Results 1-20 of 485 for at speaker:Pat Casey

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Defective Concrete Blocks: Discussion (1 May 2024)

Pat Casey: I appreciate that. That is all. I do not come from Donegal or Mayo and, thankfully, we do not have that issue in Wicklow at the moment. That is why I left myself until last. I thank the witnesses for their presentations.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2024)

Pat Casey: I thank everyone for coming here this morning and giving their views. I will start with a question for Mr. de Róiste about local democracy. He focused on diversity and inclusion, and mentioned that great Irish quote, céad míle fáilte. Are we realistically living up to that today? The challenge for every county is diversity and inclusion in our society. I look forward...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Mar 2024)

Pat Casey: The issue I wish to raise today relates to the development levy waiver scheme that the Minister, Darragh O'Brien, introduced last April. It was introduced at the time to try to offset the inflationary cost but it has proved more successful way beyond that. The reason I say that is because there have been a significant number of developments that were probably not viable without the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Pat Casey: The issue I want to raise relates to the communications strategy of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, specifically regarding sites that have been identified as potential locations for the housing of people seeking international protection. Every one of us in this Chamber has been affected by its communications at this stage. The current policy on which...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2024)

Pat Casey: I welcome the Acting Leader. The issue I wish to raise is that of policing, specifically Garda numbers and recruitment in Wicklow. Wicklow has seen a significant population increase, one that is probably far above the national average, yet we are seeing a decrease in our number of police. This is causing concern. There has been significant population growth in our major towns on the...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Pat Casey: I thank the Chair and welcome everybody here this morning. It was great to hear from four former Ministers of local government and having served in local government for 12 years, it is probably the most rewarding position in the sense that you are closest to the public and are answering their day-to-day issues. I have seen a lot of changes over that 12 years and since that are not positive...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Pat Casey: ...initial contributions. The themes are the same this afternoon as this morning but may be presented slightly differently and from a different perspective. The one theme I noticed was the restoration of powers and how to restore powers to local democracy. Simply, without power, there is no democracy. Over the years powers were eroded. I refer to my time as a councillor, from 2004 until...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Pat Casey: ...from. From my time since 2004, we have seen a significant erosion of powers. Councillors Gearóid Murphy, Seán O'Donovan and Michael Sheehan brought up the point about privilege and commercial rates. They are two very simple, easy wins we could take out of this. Privilege will become very important because in the democracy we live in today, councillors are very exposed. We...

Seanad: Finance (State Guarantees, International Financial Institution Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Pat Casey: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, here this afternoon. While he is acting for the Minister, he might ask for more funding for his Department in the upcoming sport capital programme. The Bill follows the approval at Cabinet last April when the Minister for Finance, Deputy McGrath, announced plans to bring forward this legislation so that Ireland can participate in a number of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jan 2024)

Pat Casey: I wish to be associated with the Cathaoirleach's comments about former Member, Mr. Tom Hussey. Senator Murphy will speak later and will second the Cathaoirleach's motion, if that is all right. I wish to raise two issues. I am a broken record on the first issue, which relates to the hospitality sector. I am calling again for a holistic debate on the value of the hospitality sector in...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Pat Casey: It cannot be moved yet. We take one amendment at a time.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Pat Casey: No, we are speaking to amendment No. 1 at the moment.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2023)

Pat Casey: Not at this point. This is just on amendments Nos. 2 and 5.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (5 Dec 2023)

Pat Casey: I thank the Minister for his answer. He spoke to me about it privately so I was aware of what was coming. I will not give up on this because it is the right thing to do. If we need to get the relevant Ministers and bodies into a room to try to sort this out, we should. This cohort of people are the very people we should assist. I fully accept the Minister's point about the LTV ratio. I...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2023: Second Stage (28 Nov 2023)

Pat Casey: I take the opportunity to welcome the Minister, Deputy McGrath, to the House. It is his first time visiting us as finance Minister.I thank him for the leadership role he has provided in the party over the past while. The fiscal landscape of budget 2024 marks a significant chapter in the annals of the financial system, defining a century-long narrative shaped by successive Governments and...

Seanad: Housing For All: Statements (7 Nov 2023)

Pat Casey: I join others in welcoming the Minister of State. I thank the senior Minister, Deputy O'Brien, for his presentation earlier. We are seeing sustainable progress in the delivery of housing.We must acknowledge that progress and we must acknowledge that is a reality. The facts are there to back up that progress, despite what other people might like to put into the media. Sometimes, when you...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Oct 2023)

Pat Casey: I ask the Leader for two debates. One is around the recent report issued by Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, that failure to invest in road projects could lead to an additional 77 deaths or 380 serious road injuries. More specifically, in relation to my county, there is the M11-N11 upgrade scheme, on which the report identified that four fatalities and seven serious injuries could...

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Pat Casey: I welcome the Minister. Today is an important milestone in the history of the Irish financial system and its management by successive Ministers for Finance over the 100 years of our independent national story. In the early years of independence, some foreign and domestic commentators scoffed at the ability of the Irish State to build and manage a successful economy. There are many global...

Seanad: Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023: Second Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Pat Casey: I welcome both Ministers of State to the House. It is nice to have the two Ministers responsible for the introduction of the Bill in the Chamber. There are no excuses for any more delays. I welcome Councillor Murphy as well. The EU already boasts some of the most stringent consumer protection regulations in the world. Recent incidents such as the dieselgate scandal, however, have...

Seanad: Representative Actions for the Protection of the Collective Interests of Consumers Bill 2023: Second Stage (29 Jun 2023)

Pat Casey: Next Tuesday at 1 p.m.