Results 701-720 of 1,031,277 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Brian Leddin OR speaker:Cathal Crowe) in 'Committee meetings'

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Seán Haughey: I have a recollection that pre and post European Council meeting statements were introduced in this House following the defeat of an EU referendum.

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Brendan Howlin: Correct.

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Seán Haughey: It was done to bring about a greater awareness of European issues and to make the Taoiseach more accountable to the Dáil as regards his approach to European Council meetings. While they are helpful, the Dáil is a long way from mandating what the Taoiseach should do at European Council meetings, as is the case in some other EU member states. Be that as it may, I welcome the...

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Matt Carthy: I thank the Minister of State for her opening statement. I do not know whether I have had an opportunity to wish her well since her new appointment but if not I do so now. I acknowledge that accession conferences have been held or are ongoing with Moldova, Ukraine and Montenegro. It is the right of states and the people of those states themselves to decide what the wherewithal of their...

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Pre-European Council: Statements (26 Jun 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: The Taoiseach will participate in the June meeting of the European Council taking place in Brussels tomorrow and Friday. The agenda will cover Ukraine, the Middle East, security and defence, competitiveness, and the next institutional cycle. The meeting is also expected to adopt the EU's next strategic agenda and agree a roadmap for future EU internal reforms. There will also be...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: The purpose of today's meeting is to consider programme D of the 2024 Further Revised Estimate for Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications. I remind members that the committee has no role in approving the Estimate. It is an ongoing opportunity for the committee to examine departmental expenditure, to make the process more transparent and to engage in a meaningful way on relevant...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: Is Deputy Alan Farrell still online? Would he like to come in next?

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: We can hear Deputy Farrell loud and clear. He may proceed.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I will come in next. I thank the Minister for his presentation. I have a few questions, but not too many, to put to him. It is obvious with respect to the national broadband plan that enormous progress is being made. I congratulate the Minister and the Department, as well as all of the work crews. Every day I move around my constituency and see National Broadband Ireland vans or...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I thank the Minister. When he and his Department have high-level engagement on this matter, it is important. There was colossal public debate on this matter approximately 15 years ago when applications for masts and antennae were going in every week. That was a national debate. These days, the industry seems to go back again and again for masts and antennae in urban settings. Stadiums,...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I will next ask about eircodes. Would the Minister consider making it mandatory that an eircode is displayed on public buildings? On our farm at home, we decided a few months ago to hang a sign on the door of the shed because the moment you need to know your eircode is when you will forget it in a panic. The local school I taught in before becoming a member of the Dáil has its eircode...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I want to hone in on the public warning system, as others have. I do not have the correct name for the cell broadcast public warning system. I would love to hear more on that. It is a fantastic idea. We are a nation of hypochondriacs as well. Will it be the case that when there is a red weather alert, this will go out onto someone's mobile phone, or will it be something of a greater...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: He was the better salesman for hoaxes.

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I have two small questions to end. There is a strategy around offshore wind that will see much of the Irish Sea having an offshore wind infrastructure, as well as a similar infrastructure coming westward from Britain. With all this fixed infrastructure in the Irish Sea, has the Minister and his counterpart in the British Government examined the possibility of there being a cellular network...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: That is a smart approach. My next question refers to digital stamps. The national rate for a digital stamp is €2. The national rate for the paper sticky stamp is €1.40. Some say the price discrepancy is because the digital stamp can be tracked, and the sender is notified when it gets delivered. Surely from a sustainability point of view, we should be trying to encourage...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: Does Deputy O'Rourke wish to come in again? I have one final question for the Minister, as I do not know if Deputy Farrell is here. The Minister casually mentioned a couple of years ago, and we are not trying to catch him out, a lovely example last year in Switzerland. Swiss postal vans have what is called a crew cab, where it goes around the villages with all the bags of mail in the back....

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Further Revised Estimate) (26 Jun 2024)

Cathal Crowe: I thank the Minister and his officials for their attendance today and for their very positive engagement with our committee.