Results 1-20 of 23 for speaker:Gareth Scahill

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (9 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank him for the wonderful day we recently spent in Roscommon, turning on the temporary pumping system in Lough Funshinagh to help manage the flood risk pending the completion of the permanent scheme. On that day he praised the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and my colleagues, former Ministers of State responsible for the OPW, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dental Services (8 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber today to answer questions on behalf of the Government. First and foremost, I congratulate him on his appointment. I also congratulate him on Galway’s win over New York at the weekend. Thankfully, he is here today and not in two weeks’ time, when Roscommon and Galway will be playing in the semi-final, or he might not be as...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dental Services (8 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response. I appreciate this is not his Department. I welcome the fact the HSE has sanctioned the filling of the 34.7 positions and I look forward to those being filled. The year 2027 is still two years away. I will therefore work with the Minister and see whether anything can be fast-tracked with regard to delivering the services in our rural...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: On the front page of my local newspaper, the Roscommon Herald, this morning, the owner of a retail business spoke about the deep impact a burglary has had on his life and his business. No one deserves to feel unsafe in their own workplace. I am hearing about retail crime and shoplifting and about businesses not chasing people they catch stealing in their shops because of the cost of doing...

Seanad: International Trade and International Relations: Statements (3 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: The Tánaiste is very welcome. I welcome his comments on the supply chain. Supply chain disruption will have a big impact on Ireland, and I would like to work with the Tánaiste on that. I also welcome the Tánaiste's comments on small business, and the knock-on effect of the tariffs on small business and the multinationals. Last night, I did a little research on some of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: In light of the impending announcement later today which poses uncertainty for businesses throughout Ireland, I wish to highlight the student enterprise programme run by local enterprise offices. The national competition has been taking place, with the national final due to take place in May. On the way to Dublin yesterday, I had the pleasure of dropping in to the Athlone Springs Hotel,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Apr 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I reiterate the goodwill to Jeremy. Like Senator O'Donovan, I did not have an opportunity to enjoy his hospitality during his term but I hope I will have a good working relationship with George. I want to raise the issue of dentistry services for medical card holders. It is something I raised at recent regional health forum meetings. I would like an idea of the availability of dentists...

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Motion (26 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: The Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is very welcome here. I welcome Sinn Féin's motion today as it is a matter that lies at the very heart of society: our commitment to ensuring every child receives the education they deserve. I formally second the Government's amendment to the motion. Education is not a privilege but a fundamental right enshrined in our Constitution. Under the...

Seanad: Road Safety: Statements (25 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: The Minister of State is very welcome once again. He is quickly becoming one of the most regular attendees in this House. I thank him once again for gracing us with his presence. On the programme for Government and recent announcements, I welcome the allocation of €713 million for regional and local roads. Coming from a rural part of the country, I know that investment in...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy National Plan: Statements (20 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: The Minister is very welcome this afternoon. I wish him well in his term and look forward to working with him and helping him to deliver for the west, specifically Roscommon. For generations, agriculture has been the backbone of life in the west. Our rolling green fields, rugged landscape and close-knit farming communities define our region's identity; however, economic pressures,...

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

Gareth Scahill: Like my colleagues, I acknowledge all of the community groups nationwide that put on such wonderful parades over the weekend to celebrate St. Patrick's Day and also the public representatives who travelled internationally representing us and promoting our country and our culture. I also wish to raise the issue of the passenger number cap at Dublin Airport and how we are limiting the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I want to discuss something that I imagine affects everyone in the Chamber, namely, school bus routes. It was brought to my attention again this morning. I am looking for Bus Éireann to review bus routes and change them to accommodate the increasing populations of areas like Ballymoe and the townlands surrounding it. At the moment, two buses travel the same route for large parts of...

Seanad: The Diaspora: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I welcome the Minister of State. It is timely to have this discussion with St. Patrick's Day coming up. I will reiterate what my colleagues have said. It is often said that the Irish are a global people, with our diaspora reaching every corner of the world. This vast network of individuals, bound together by shared heritage, represent one of Ireland's greatest strengths. Supporting and...

Seanad: The Diaspora: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: It is not rugby. There is the Roscommon Association in London and a Roscommon association in New York. It is great to see that the emigrant support programme is there to support those organisations.

Seanad: Care, Supports and Enhanced Provision of Services for Older People: Motion (5 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I am sharing three minutes with Senator Brady. I welcome the Minister of State. I did not have the chance to thank him for the work he did in Lough Funshinagh in Roscommon in his previous role, so I thank him for that. It is a privilege to speak to the Minister of State today on an issue that affects every family and community in Ireland, namely, the care and support of our older...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I thank the Minister. Even though multinetwork SIM cards are being provided, there are still legacy models in the marketplace. Maybe something needs to be done regarding communication with the people using the systems at the moment in order to help identify the ones most affected by this problem. It is great to see the engagement. I welcome all of the Minister's remarks. With regard...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Rural Schemes (4 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I welcome the Minister. The senior alert scheme aims to support older individuals living securely and independently within their communities by providing free, personal monitored alarms. These alarms offer reassurance and immediate assistance in emergencies, enhancing the confidence and peace of mind of the elderly population. While the senior alert scheme has been instrumental in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Gaeltacht Policy (4 Mar 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I propose that we suspend until 3 p.m.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2025)

Gareth Scahill: I call on the Minister for Health to support the people of Ballaghaderreen in west Roscommon because, on Tuesday of this week, we received the disappointing news that the primary care centre that was promised for Ballaghaderreen, initially mooted in 2012, was not going to happen. It only came to light on Tuesday in the regional health forum when a former colleague of mine, Councillor Sean...

Seanad: Response to Storm Éowyn: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Gareth Scahill: The Minister of State is very welcome. It is great to have the opportunity to have this conversation. I will not go on about what happened during the storm. If anybody is looking for an insight or to get a snapshot of what it was like in my constituency of Roscommon-Galway, an article by the editor of the Roscommon Herald stated, "as [Storm] Éowyn swept in ... [I] prayed that the roof...