of the points made by Senators Craughwell and Malcolm Byrne on protests and the abuse that many people get. This issue affects not just politicians but also many other people who work in very important roles and do what is not just very important but also what is very good. Will the Leader get an update from the Minister of State with responsibility for sport on sports...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I have a young fella at home and he kicked a ball for the first time last weekend, so I support the previous comments. He is a future corner forward for Tipperary. Given the way Meath is performing at the moment, it would provide a good training session for him before the championship starts. On a serious note, I ask that the Leader get an update from the Minister of State at the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. She is always welcome and I thank her and the Cathaoirleach for facilitating this debate. I am raising this issue because the Minister of State will remember that a couple of weeks ago there was a lot of controversy about the continuation of the Covid digital certificate and the recommendations being brought in by the Government. The issue...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State. The question is fairly simple and the Department might be able to respond to it. The key figure I am seeking is how many first doses have been administered since 19 October, as this would give an indication of how many people have been vaccinated since the announcement. How many people took a first dose in the two weeks prior to 19 October, as it would...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: Following on from the contributions of others, I also wish to mark the sad passing of Austin Currie. I pass on my condolences, as others have done, to Emer and the whole Currie family on their sad and sudden loss. I spoke to Emer this morning and she asked me to pass on her appreciation to everyone who has contacted her and the family. It is a great source of strength to them at this time....

Seanad: Forestry Licensing: Statements (11 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for taking the debate. I know she treats this issue with the same importance as everyone else. I want to acknowledge that. I thank her for coming back from her trip to COP26, which I hope went well for her and for the Department. To follow on from other speakers, I want to share the frustration that farmers and others in the sector have in...