Results 41-60 of 736 for speaker:Garret Ahearn

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I second the amendment by my colleague, Senator McGahon. I too want to raise University Hospital Limerick. I concur with comments made by Senator Dooley about management of the hospital. At some point last year, Fine Gael had Private Members' business here with my other colleagues from the region, Senators Maria Byrne and Conway. Since then, nothing has got better. The Minister has put...

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

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Acting Chair. I am covering for Senator Ward today. The Minister of State and his officials are very welcome to the Chamber. I agree with the previous Senator in that we should have a debate on this topic. Even though this matter needs to be dealt with by tomorrow, it is important that we have a debate on it. From the Fine Gael perspective, we support what the Minister of...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Engagement of Children in Criminal Activity) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Mar 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I agree with Senator Horkan. I thank the Minister of State and officials for the work they have done on this important legislation. It is being put through in a timely manner.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Inshore Fisheries (28 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: The Minister of State is very welcome to the Chamber. I thank him for taking this very important question, which relates to inland fisheries, particularly fishermen and clubs in Tipperary. The River Suir is regarded as one of the best rivers in the country for salmon fishing. About a third of the salmon are in the rivers Suir, Nore and Barrow. The stock has been depleting over many years,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Inshore Fisheries (28 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I thank the Minister of State for his reply, which was appreciated. It is the detail I am looking for. I acknowledge that the response states IFI will provide the detail.I am referring to the simple things. The IFI says it gets weekly calls to the hotline and that it responds to them in a timely manner, but there is no information about how many calls it gets per week. It would be good to...

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

Garret Ahearn: I also welcome Senator McGreehan's brother. If, as she claims, he is responsible for her having an interest in politics, then I blame him for the arguments I have with her in this Chamber, although we are meant to be on the same side. I welcome the news today from the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, on the plans for the town centre first programme...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the Minister of State, a former Seanadóir, back to the House. I thank the Minister of State and his officials for the work they have done on this. It is funny that for years I only knew of work permits as things that soccer players coming from abroad needed to be able to play in the UK. In the last number of years they have become a big thing in Ireland. The reason for this...

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

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

Garret Ahearn: I welcome the group from Mayo. I was going to talk about Irish Water but I want to return to the comments of Senator Mullen. I do have respect for the Senator, but it is very disturbing that he would see the Chamber as a fit place in which to raise his concerns. When he says there are two sides to a story, perhaps he should go to the other side to find out the story before he raises it in...

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

Garret Ahearn: How would you get it? You could go to the Taoiseach's office and ask why he left. We all know why you raised it and the purpose of raising it.

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

Garret Ahearn: Anyone who has any understanding of press conferences knows that when a press conference is finished, journalists shout questions and it is pretty much 50:50 whether they are answered or not. They are not alone-----

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

Garret Ahearn: They are not alone-----

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

Garret Ahearn: They are not alone as journalists who do not get questions answered sometimes. To portray them as these individuals who are not being answered is totally untrue. Every week, politicians, Ministers and the Taoiseach answer questions - no matter how ridiculous some are - from the floor. It is very disingenuous.

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

Garret Ahearn: I wish to raise an issue I have raised numerous times in this House, which relates to Irish Water and if we could have a debate with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, about it. There is outage after outage of water services in Clonmel. People are at their wits' end. People are coming to and ringing our office the whole time. Sometimes, it might take four or five days to solve the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Chairperson Designate (21 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: I welcome Mr. O'Rourke and congratulate him on his new role. When members of the public speak about the IDA, job creation is always perceived to be in Dublin, but that is not the case anymore. In my county, Tipperary, Clonmel is a prime example of a regional town that has really benefited on the back of big multinational companies such as MSD, Boston Scientific and Abbott, which have given...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Chairperson Designate (21 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Mr. O'Rourke has said he wants Ireland to be in the top two countries in Europe for attracting in companies. If companies are coming from America, the obvious decision will be to locate in Dublin or Cork. How often does the IDA convince companies that actually Clonmel, Athlone or Leitrim is the place to be? How difficult is that? How many successes has the IDA had?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Chairperson Designate (21 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: This is a year of elections. Elections and politics play a key role in businesses and business decisions. Is what is happening in America, with what people would say is the fear of a second Donald Trump presidency, playing a role in the decisions American businesses are making? Have questions been asked about elections in Ireland and two different proposals being put forward by two...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Chairperson Designate (21 Feb 2024)

Garret Ahearn: Clonmel has a site which is co-owned by Tipperary County Council and the IDA. It is a business and technology park in Ballingarrane. It is quite a facility and it is totally full. There are plans to build a new centre to attract new businesses. Is the IDA still supportive of working with Tipperary County Council on that? Would Mr. O'Rourke and a group from the IDA be willing to visit...