Tag Archives: Private members’ motion

‘ARROGANCE’ on the part of government was sharply criticised, by a Clare TD, during a debate on a new concrete levy, proposed as a method of funding the defective concrete blocks grant scheme.  A private members’ motion, tabled by Sinn Féin, called for the levy to be scrapped and the suppliers of the defective products to be pursued vigorously for redress. While a promise to modify the terms of the levy in the forthcoming Finance Bill was enough to secure the support of backbenchers, including Deputies Cathal Crowe and Joe Carey, for the government’s position, there was stinging criticism from Clare’s Independent TDs. Deputy Michael McNamara asserted that the law underpinning the new scheme – which is to include Clare and Limerick – was badly drafted. He recalled the concerns of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) at the scant level of pre-legislative scrutiny, and his own calls for legal action to be taken against suppliers. “At the time the …

HEATED exchanges characterised the first stage of a private members Dáil motion last night (October 4), urging government to scrap the proposed 10% levy on concrete products. The charge was outlined in Budget 2023 as a means of raising funds to support the revised scheme for homeowners, including those in Clare, with defective concrete blocks.  The proposal has been widely criticised by sectors including construction and farming, as well as action groups for pyrite and mica homeowners. In Clare, Dr Martina Cleary, founder of the local action group slammed the levy, saying it was letting the real culprits in the pyrite scandal off the hook.  This week Sinn Féin tabled a motion aiming to have the levy scrapped. Tuesday night’s debate was chaired by Deputy Joe Carey, in his capacity as Acting Chairperson.  Ahead of the vote on Wednesday night, Sinn Féin Councillor Donna McGettigan urged all Clare TDs to back the motion.  The Shannon representative described the plans as …

GREEN Party Senator Róisín Garvey is calling for multi-faceted approach to the ongoing problem of flooding. The Inagh native introduced a Private Members’ Motion to the upper house to calling for a multi-faceted, catchment-based approach to managing flooding. Senator Garvey introduced the motion, which recommends a multi-faceted response to flood management while maintaining a multi-annual investment programme managed between the OPW and the local authorities. “I’m raising this motion because of what I’ve seen happening first-hand in my own county of Clare over the last few years and across the rest of Ireland,” she told the chamber. “The climate has changed and so has our rain fall in both frequency and ferocity. I am deeply worried about what lies ahead if we don’t take action.” “International best practice demonstrates that catchment-based solutions, using a combination of natural flood management approaches and hard engineering, are the best way forward and cost less than using only hard engineering solutions.” The motion calls for …

CLARE’S Sinn Féin TD has called for a mental health emergency response system, to support people “gripped with fear” and in crisis because of the pandemic. Contributing to a debate on a successful Sinn Féin motion urging government to take action on the mental health crisis, Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne described the current system as “not fit for purpose”. “We know that mental health was in crisis pre-Covid,” she outlined. “We know also the crisis has escalated throughout Covid, but what does this mean? It means people are suffering and experiencing great trauma and loss, huge change and anxiety, financial strain and pressure, and home insecurity. “The government’s response to mental health has fallen short for many years. I note the Mental Health Commission told the Oireachtas Special Committee on Covid-19 Response that Ireland’s mental health system is not fit for purpose, it is out of date and investment in it and the community is needed. “On behalf of my constituents …