Results 41-60 of 80 for long speaker:John McGahon

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Risk Management (19 Jan 2022)

John McGahon: ...cannot do anything about it until this project has reached a certain stage. Once it has reached a certain area, we can then start applying to the Government for funding for greenways. A greenway along this area would be very important for tourism, but it will not happen until this project is brought to a certain level. It would be good to know at what stage in this process the Minister...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Flood Risk Management (19 Jan 2022)

John McGahon: ...of State. It is important to get that update on where we are with the project. I appreciate him coming to the House to provide it. An important point in his remarks is that this is a medium- to long-term project, providing that it is not subject to delays or challenges. It is important that we all put that on the record of the House. This is a development that needs to happen to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Electric Vehicles (14 Dec 2021)

John McGahon: ...have access to a private driveway. The Minister of State mentioned that the Department is working closely with the SEAI and expects a scheme for apartments to open in the near future. That goes a long way towards trying to resolve the very issue that I have raised. I am glad to hear that response from Government today. However, as stated by the Minister of State, we have to make sure...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee
Engagement with WAVE Trauma Centre (9 Dec 2021)

John McGahon: ..., we met Mr. McConville and others. What stuck me was how it paled in comparison when I considered that these were families by themselves, with little or no political support, trying to trudge along with it. They were not having their cases championed by political parties. They were not having their cases brought to Westminster, the Dáil or Stormont. They have been trudging along...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Dec 2021)

John McGahon: ...an SA for three to four years. It is a very tough job to do all by yourself. If a Senator is also trying to run for election to the Dáil, an SA is doing the work of two or three people. It is long overdue that we try to do something for people who are a very valuable part, not only of our offices, but of the fabric of the Oireachtas. It is wrong that in this day and age they...

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: ...our entire island with railways. Then, for whatever reason, through whatever the consensus was at the time, we ripped up a lot of those railways and we are now replacing them with greenways. My long-term vision for this country is that we will be so interconnected with greenways that we will be able to go from one end of the country to the other quite safely and along greenways. It is...

Seanad: Energy Security: Statements (2 Nov 2021)

John McGahon: ...affecting this country but many European states across the Continent. We have to ask ourselves what the best approach is to protect the Irish consumer in the face of rising energy costs. The best long-term approach to doing that, and what is our primary response as a Government towards a potential energy crisis, is to insulate Irish consumers from volatility in international wholesale...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Greenways Provision (7 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: .... In Carlingford, for example, companies have sprung up that provide day packages and picnics for anyone who wants to go on the greenway. That is the context of greenways in County Louth. What is the long-term vision? My long-term vision is twofold. I would love to see the concept of Louth coastal greenway. Louth is so well placed in terms of its geographical area. We are an hour...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Greenways Provision (7 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: ...with compulsory purchase orders, and engaging with landowners. The county council has been really good about greenways and its response has been excellent. It is good to see that we have a good long-term vision for greenways not just in my own county of Louth but across this country, for example, links with the Great Eastern greenway. The plans are great, aspirational and ambitious....

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: The Senator has had a long time. I ask him to conclude.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Charter Treaty, Energy Security, Liquefied Natural Gas and Data Centres: Discussion (resumed) (5 Oct 2021)

John McGahon: ...target of 80% of our power being generated by renewables. What do we envision will provide the remaining 20%? Where will that come from if we have such a low level of wind again? What is the long-term back-up for renewable energy if it does not work? Second, in light of developments over the past year where we have seen EirGrid amber alerts, warnings and that type of stuff, was the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2021)

John McGahon: ...strategy group last week, which put forward changes to the VRT system. This will mean the tax rates on regular car emissions would increase by 2% and 5%. The issue is that we want to reach our ambitious long-term climate action targets while at the same time, other arms of Government are coming out with proposals that will hinder and slow this down. Many people in this country want to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Policy (21 Sep 2021)

John McGahon: ...learn from high-speed rail on the Continent, in China, Japan and Spain? They have faced issues we can use and take into the report that is being launched by the Government. I am keen to know how long the all-island report announced in April by both Ministers will take. As research and preparation for this Commencement debate, I spent the past day or so reading up on high-speed rail...

Seanad: Report of Independent Review Group Jadotville: Statements (15 Jul 2021)

John McGahon: ...of the few people in recent years who has put a significant effort into this issue and that is to be commended. As regards the report, on one level it is quite disappointing that it is 480 pages long as it is difficult to delve into a document of that length and be able to debate and give a considered response on the issue five or six hours later. I am sure the Minister will accept that....

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

John McGahon: ...of the Oireachtas and worked with people on the committee who have spent a lifetime of work dedicated to climate action. These are people who were talking about the process of climate change long before I was born. As a new member of the Oireachtas, participation on the committee has been a challenge but it has also been a great learning curve and a joy. Today's legislation is similar...

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

John McGahon: ...authorities in doing it. If we could implement a dedicated funding scheme, similar to the voids programme, to give money to local authorities for compulsory purchase orders for vacant homes, that could go a long way. I saw last night when Richard Bruton was on "The Tonight Show" and I have seen in this House a bit that this whole debate around housing is ideologically driven. The point I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (24 May 2021)

John McGahon: ...and north Louth, and for communities on the other side of the Border, like Warrenpoint, Rostrevor and Newry. It is a symbolic thing to connect those communities which have been apart for so long because of issues in the Troubles and everything else. Carlingford Lough is already quite connected through the Carlingford ferry at the mouth of the lough, which goes from Greenore to...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

John McGahon: ...between Dublin and Belfast is another very important idea. These are ways to bring our people closer together with connectivity and with the social fabric of border areas. On the preparations, as long as I have known him in this House Senator Ó Donnghaile has spoken about this so much and he is quite correct that it has to be about preparation and prepare, prepare, prepare. The...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (26 Apr 2021)

John McGahon: ...to all people with type 1 diabetes who have complex needs.However, officials have spent approximately two years, 24 months in total, reviewing the addition of flash glucose monitoring to the long-term illness scheme for people over the age of 21 years. Notwithstanding the risks, the risks continue to grow. While one million people have been vaccinated as of the weekend, we must be...