Results 561-580 of 1,045,730 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Cian O'Callaghan)

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

David Stanton: That seems to have derailed the thing. When I was in Lisbon all those years ago, I made an inquiry with police officers at the time about how it often appears that if you walk down the street you are offered substances. People approach tourists and others and offer substances in small bags. I was told by the police at the time that a lot of that was bogus, fake and not real.

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

David Stanton: A person would not know whether it was or not, but the story here in Ireland is tourists and others are assailed on the streets of Lisbon and other cities with this behaviour. Will Mr. Leitão da Silva comment on that?

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

David Stanton: It gives a very poor picture of Lisbon and cities in Portugal for tourists and others here. When it reaches our airwaves, people talk about it and use it as a reason for not decriminalising. They blame decriminalisation for this, and a liberal approach.

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

David Stanton: That is fine. I cannot see the clock from here. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

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

David Stanton: The Chair might tell me when my ten minutes are up, as I do not have access to a clock. I welcome our two guests and thank them very much for their thought-provoking and sincere presentations. Dr. Ó Concubhair mentioned the United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, which mandates signatory states to pursue a criminal justice-led response on drug use and drug markets. I...

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

David Stanton: I thank Dr. Ó Conchubhair. As I said earlier to our previous guest, one of the issues about which we learnt earlier this week was that when the use of drugs was decriminalised in British Columbia and Vancouver, and also in parts of the United States, it seemed to initially go too far in that it permitted people to use drugs publicly on the streets straight away, which led to a backlash...

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...

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

Emer Higgins: The Minister, Deputy Burke, chairs a hospitality and tourism forum that looks at a lot of the issues the Deputy has raised such as access outside working hours to hospitality, including cafés, and the importance of having a vibrant night-time economy. The Minister co-chairs the forum with the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin. That initiative shows the level of cross-departmental...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Job Creation (11 Jul 2024)

Job Creation