Results 1-20 of 22 for land speaker:John McGahon

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Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (6 Mar 2024)

John McGahon: ...moving into them. I recall one of my first contributions in this House four years ago. I hate the ideology around housing that says we want to build houses here but we want them on public or private land, or that the cost of housing is not good because we are giving money to developers. I will tell you what; most people my age do not care who a house is built by, whether it is built by...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

John McGahon: ..., Hackballscross is an area in north Louth. That is the name of it. Senator Gavan's party gets a lot of votes in that particular area, but I not so much. To be brief, Hackballscross is a townland in north Louth. It borders south Armagh. My colleague in Dundalk-Carlingford is Councillor John Reilly. I accept this issue is more appropriate for a Commencement debate but given the time...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Nov 2023)

John McGahon: ...back to where it was. It cannot be the case that we pick some roads and not others. There has been talk as well about a scheme for farmers or people affected with agriculture for much of the damage caused to their land. I would appreciate if we get some clarification from the Minister for agriculture on if and when a scheme will be opened. That would provide much reassurance for many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jun 2023)

John McGahon: ...of Finance is doing in the context of tax structures. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, has a background in this area and might be able to help at another level. If one has agricultural land, for example, and one puts solar panels on more than 51% of it, the land loses its agricultural value. As a result, the farmer or owner would be slapped with a capital gains tax bill if the...

Seanad: Ireland's Military Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (23 Nov 2022)

John McGahon: I would like to provide some historical context as to Ireland’s neutrality. I provide that by quoting from the Viscount Cranborne, who was the British Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and wrote to the British War Cabinet on 21 February 1945. He outlined 13 examples of how the Irish Republic was assisting with the Allied war effort. Some of those 14 examples were: 3. They...

Seanad: Impact of Cost of Living Issues on Young People in Ireland: Motion (28 Sep 2022)

John McGahon: ...It affected all age groups in society at the time. When I fast forward ten or 12 years and look at some of my friends who emigrated in their mid-20s to places such as the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand and across the board, it is safe to say that the number of people who emigrate out of economic necessity is much lower than it was between 2008 and 2011 when the country and its economy...

Seanad: Carbon Budgets: Motion (5 Apr 2022)

John McGahon: ...do when we talk about social protection. Some 15% of the carbon tax will go towards agriculture. That will include paying people involved in agriculture to help them with schemes to re-wet bogs and replant land. It will provide financial assistance for farmers to engage in more sustainable farming practices. At the Joint Committee on Environment and Climate Action today we discussed...

Seanad: Situation in Ukraine: Statements (1 Mar 2022)

John McGahon: The drums of war are beating across the European continent once again. Death stalks the land once again and things will be totally and utterly different from now on. Things will not be the same as they were just a number of weeks ago. There can be absolutely no legitimate return for Vladimir Putin to the world of political respectability after this is finished. He must be treated as an...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Feb 2022)

John McGahon: ...of 7.5%, effective on 8 April. Flogas announced an electricity price increase of 8.5% and a gas price increase of 6.5%, effective on 12 April. We are not facing these increases only in Ireland but also right across the European Union. The reason is the increase in global demand as we exit the pandemic. However, it is important to remember that, as Senators have said, markets are...

Seanad: Report of Joint Committee on the Carbon Budget: Motion (15 Feb 2022)

John McGahon: ...attendance and for taking two debates one after the other. I pay tribute to Deputy Leddin. As Chairman of the Oireachtas committee for the past 18 months, he has done a tremendous job of steering landmark legislation through the Oireachtas. Senators Higgins and Pauline O'Reilly and other committee members will agree that at all times Deputy Leddin has tried to do so in a very collegial...

Seanad: Climate and Agriculture: Statements (25 Jan 2022)

John McGahon: We can all agree that farmers are the custodians of the land and the best-placed people to know exactly how to implement some of the measures we are trying to bring in. It is important that we try to tone and dial back the negativity towards people in the farming community and in agriculture. Instead we should let farmers show how we can empower them and how they can do the job properly....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: ...the turbine. At present, it is three to four times the height of the turbine. If one was to increase it to ten times the height of the turbine, from any dwelling anywhere in the country, this would mean the land space for any wind turbine is null and void. If one were to increase it by four times, that reduces 45% of the land available to wind turbines in Ireland. If that is 40% at...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: ...these changes, which at the same time will benefit our environment. It is great to hear Mr. Sheehan's point because I believe in it. Just because we are a small country, there is no need for Ireland not to show leadership, regardless of what other countries are doing. With regard to what other countries are doing, it is important to know, when we talk about financial rewards that we can...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and COP26: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: ...for engaging with us today. I attended the pre-COP conference in Rome a few weeks ago. It annoys me when I hear people, including in both Houses of the Oireachtas, asking what is the point of Ireland introducing such strong climate action legislation when there are so many polluters all around the world who are not playing their part. The fact that we are a small country is not a reason...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

John McGahon: ...that we need to build every year, which is great, while on the other hand we have a Planning Regulator who is giving advice to local authorities and council executives saying they should dezone land. This is dezoning residential land where any developer can put a planning application in tomorrow. It is dezoning that land from strategic 1 to strategic 2, which means nothing will be built...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2021)

John McGahon: ...rural areas. Not to be parochial about it, but I can only speak of what I know well, which is my home town of Dundalk. We have the Planning Regulator coming down to the local authority to dezone land that is strategic 1 land. It is land that is ready to be built on in the middle of an urban centre. It is shovel-ready and can be built on straight away. It is dezoned to strategic 2,...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (21 Jun 2021)

John McGahon: ...legislation, which the committee discussed in detail. I believe that this legislation can be the gold standard of climate action legislation and that other countries will be able to look to Ireland as a shining example of the type of legislation they need to introduce. I accept the point that Senator McDowell made earlier but just because other countries are not pulling their weight is...

Seanad: Right to Housing: Motion (4 Jun 2021)

John McGahon: ...driven. The point I made two weeks ago is that I am 30 years of age and if one were to ask any of my friends, who are normal people, they do not care whether the house is built on public or private land, by a local authority or a developer. They just want the opportunity to work hard and get an affordable house. The common sense approach is sometimes missed when we in this House get up...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (17 May 2021)

John McGahon: ...people at the coalface who will benefit are. I am 30 years of age and it is people in my generation and from my age cohort who will benefit. Those of us from this generation who are still in Ireland today are the ones who did not emigrate in 2010, 2011 or 2012. We are also the generation of people who went to New York and London, did our five or six years there and are looking to come...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Renewable Energy Generation (7 May 2021)

John McGahon: ...can imagine it in layman's terms, it is the concept of people being able to put solar panels on their homes and businesses and farmers being able to diversify into this area by using some of their land for solar power. They would then be able to take the energy generated and sell it back to the national grid. A middle of the road type of person who is environmentally conscious but might...