Results 141-160 of 911 for likes to work speaker:Mattie McGrath

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Energy Regulations: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (16 Nov 2022)

Mattie McGrath: We put down this motion in good faith and I am delighted to see the support it has got. Ar an gcéad dul síos, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil don iar-Sheanadóir Brian Ó Domhnaill agus do Mhairead san oifig for their research on this. It is quite a basic, simple, honest-to-God motion that ordinary people would recommend. I mean no disrespect to the...

Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Finance Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2022)

Mattie McGrath: ...the pond. That is fine. I am making the point that this is all stick and no carrot. While it might be a three or four-year lease, the Minister will know very soon from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, SIMI, and many others that this will not work. The cost of living is a significant aspect of it but the infrastructure for those drivers is not there. The Chairman knows this as...

Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2022)

Mattie McGrath: Yes. I am just saying that other legislation was quietly parked without a word about it. That is only one area. We had significant public consultation and a huge effort by this Oireachtas to try to get that done. We are all happy when legislation is done and dusted. Maybe that is why we should have a review of all legislation. If it is not working because of the expense involved, what...

Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2022)

Mattie McGrath: We are told the purpose of the Credit Guarantee (Amendment) Bill 2022 is to make amendments to the Credit Guarantee Act 2012 to support the needs of business to access additional finance. According to the Government, the creation of a Ukraine credit guarantee scheme is in response to economic difficulties resulting from the aggression by Russia against Ukraine. My goodness what will we call...

Public Transport: Motion [Private Members] (25 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: ...leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach agus tá an ceart aige i gcónaí. I compliment Sinn Féin on this motion. It is very important one because of people with disabilities and people who are unable to access transport. When we talk about equal access and opportunities, we must bear in mind that these people are completely hindered. I support the bones of the motion...

Finance Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I am pleased to speak. In the short time available for me to speak on the Finance Bill, I am only going to be able to cover a fraction of the issues. I will certainly address the concrete levy because this is a farce. It is showing the white flag to the real perpetrators of that awful mica and pyrite crisis. Those perpetrators were the quarries. The Minister obviously has no appetite to...

Coercion of a Minor (Misuse of Drugs Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I too support this Bill. I thank and compliment Deputies Ward, Mitchell and Martin Kenny for bringing forward this legislation this evening. It is an honest effort by Teachtaí who have experience of what is happening on the ground. I mean no personal criticism but I sometimes wonder whether the system here is capable of understanding this massive problem with taking and dealing drugs,...

Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I am delighted to be able to comment on this Bill. I do not know if I have ever addressed the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, in this format discussing legislation. I wish him well as an Aire Rialtais and thank him for his co-operation and courtesy. Any time I contact him, or whenever anyone in my group does so, we get a reasonable response. That is very much appreciated by us and by...

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: It is fitting that we are discussing this topic of tourism and development as a wonderful organisation called Munster Vales today held a sustainable tourism event in Caiseal Mumhan, Cashel, County Tipperary, which I, unfortunately, could not attend due to being here. From what I heard it was an excellent event and I want to compliment Tríona O'Mahony and her team for that. Munster...

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (11 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I, too, thank Sinn Féin for tabling this motion. I will say my few words on it. Carers have been abandoned, especially during the Covid pandemic but also since then. They expected something meaningful this year in that they would be linked to other extra payments. They did not get that linkage. They got their once-off payment but that will not bring them very far. The Indecon...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (11 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: The Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022 - Second Stage. What a mouthful. The Government does not intend to do anything for the hard-pressed people. Households are facing annual gas and electricity hikes of €6,000 from early next year. That is more than triple the €1,900 they were paying at the start of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: An Garda Síochána (11 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: That is a shocking reply. The Minister for Justice needs to take heed. She is accountable to this House. I am sick and tired of Ministers coming in here to refer to the Garda Commissioner, head of the HSE and all these people. They are not elected or accountable to the people. We are supposed to have a Government here. We are celebrating 100 years of our freedom, having set up our...

Communications Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Oct 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I too welcome this Bill. As the previous speaker mentioned, ComReg and the different aspects to this area are something that people struggle with. It is a sad indictment on our country that we meet people in our clinics who mention problems with Eir, which is a complete disaster. People in rural and isolated areas depend for safety and security on pendant alarms and their Eir lines might...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Financial Resolution No. 6 – General (Resumed) (28 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I too, am pleased to be able to respond to some of the delightful speeches today from the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Transport, the leaders of the triumvirate of parties that make up this Government, and their wonderful budget. They are playing mind games with the people. Everyone knows that like the previous Government, for the last two years this Government has not...

Financial Resolutions 2022 - Budget Statement 2023 (27 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I welcome many aspects of the budget, to be honest. I accept that. However, the Government is playing a very dangerous game with people's taxes and the extra taxes from foreign direct investment, FDI, companies. It is great that we have that money but it may not be there next year while the budgetary pressures will be. Those tax revenues may not be available in 2024 while demands on the...

Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: Okay. I am delighted to be able to speak briefly on Second Stage of this important legislation, which is badly needed. I look forward to the Minister passing and enacting it because the pernicious activities that go on with online content are quite shocking. As adults, we can deal with it but we have seen horrible cases in the past. As we know, people have been under very significant...

Screening of Third Country Transactions Bill 2022: Second Stage (21 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: Ar an gcéad dul síos ba mhaith liom comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leis an Aire Stáit. We are delighted to see him back in harness. Whatever he does this time, I ask him not to let anyone try to attempt to take it off him. He was a capable and engaging Minister the previous time I dealt with him from 2007 to 2011 and since then, and I wish him well with the portfolio. ...

Regulated Professions (Health and Social Care) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I am pleased to be able to speak on this legislation. This Bill seeks to bring some decorum or measure of change and adjustment to what is needed. This whole area needs massive change. We can have all the regulations and Bills like this and all the grandiose titles and amendments, memorandums and everything else, but people want services. The Minister of State knows that. A Teachta...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Sep 2022)

Mattie McGrath: I ask the Taoiseach again today about discrimination against bus drivers aged over 70. I salute every man and woman in Bus Éireann and private companies who bring our children and grandchildren to school and home safely. There is chaos at the moment in regard to tickets. Many companies have two or three drivers who are approaching 70 and they will no longer be able to carry children...