Results 221-240 of 1,981 for speaker:Richard O'Donoghue

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: When we find out how many are leaving this year, we will see it is much more.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: Most of the businesses that are closing are SMEs: small, local and medium enterprises. They are not international businesses. They are small, local enterprise businesses. What the Government could have done in the interim, which would have had an immediate effect, was to have reduced VAT back to 9% across the board. It was brought in for the interim before. It worked and it could work...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 Jan 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: The Taoiseach and I spoke recently about the minimum wage increase. At the time, he said to me that, on the one hand, I was welcoming the wage increase, which I do, but that I also wanted protection for businesses that will be impacted by the wage increase and had asked what the Government could do to counteract it. The issue has now come to the fore, given the Taoiseach has, I believe,...

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: I welcome the work that has been done on the Bill. More work can be done on it but it is heading in the right direction. Many means-tested applications take maintenance payments into account. For example, medical card applications require maintenance payments to be included for the means test. How many people have been denied medical cards due to maintenance payments bringing them over...

Investment Funds Trading in the Residential Property Market: Motion [Private Members] (17 Jan 2024)

Richard O'Donoghue: I got a note when I came into the House this evening from a man who said he has five sites in County Limerick with full planning permission. He has offered them to Limerick City and County Council numerous times but has heard nothing back. The Minister has stated councils are fully funded to facilitate the purchase of houses made available for social and affordable homes. The person to...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Supports (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: 416. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when farmers dealing with the ash die back will be given a resolution to the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55852/23]

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I am happy that it will go to the ombudsman. I would also be happy if we could get this group and the Minister to come before the committee to discuss the matter in January after we receive a response from the Ombudsman for Children.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: In the reply to the ombudsman's letter, the petitioner has also offered solutions. That is a good sign, particularly in the context of any person who actually replies in turn. There is the reply from the ombudsman and the petitioner has replied with solutions because she feels that sanctions have not worked for years. She has come back with solutions for problems that are there, which must...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I thank the Chairman.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I agree 100% but it is not only that. It is one thing to have an electric scooter alongside the car when driving but I also have a truck licence. They travel alongside trucks, buses and ambulances. Regarding wind friction, the person on the scooter is standing up and is off balance. A racing bicycle can get up to 40 or 50 km/h if it is one of the newer, lighter models and depending on how...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: Yes. I would love to have a debate with him.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: It would be interesting to hear both sides. It would be very democratic. Every day is a learning day.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: A railway line in an area in Limerick is being reinstated and a greenway developed. We must be very careful where there are old railway lines. A big problem in Limerick was that some people had built houses that encroached on the railway line. For the future infrastructure of the country, we should allow for rail and a greenway and there should be joined-up thinking. It should not be one...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: That would be my concern.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I agree with Deputy Buckley. It seems to be coming back with the same letter all the time regardless of whether it was a couple of years or two or three years ago. It is the same letter. The letter mentions the expense of doing it. Let us ask the Department what the expense of doing it is. Let us ask it for the facts. I do not want to get repetitive letters. I want a breakdown of the...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: In that case, perhaps we should write to the Departments and the OPW to request an explanation as to why they are not responsible for the matter. If each one can give us the reason, at the same time we ask each one which body does it believe is responsible. We will not be not asking them why they are not responsible; we will ask them who they believe to be responsible. The Chair touched...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I need to step out as I have another meeting at 3 p.m. I wish all the staff and the committee a very happy Christmas.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: The petitioner was not satisfied with it.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: Yes.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (14 Dec 2023)

Richard O'Donoghue: I am into cars and I am into bikes. What scares me is that I saw a video clip recently of an electric scooter being used on the M50. It was doing 60 km/h in the middle lane in traffic. The rider was keeping up with the traffic in the middle lane. Scooters are ideal transport in and around the cities and towns to allow people to do what they have to do. The heavier they are, the faster...