Results 1-20 of 96 for speaker:Peter Roche

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (17 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: My question is on carers. I acknowledge, as most of us do from time to time, the outstanding work Family Carers Ireland and carers in general do in our communities. I also acknowledge the increase in the income threshold in the assessment. As part of the programme for Government, there is a commitment to abolish the means test. I am anxious to know the timelines in this respect.

Health (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I support the Second Reading of the Health (Amendment) Bill 2025. The Bill is timely and necessary and fundamentally about one thing: accountability in how we plan, manage and deliver healthcare in Ireland. The central purpose of the legislation is to ensure the Health Service Executive operates under the highest standards of prudent and effective financial management. It replaces the old...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I have received apologies from Deputy Ryan O'Meara. Everyone is most welcome. I ask all who are attending remotely to mute themselves when not contributing so that we do not have any background noise or feedback. I remind all those attending to ensure their mobile phones are on silent mode or switched off. Members attending remotely are reminded of the constitutional requirements that in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank Mr. Ó Ruairc. That was very efficient. I call Mr. Kent.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I welcome the witnesses. I have a scenario that I want to put to Mr. Kent. We all have individual cases, demands and representations. In my neck of the woods, east Galway, there is a young child who is moving on to secondary school. For all of his childhood years attending national school, he was collected at a point 2.8 km from his family home. The parents applied for school transport...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: This would not be a home pick-up. It would be 2.8 km from the home.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I can send the detail to Ms Flynn.

Select Committee on Health: Health Information Bill 2024: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I wish the Minister and her officials a good morning. I am excited about the prospect of this. It is a move in the right direction. We are in the digital age now and whether we like it or not, it is fair to suggest or for me to think it is worth bringing all the systems together and channelling or filtering that information about one's file such that wherever an accident or emergency might...

Select Committee on Health: Health Information Bill 2024: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: "Reluctance" is probably a better word. It could be from hospitals or individuals. Of course, if individuals resist, the chances are they are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Select Committee on Health: Health Information Bill 2024: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: It is.

Select Committee on Health: Health Information Bill 2024: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: All I will say in conclusion is well done and the best of luck with it. I am excited about the prospect, I must admit.

Select Committee on Health: Health Information Bill 2024: Committee Stage (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: Excellent. What about timelines? The Minister mentioned how long it took Denmark. When does she anticipate this will be live or will be enacted?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to the Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme: Department of Social Protection (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: Apologies for my late attendance, which was due to the health committee next door, which was fundamentally important as well. There is more good in this for the employee than there is for the employer is the way I see it. My initial concerns are for small and medium enterprises and those type of employers. Some of them are operating on very thin margins. Any additional financial burden on...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to the Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme: Department of Social Protection (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: This minute, I think about Joe Public; the person who is down there in rural Ireland and is beavering away this morning and everything is going grand. Here, we are fully aware of what is coming down the tracks and I am not saying it is bad but in terms of the general employer, how will this information about the scheme filter down to them and how will they be informed about its introduction...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to the Auto-Enrolment Retirement Savings Scheme: Department of Social Protection (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: One body that I hear a lot from, as I am sure others do, is the Restaurants Association of Ireland. The restaurant sector is one that is really struggling. I can see an issue with regard to this scheme because restaurants are struggling as matters stand, and I feel that any additional burden on them could potentially mean closure and certainly job losses.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the panel for their opening statements. I can only speak for myself, but when it comes to rural development and making a case to this committee, the witnesses are pushing an open door. In my previous role as a councillor, I was chair of Galway Rural Development, and we were all the time preaching and shouting about the lack of funding. I will always reference this, for what it is...

Commission of Investigation (Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools) Order 2025: Motion (15 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the Minister and Minister of State for progressing the commission of investigation. It matters to me, as it matters to all previous speakers. This is a very solemn day, not because we are beginning something new but because we are acknowledging something that was hidden for many years. The commission is being established because survivors of childhood sexual abuse, both men and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Pension Parity and Working Conditions for School Secretaries and Caretakers: Fórsa (10 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the Cathaoirleach and thank the witnesses for their attendance. They are pushing an open door when I am sitting in from of them, I assure them of that. That comes from my experience and my involvement through Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board. I sat on a number of interviewing committees where the job descriptions for school secretaries and caretakers got more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Pension Parity and Working Conditions for School Secretaries and Caretakers: Fórsa (10 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: Okay. The witnesses are here and it is a very useful exercise and I thank them for coming. What is it they want from this committee? It is a very loaded question, but I am wondering about first steps.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Pension Parity and Working Conditions for School Secretaries and Caretakers: Fórsa (10 Jul 2025)

Peter Roche: As my colleague, Deputy Currie, has said, we will be bringing this to the attention of the relevant Ministers. We did not need to be reminded before today that we would have to do that, but I thank the witnesses for their engagement thus far. They have thrown a light on an area that needed it.