Results 1-20 of 443 for speaker:Ollie Crowe

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Jul 2025)

Ollie Crowe: This morning I raise the issue of vaping, especially the growth in vaping we have seen among young people in recent years. The proportion of young people in Ireland using vapes and other tobacco products has increased significantly, rising from under 20% in 2015 to 30% in less than ten years, according to research from the Irish National Cancer Registry. Many of us have sort of believed...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, to the Chamber and wish him continued success in his transport portfolio and as a Minister of State attending Cabinet. As Members will be aware, catering facilities on trains were stopped during Covid. They returned on a limited number of services, specifically Dublin to Cork. Irish Rail had committed to a full restoration of catering...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rail Network (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I thank Minister of State, Deputy Canney, for his detailed response. I find it a little bit disingenuous that the Dublin to Belfast and Dublin to Cork lines have been sorted out but we are nearly forgotten about in the west. As a leading Minister of State in the west, I know it is a high priority for him, but to say it is an operational issue, I do not know. The trains are packed and, in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: Similar to Senator Fitzpatrick and Senator Nelson Murray, I raise the insurance issue again. It is vitally important to the hospitality sector, which I represent, and sectors across society. I reference general insurance and personal injury awards. As Members will be aware and as was outlined, the Cabinet is scheduled to consider recommendations from the Judiciary to increase personal...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, to the House. He is a former member of the Seanad and I wish him continued success as Minister for Finance. I am standing in this afternoon for Senator Pat Casey who is attending the Council of Europe. Having been a councillor for 11 years before becoming a Member of this House, I am very aware of the importance of the local property tax, both as a...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: A slip of the tongue is no fault of the mind.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax and Other Provisions) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: Next Tuesday.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: With regard to the amendment aimed at enabling enterprise agencies to offer financial support for clients to hire external consultants on the green and digital transitions, will the witnesses from the Department tell us more about this? For example, what sort of financial support are we talking about in terms of the range of expected fees? What level of demand is there for this currently?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: What about the level of demand?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: Does Mr. Hughes think it is entirely necessary or are the companies currently managing the transitions without access to consultants?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I note that the opening remarks stated that this would especially benefit SMEs, which do not typically employ experts in digitalisation or decarbonisation. Would we be better off with enterprise agencies providing financial supports for such a staff position even within the SMEs or is it expected that financial support for consultancy will be considerably more efficient?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: In terms of environmental aid, the opening remarks mentioned that the creation of a new category of grant will allow the agencies to access such grant applications solely on suitable environmental criteria. Is there any risk that as the grant decisions are being made solely on environmental criteria, they will potentially be made for companies that face considerable other challenges and may...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: Mr. Hughes referred to a couple of hundred IDA Ireland jobs in Galway. Could he expand further on those?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: General Scheme of the Industrial Development (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: We will allow it.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I thank the Acting Chair. Dyslexia is a learning difference that affects about one in ten students, manifesting in a spectrum from mild to severe. As the Minister of State and Senators will be aware, it is legally recognised as a disability under both Irish and EU law. That recognition ensures the right to various accommodations in both education settings and the workplace. In many...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I thank the Minister of State. I am aware of the review, but given the mountain of research that has already been conducted on this topic, I believe they have all the evidence they need to make the right decision and finally correct this. I urge the Minister and the Department to engage with the State Examinations Commission as a matter of priority.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I raise the issue of illegal drug use, specifically cocaine. All Members will be aware that usage of this drug has soared in recent years, as has been reflected in every piece of data we see. The HSE's drugs and alcohol helpline produced its latest annual report last month, for the year 2023, in which the helpline received almost 6,000 calls. These were the largest figures since the...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (18 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I propose Senator Pat Casey.

Seanad: Enterprise Matters and Business Supports for SMEs: Motion (18 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: I move: That Seanad Éireann: - recognises the clarity in the Programme for Government that sets out the importance of SMEs to our economy; - accepts that given the heightened level of international uncertainty, there is a need to focus on matters within our control which can make the domestic Irish economy more competitive and resilient to economic shocks; - acknowledges the need...

Seanad: Enterprise Matters and Business Supports for SMEs: Motion (18 Jun 2025)

Ollie Crowe: Fianna Fáil believes Irish SMEs are fundamentally important to the Irish economy, currently and for future economic success. That is my view also. As Members will be aware, I have spoken often about how SMEs are the backbone of the Irish economy. Some 99.8% of businesses in Ireland are classified as SMEs and 68% of employees work for SMEs. Our SMEs are the lifeblood of cities, towns...