Results 1-20 of 349 for at speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome opportunity to speak on this very important Bill. I also want to welcome our good friend, Mr. Mark Bradshaw, to the Public Gallery. The Minister of State will be familiar with Mr. Bradshaw's advocacy in respect of gambling addiction over many years. I thank him for his continued support for those who are dealing with gambling addiction. As I...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Mark Wall: I am very proud to be a cosignatory of the Bill. I thank Senator Clonan for asking us to cosign it. I also thank him for his continued advocacy for disability services and people with disabilities, and all the services they should be entitled to access. It is something I deal with daily, be it in the area of transport, education or housing provision or in access to healthcare. I welcome...

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

Mark Wall: I welcome all the witnesses. As has been said, it has been very informative. The lord mayor touched on diversity. That is key to local government and we have discussed it at this committee. I know the report is only being launched today but it is something this committee needs to feed into because we need diversity in politics, specifically in local politics. It is timely that we have...

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

Mark Wall: ..., Councillor Lacey, for all he has done for the Labour Party. He was first elected in 1993. Today is not the first time I heard about his passion for local government. He made six points. Senator Boyhan has taken the one point I wanted to put forward, namely, the form and financing of local government. Across all our conversations over that period it has been the one issue that has...

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

Mark Wall: I thank everybody who has made a contribution. The meeting has been excellent as always. I am delighted that representatives of Fórsa are here today because the trade union has an important part to play in the future of local government. It represents 12,000 people who are at the coalface of local government day in, day out. I deal with them daily and I am sure my colleagues deal...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: I want to raise several issues today. The first concerns emergency electricity credits. We all know that 2.2 million households will benefit from the worthwhile and needed €450 million that was announced by the Government in recent months. The reason I raise this issue today is that, in response to a number of queries I have had in the last couple of days, particularly around low...

Seanad: School Enrolments: Motion (17 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister and thank Fianna Fáil colleagues and Senators for tabling this very important motion on school places. It is very timely. I have contacted the Minister a number of times about issues in Kildare South. My colleague mentioned that already this evening. This is not a new problem there. The Minister spoke about the new model but I contend it has not worked for us...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on Farm Assist and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (17 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome our guests today. It has been an important discussion on farm assist and RSS. I will start off with what the Cathaoirleach last mentioned. He will be aware that, over recent weeks, I have brought this up with the Department and various contributors about the net versus gross assessment. Ms Doyle stated in her introduction that we would all love to be able to spend what is gross...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on Farm Assist and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (17 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: An important point that needs to be made is that what is acceptable to Revenue is not acceptable to social protection. I have come across this problem in the past couple of weeks with a farming family and with another family. The committee might look at it because it is a very important point. I take the point of the gathering up of the information and I have come across that on a fairly...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on State Pension and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank the witnesses for their advocacy and help for older people. It is much appreciated. I have worked with many of those in the room. I wish to raise a couple issues. Cliff edges were mentioned a number of times in our earlier discussion as well as this one, and I come across it daily. People coming into the constituency office was mentioned and it is the same in my office. One of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and welcome our guests. Much of this has been covered by Deputy Ó Cuív but there are a couple of issues to pick up on. Carer's allowance is something I regularly deal with, as do other members, I am sure. Notwithstanding the new means test that will come into effect in June, I still hear from a lot of people who are getting very little in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank the witnesses. Unfortunately, however, the person to whom I refer does not qualify under the other means for warmer homes. The fuel allowance was the only way for her to qualify. It is wrong. Maybe the witnesses could look at that situation because she is only over the limit by €15. As I said, she has been disqualified from a very good scheme that she needs for her home. ...

Seanad: EU Talent Pool: Motion (5 Mar 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The Labour Party supports this proposal for Ireland to opt in and be involved in the EU talent pool. As the Minister of State said, we have been very fortunate that many hard-working people have decided to come to, and live and work in Ireland in recent years. They are not just from our EU neighbours but also from outside the EU. As the...

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

Mark Wall: I welcome Mr. Dempsey, and Deputies Phelan, Ó Cuív and Howlin. Like the Cathaoirleach, I will use the opportunity to pay particular tribute to my colleague, Deputy Howlin, for 40-plus years in both Houses. On behalf of the Labour Party, it will be a very sad day when he no longer represents us as he has done so powerfully for the party and the people of Wexford. I am touched by...

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

Mark Wall: I welcome all of the councillors. I thank them for all of the terrific work that they do. We all know they do terrific work. I will go through a couple of the testimonies, starting with Carlow County Council. I am very familiar with Carlow as it is a next door neighbour of mine as I live in Athy, County Kildare. Mention was made about the lack of female representation and I think that is...

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

Mark Wall: ...is talking about CCTV cameras and the recording of council meetings, which will bring a new level to this. There has to be a discussion about privilege and it is something this report has to do. Senators Black and Boyhan are right in that we have a chance here to put together a report that will make a difference, rather than being a report that will stay on a shelf somewhere. That...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2024)

Mark Wall: I will raise a few issues with the Leader today. I have just come from the social protection committee where I once again raised the matter of the housing adaptation grant. The reason I raised it is that I have dealt with three cases in the past two weeks. In one case, a woman has just come from hospital where she spent six months. Thankfully, Clare County Council has approved a grant to...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne. I thank my colleagues in the Labour Party, and particularly Senator Moynihan, for preparing the motion. Not for the first time I will mention Garda Sean O'Mahony. He is my local community Garda. I have mentioned him previously in the House. He is on the ground day in and day out. He has built up relationships with everybody including all...