Results 541-560 of 1,040,981 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Seán Crowe OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Patricia Ryan OR speaker:Stephen Donnelly) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Darren O'Rourke: There is a lot in the question and a lot in the answer. At the root of it, however, similar to my colleague, Deputy Quinlivan, is the concern about what we are hearing with regard to the readiness of the industry here, whether we look at ports, planning, the grid or supply chain. It is a statement of fact at this stage to say that none of our phase 1 offshore wind farms will be developed on...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Dara Calleary: I assure the Deputy that we are making very detailed progress in our Department in terms of Powering Prosperity through skills and job and supply chain opportunities. That is acknowledged by the groups with which we are engaging. As the Deputy knows, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for future auctions and grid development. The Minister,...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank the commander. It is very refreshing to hear a police officer speaking very frankly about this issue. I have just one question on the illicit market for illegal drugs. Portugal has been more progressive in this regard than Ireland. On the flip side, the illicit market in Ireland is controlled by a number of very violent and powerful criminal gangs. What is the situation in...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank Mr. Leitão da Silva.

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: I thank Mr. Glynn and Dr. Ó Concubhair for their opening statements. My first question is for Dr. Ó Concubhair. This debate has probably evolved in the past five or six years in terms of where people are at, both politicians and the public. We have progressed to a point where people are thinking about alternatives to what we have had in the past six decades, which was a complete...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: I 100% agree. That is my concern in terms of where this debate is going. Some of us in the committee have those concerns. There is opposition from the top down, and from the bottom up, in terms of where we want to go. When the dust settles on what the committee agrees, the next Government will have to deal with it. There is still huge conservatism among the powers that be, particularly...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: My question is about a parallel universe but I will pose it anyway. We all agree alcohol is an accepted drug, whether in Britain or Ireland, for better or for worse. It is accepted, taxed, readily available and marketed very cleverly by alcohol companies. There are obviously health consequences to alcohol consumption, particularly dependency, and it will kill tens of thousands of people,...

Committee on Drugs Use: Decriminalisation, Depenalisation, Diversion and Legalisation: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Jul 2024)

Gino Kenny: Surely the lesson is that the war on drugs has been an absolute failure.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Maurice Quinlivan: I thank the Minister of State. Regarding offshore energy, many companies and people are making great strides already in this field. I commend Shannon-Foynes Port for the work it has done to date and for its Vision 2041 strategy that laid out in detail many of the challenges and potential available from offshore energy, especially in the mid-west region. The port is in proximity to the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Dara Calleary: I thank the Deputy. I acknowledge his work, the work of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment and its report on this space in 2023. We are focused on this. Our Department is working through our regional enterprise committees right across the country to identify the opportunities, and especially looking at ports to identify the infrastructure we need. It is vital we are...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Maurice Quinlivan: I thank the Minister of State. As I have said before, the development of offshore wind energy can be our generation's Ardnacrusha moment. We either act now or fall behind our competitors, which are basically Scotland, Germany and other countries. We can harness this energy and export the excess Ireland does not need or we can import it from abroad. That is the choice we are facing. It is...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Renewable Energy Generation (11 Jul 2024)

Dara Calleary: We are very well progressed. We are putting the foundation stones in place. We will ensure that when the technology is available to us to maximise the offshore advantages, especially off our Atlantic coast, we will be in a position to maximise it. Our Department is investing considerably in the supply chains issue. We had an excellent event with the Scottish Government recently and our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions (11 Jul 2024)

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Low Pay

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Bríd Smith: 6. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is planning to abolish sub-minimum wage rates in light of recent recommendations by the Low Pay Commission and the ESRI report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30466/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: As the Minister and Ministers of State know, People Before Profit tabled a Bill seeking to get rid of the sub-minimum wage which proceeded to Committee Stage. It is absolutely disgraceful discrimination against young workers to pay them less than the minimum wage, which is miserable in and of itself at €12.70. That is far below what a living wage should be. The ESRI, among others,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: As the Deputy will be aware, the Low Pay Commission was asked in 2022 to examine the issues around retaining or removing the sub-minimum youth rates of the national minimum wage and to make recommendations on the matter. The Low Pay Commission asked the ESRI to conduct background research on the issue under the terms of the Low Pay Commission and ESRI partnership agreement. This ESRI report...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Low Pay (11 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: It is complicated if the Government wants to make it complicated, but it is simple if one opposes discrimination against young people. It is simply wrong that young people should be exploited because they are young, and paid less for doing the same job as somebody else who happens to be older. It is a simple principle and that discrimination should be removed. The real issue, which the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (11 Jul 2024)

Emer Higgins: The Deputy is right that the initiatives he referred to are all really positive. Investing in the old Ambassador Theatre building and reopening the Iveagh Markets would be really beneficial to Dublin. Those are the kinds of projects the task force is considering. The task force has already met. It has 12 weeks to report to the Government. When we receive the report, we certainly will...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Business Supports (11 Jul 2024)

Gary Gannon: I completely agree with the Minister of State. I have had some engagement with the task force on changes I would like to see made in the city. It is a cross-departmental body, with involvement by the Departments of Justice and Health as well as the Minister of State's Department. One of the recommendations I expect it to offer is to do with making the city more vibrant. That will require...