Results 1-20 of 102 for long speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Agriculture Industry (16 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...and I put down this matter for the Commencement to outline Fine Gael's view on the agriculture industry, the agrifood sector and, in particular, young farmers. It has been Fine Gael's policy as long as it has been in government, for as long as I can remember anyway, that we have been very supportive of the farming sector and young farmers especially. I remember the Common Agricultural...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Feb 2023)

Garret Ahearn: I was listening to some of the earlier contributions. I have been here three years, but it has just dawned on me that if a Member comes into this House with a prepared speech he or she can speak as long as he or she wants, but if not, he or she gets to speak for two minutes. What is most frustrating is that if someone comes in with a prepared speech, he or she surely knows how long one will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Employment Strategy and Impact on Disabled Persons in the Workplace: Discussion (Resumed) (17 May 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ...a very interesting one and half hours, discussing autism and learning about it from AsIAm, to become a parliament that is autism aware. We should be doing that if we are developing policy. On long-term employment, an initiative that has been quite successful in Scotland is to reserve contracts for companies that employ a certain percentage of people with disabilities. There are...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Quality (9 Mar 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ...Businesses will be caught with an expense through no fault of their own because the quality of water is not what it should be. The Minister of State mentioned the framework. I acknowledge that a long-term strategy is being put in place by Irish Water in respect of Clonmel. As I have said on numerous occasions in this Chamber, the relationship between local representatives and Uisce...

Seanad: Court Proceedings (Delays) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Mar 2024)

Garret Ahearn: ...Minister and his officials are very welcome to the Chamber. The Bill will be supported by Fine Gael Members. I am here on behalf of Senator Ward, who cannot be present. I will not speak for too long because my voice is almost gone as well. I welcome the Bill. As Senator Gallagher said, it is important legislation that is coming through to speed up, in a timely manner, court...

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

Garret Ahearn: ...one point from the start of the debate. There was a mention of a lost decade in housing. I do not want to go over a history lesson on the decade previous to that, for two reasons, in that it is a long time ago and we are in government together now, but if the Minister responds, can he acknowledge the work the former Ministers, Eoghan Murphy and Deputy Coveney, did in reaching the targets...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2021: Motion (8 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: How long do I have?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Shoplifting: Discussion (13 Dec 2023)

Garret Ahearn: What Mr. Dunne is essentially saying is a couple of weeks is not long enough to see if this is working.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Built Heritage Protection) Bill 2022: Second Stage (16 Jun 2022)

Garret Ahearn: I acknowledge the role of the Cathaoirleach in Senator Norris's portrait being displayed in Leinster House. It is very fitting. I was going to say it is long overdue. It is not long overdue but it is certainly very fitting that it has been done. It is well deserved given Senator Norris's time, service and dedication to the public over a long period of time. As someone who is a relatively...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Online Content Moderation: Discussion (12 May 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...What is the turnover of staff like? I ask the question especially because it seems to be a profession where no support is forthcoming from the employer and, therefore, one that is very difficult to stay in for a long time. I sense that the only reason someone would stay in this job for a long time is for financial or personal reasons. That is the option as they see it from a personal...

Seanad: Education: Statements (28 Jul 2020)

Garret Ahearn: ..., has been very progressive in trying to move forward this matter. This application began in 2004, some 16 years ago. The tender process was completed on 30 November 2019 and an announcement is long overdue. Does the Minister have an update on this matter? I tried to contact the her office two weeks ago and I have been waiting for somebody to come back to me. I know officials have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Dec 2021)

Garret Ahearn: The Dean Maxwell home in Roscrea is a residence for long-term residents. There is real concern within the community and the area about a deadline for long-term residents of 1 January 2022. There has been much confusion and many promises made. There is real concern within the Roscrea Community Development Council.In fairness, Mr. Steve Crofton sent a letter to Deputies outlining the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Sep 2022)

Garret Ahearn: It is long overdue. This House has played a key role in advancing it, with a large number of Members having spoken here on the issue.The Cathaoirleach has given me three opportunities to table a Commencement matter on this issue over the two years that I have been a Senator and an awful lot of people of people have pushed the issue. Whatever we talk about in terms of the budget supporting...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vaccination Programme (10 Nov 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...indicate the percentage increase of people who have taken a first dose? This could strengthen the Government's case for how it takes decisions to protect people's lives and people could see the long-term strategy. The Minister of State is correct in her comments on the opposition to this. She knows where I am from and I must listen to utter rubbish quite a lot in Tipperary from people...

Seanad: Private Rental Sector: Motion (8 Mar 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...Sinn Féin, that it is almost about trying to create a division between renters and home owners or renters and landlords. That is certainly not the case on the Government side. I rented for a long time, for ten or 12 years, in Cork. I moved from three or four places. I had the experience of getting notice to get out within 28 days and the fear of trying to find somewhere for the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (14 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: ...has prioritised Tipperary town and its bypass. I am asking for nothing different from what the Minister has done. The Dunkettle roundabout opened this week. That is really positive but it took a long time to get to construction. The Frank Drohan Road is a car park for most of the day. It is no different to the M50 at 5 p.m. It is just a smaller road, obviously, but in terms of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Business Supports (4 May 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ...couple of days ago, how the wholesale costs of energy have dramatically reduced, but the costs on businesses and homeowners have not reduced to the same level at all yet. It is quite striking how long that takes, when one looks at how quickly costs went up. The reason I ask the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to look into this matter is that is a long-term...

Seanad: Sale of Tickets (Cultural, Entertainment, Recreational and Sporting Events) Bill 2021: Second Stage (5 Jul 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...ticket touts over the past 20 or 30 years. Everyone has memories of walking to Croke Park through Jones' Road and seeing people buying and selling tickets. That was the way things were done for a long time. It was very hurtful to genuine fans. In the past five or ten years, ticket touting has turned into a much more professionally run business. Big businesses have been set up on the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2023)

Garret Ahearn: ..., Ms Aisling Kilroy and Ms Nuala Hickey came to meet the Minister. The meeting was about Irish Water and water services in Clonmel. It is a huge issue for businesses. Essentially there is a long-term plan which will be to use the River Suir to bring new water into the town but that is a 15-year plan. In between that Irish Water is making short- to medium-term changes in Clonmel. I...

Seanad: Councillors' Pay: Motion (22 Feb 2021)

Garret Ahearn: ...my life and have known nothing else. I appreciate the role of local representatives and the job they do. In the past ten years, the workload of local representatives has increased dramatically. It is no longer a part-time role, as I believe most people recognise. The work local representatives do goes above and beyond that which was done ten or 20 years ago. My home county of...