Results 1-20 of 48 for speaker:Eileen Lynch

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Jun 2025)

PJ Murphy: I wish to draw attention to the questionable special areas of conservation, SAC, protection status of three bogs in south-east Galway, namely Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs. These were designated to be sites of community importance, SCIs, in 2002. Under the habitats directive and EU rules, if SCIs are intended to be made SACs, this must be done within six years of them being...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Jun 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. My Commencement matter is about a review of the widow’s pension and the payment of same. There is a massive anomaly in the system when it comes to the payment of the widow’s pension insofar as if someone is in receipt of the widow’s pension, that person cannot receive any sick pay or illness benefit should she need to go...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Eligibility (11 Jun 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I appreciate the Minister of State’s engagement on this matter and, indeed, the many valid points he made. We are very much on the same page on this. It must be recognised that an anomaly exists. In that context, I refer to the unfairness of the situation whereby a person who is still working and paying PRSI cannot access illness benefit. I commend the Minister of State on the work...

Seanad: Situation in Gaza: Statements (29 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I wish to first acknowledge the Tánaiste's statement on this matter. I thank him for being in the Seanad this morning and for his continuing commitment to peace. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, here today. Gaza, unfortunately, is now synonymous with suffering, displacement, human tragedy and genocide. Let me begin by reaffirming a belief shared across this...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: I would like to raise the continued closure of one of Ireland's most iconic coastal castles, Dunguaire Castle, on the Wild Atlantic Way in Kinvara. Until 2023, Dunguaire Castle was open to the public throughout the tourism season and was run and managed under the ownership of the Shannon Group. In 2023, a decision was made that the ownership of Dunguaire Castle would be handed over to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I rise to address an important and prominent issue, which is the issue of the payment of the widow's pension. Unfortunately, a person can become a widow or lose their spouse or cohabiting partner at any age and they then receive this widow's pension based on the stamps of their deceased spouse or partner.An issue affecting many of my constituents and people right across the country, and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: It is disingenuous to say the double jeopardy rule applies in this case. I call on the Minister for Social Protection to come to the House to address the matter.

Seanad: Dereliction and Building Regeneration Bill 2025: Second Stage (28 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: I second the amendment. As Fine Gael’s spokesperson on housing in the Seanad and as the owner of a construction business that specialises in the conservation and restoration of historic buildings, having read the Bill, I believe it is a well-considered Bill. I am very supportive of the vast majority of this Bill. Given the extent of dereliction in our towns and villages around the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Engagement with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (28 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I welcome the Minister and thank him for being with us. I congratulate him on his appointment and wish him luck for the term ahead. I do not want to repeat what has been said. I am conscious of time. The nitrates derogation is incredibly important for farmers, especially as I come from Cork. It is such a big issue in Cork and the wider Munster area. I am glad to hear the Minister's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Engagement with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (28 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I thank the Minister. I welcome his commitment to try to maintain ring-fenced funding through CAP. It is important that the funding is just for CAP. There are proposed measures that would include environment funding and we need to be strongly against that. I welcome the Minister's commitment in that regard. I will speak about TB, which I appreciate has been mentioned by many other...

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: I wish to share time with Senator Mark Duffy.

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: I thank the Minister of State for coming in to discuss this matter. As somebody who served five and half years as a local councillor in Galway County Council before my election to the Seanad, I greatly welcome that the Government will convene this local democracy task force, which will bring forward proposals to Government to consider for the reform and strengthening of local government. ...

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. It is important that we discuss the local democracy task force today and the important role of local government across the country. The programme for Government recognises that real democracy begins at local level. It was in this spirit that the Seanad's local democracy task force produced its reports. The findings were clear: local government in Ireland...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I thank the Minister of State for being here this morning. I want to speak on an issue of urgency and strategic importance, not just for our national climate goals but for rural communities across the country, particularly in my own county of Cork. In north-west Cork there is currently potential for the development of a biomethane plant in Kilvoultra, a rural community just outside Macroom....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (21 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I thank the Minister of State for such a comprehensive response. I really welcome the confirmation that these planning guidelines are in the ether. I would appreciate hearing if there is any particular timeline. I am very much in favour of biomethane and biogas. It is well established technology in mainland Europe but it is not necessarily something we have investigated here. It has many...

Committee on European Union Affairs: Business of Joint Committee (21 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: I echo the comments of my colleague. I congratulate you, Chair, on your Chairmanship of this committee. It will undoubtedly be a very busy committee for the term ahead with the European Presidency next year. It is a very challenging time at a European level. It is vitally important that Ireland continues to play a strong role within the EU and continue to have an Irish voice heard. I am...

Seanad: Driving Test Waiting Times: Statements (20 May 2025)

Eileen Lynch: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I support the comments of my colleagues regarding the unacceptable delays in driving test waiting times, particularly the extended periods which young people, jobseekers and rural residents are enduring just to sit their driving tests. As of the end of April, as the Minister of State will be aware, the waiting time for a test in Mallow and Wilton...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: County and City Management Association (20 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: I thank Mr. Taaffe for his very informative presentation. He mentioned the fact that 28% of the sites identified by local authorities as being suitable for the construction of social and affordable houses had been deemed undevelopable due to the lack of the three key services of water, wastewater and energy. I come from the southern half of County Galway where, of 14 villages and towns,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Challenges Relating to the Delivery of Housing: County and City Management Association (20 May 2025)

PJ Murphy: Mr. Taaffe has touched on an interesting aspect, which is very relevant to my own area, namely, that some areas simply will not have receiving waterways. The area I am referring to is the southern half of County Galway and north County Clare, which is the karst landscape of the Burren and Burren lowland. There is no groundwater. There are no drains or rivers because everything runs...