Results 161-180 of 490 for likes to work speaker:Brendan Howlin

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Leaders' Questions (17 Oct 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I would like to convey my condolences and the condolences of all my colleagues in the Labour Party to the families of Clare O'Neill, Michael Pyke and Fintan Goss. When Met Éireann warned of a risk to life, we all hoped that it might not prove to be the case. Unfortunately, it clearly was. The three families most involved have our sympathy and condolences and those of everyone in the...

Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (5 Oct 2017)

Brendan Howlin: My first knowledge of Liam Cosgrave came from my political mentor, the former Labour leader Brendan Corish. Although they came from very different political traditions, they became very firm friends. They worked together on the basis of trust and honour. Brendan often told me of the many difficult and challenging issues, including the economy and national security, which were dealt with by...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committee Meetings (20 Sep 2017)

Brendan Howlin: ...on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities discussed by the Cabinet committee? It was raised earlier in Leaders' Questions. It is time we in this House give a firm date for whatever needs to be done - as this process has been going on for a very long time - and that it will be completed in order that people who have been campaigning and are dependent on this convention to vindicate their...

Leaders' Questions (20 Sep 2017)

Brendan Howlin: The Labour Party and I want to be associated with the Taoiseach's remarks on the passing of Jimmy Magee who was a man of humour and knowledge who brought both enlightenment and entertainment to us all. We will certainly miss him. I want to ask the Taoiseach about the forthcoming budget. With there being fewer than three weeks to budget day, it is important that we have an honest debate...

Summer Economic Statement 2017: Statements (13 Jul 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I also welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on what is now the summer economic statement. Members will recall that this originally was the spring economic statement. In government, Deputy Noonan and I determined we should have a spring economic statement to change the way the budget was done. The idea was that we would put all the economic data from the spring on the table...

Leaders' Questions (5 Jul 2017)

Brendan Howlin: ..., it seems clear from Prime Minister Trudeau's comments that he was here for one specific reason, building support for the free trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, CETA. Like most Members of this House, I understand the benefits of globalised trade. Such trade has reduced global poverty and has enriched many lives and brought people back to work. We must also be aware...

Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Second Stage. (27 Jun 2017)

Brendan Howlin: It is recognised by everybody in this House, and everybody outside, that the chief architect of the Bill is the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross. The Minister does not come to too many debates here and his presence tonight underscores his proprietorial role in respect of this legislation. In fairness, he has openly set this out as his prime, if not only, objective in...

Appointment to the Judiciary Nomination Procedure: Statements (21 Jun 2017)

Brendan Howlin: -----even when we know and we like the people directly involved. Unfortunately, it seems that no objective test was applied in this particular case. That has raised question marks about whether other qualified candidates had their applications handled in an objective and transparent manner. It has at least appeared to link this appointment to the reopening of the Stepaside Garda station,...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Brexit Issues (31 May 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I take it that all three questions are being followed up together. When we took the previous group of questions, the Taoiseach was allowed to respond separately to each Deputy's supplementary questions. I take a different view from that of my Sinn Féin colleague. I commend the Taoiseach on the work he has done on Brexit. We all have views on what could have been done differently....

Ireland and the Negotiations on the UK’s Withdrawal from the EU: Statements (9 May 2017)

Brendan Howlin: On behalf of my party and the labour movement, I wish the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and all in this House a happy Europe Day. May we be "united in diversity," to quote the official motto of the European Union. I welcome that the Government has finally produced a more comprehensive document on its approach to Brexit. It is well overdue, as others have stated, but unfortunately it is sadly...

European Council Meeting: Statements (2 May 2017)

Brendan Howlin: In recent weeks and months I have been critical of the Government with regard to its approach to Brexit. It has been my consistent view that whatever about behind the scenes work, and we cannot obviously know exactly what is going on, there is a need for the Government to expand the concrete visible actions to be taken to protect our nation from the known fall-out of Brexit and do the proper...

Brexit: Statements (4 Apr 2017)

Brendan Howlin: ...Emergency. For some time, I have been calling for special recognition of the unique challenges faced by Ireland in the negotiating mandate from Mr. Donald Tusk and the European Council. I want to acknowledge the success of the Government's efforts so far on that aspect of the process. Major diplomatic work went in to securing it and I acknowledge that hard work. However, it appears...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2016: Discussion (30 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the Chairman for the opportunity. I thank members for being here. The initiative we are trying to achieve is a single focus issue but a very important one, that is, the extent to which rogue counsellors and rogue agencies are, to put it bluntly, lying to women with crisis pregnancies. Some of these agencies have been operating, on and off, for more than a decade. Undercover...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2016: Discussion (30 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I thank the members for their supportive comments. I express my appreciation for the work done by journalist Ellen Coyle, Catherine Sands and by a colleague of mine, Sinead Ahern, who, in a difficult way, went undercover to hear exactly what "information" was being imparted. To pick up the point made by Deputy Durkan, can one imagine a vulnerable woman, not knowing what to do, being...

An Bille um an gCúigiú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cearta Eacnamaíochta, Sóisialacha agus Cultúir), 2016: An Dara Céim [Comhaltaí Príobháideacha] - Thirty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Economic, Social and Cultural Rights) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I move amendment No. 1:To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: “Dáil Éireann: notes that the Convention on the Constitution, in its eighth report, recommended greater constitutional protection for economic, social and cultural rights, making them amenable to supervision by the courts in certain circumstances, and extending in particular...

European Council: Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I want to make a political point. I have great respect for Donald Tusk but it is a problematic decision. It is not good that the European People's Party now holds the presidency of the European Council, the presidency of the European Parliament and the presidency of the European Commission. That never has been the position in the past. There has been always an understanding that there is...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Departmental Strategy Statements (21 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: My question is on the same issue of Brexit. Deputy McGrath put it succinctly in describing it as a harmless document. Brexit is listed in the strategic priorities but among a group of (a) to (f), including planning for the future and a better society. Specifically, however, Brexit does not get a mention in the core work activities of the Department, which are listed in the document. The...

Leaders' Questions (7 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Intermittently the name "Grace" has been mentioned in this Chamber. Deputy Deasy has campaigned with compassion and determination to bring her story to light. Daniel McConnell, Fergus Finlay, Colm Ó Mongáin and others have done much work they can be proud of too. Over the weekend we heard more about the appalling mismanagement of Grace's case. On the "This Week" programme, it...

Leaders' Questions (2 Mar 2017)

Brendan Howlin: Today the Simon Community said it is unacceptable that 198,358 homes lie empty in Ireland, a number that will shock most people. In stark terms, that means that 13% of the total housing stock is vacant. According to answers to parliamentary questions received by my colleague, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, the group established to compile a register of vacant units and set out actions to bring them...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016 [Seanad]: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Feb 2017)

Brendan Howlin: I thank all Deputies for contributing to the debate. I applaud my colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, for taking up the baton from Senators Ivana Bacik and Gerakd Nash. It is a baton that started its journey many moons ago in the most capable hands of our dear former colleague in this House who is now Uachtarán na hÉireann, Michael D. Higgins, who felt passionately about this issue. As...