Search Results for 'Seanad'

I hope each of you in some way or another is enjoying this lovely weather. We are so lucky to live on an island, when we look at mainland Europe where the temperatures have soared to an almost unbearable level and there are deaths and forest fires and all such attendant ills from the very high temperatures there. Here, we are enjoying the dry, hot weather, which is just at those temperatures which are bearable but lovely, and I hope it is a foretaste of all of the summer to come.

Athlone based Senator, Gabrielle McFadden, has called on the Minister for Communications, Richard Bruton, to do whatever is necessary to secure the future of the An Post Mail Centre in Athlone.

Michael Ring, TD, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, has said that Jim Daly TD, Minister for Mental Health and Older People, has confirmed to him in person, that there will be no downgrading of Belmullet District Hospital under his watch.

I’m going to begin this column with the great news about Katie Taylor. As we all know by now, on Saturday night she defeated Belgian woman, Delfine Persoon, in Madison Square Garden in New York. I didn’t see the fight because it was at 1.30 in the morning, but I saw bits of it on the news, and it appears that she won it fair and square. But already the grumblings are beginning and Delfine Persoon has challenged her to a re-match as soon as possible. If I was Katie Taylor, I would not agree to a re-match. Katie won it, and she is now the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. Why should she casually decide on a re-match, just because the loser wants to engage with her immediately? So leave her alone; you are now, Katie, the world champion, so rest on your laurels. Despite that fact, she is always regarded, both when written about and in interviews, as a modest, unassuming young woman, and she appears to be that in every sense of the word. Well done Katie, and I hope you enjoy the sense of accomplishment.

There will only be two female councillors on Mayo County Council for its new term starting June 2019, which is down from five female councillors who were elected in the 2014 local elections.

Mayo Fine Gael Senator Michelle Mulherin has welcomed the news that the IDA will proceed shortly with a planning application for phase one infrastructure for an 11 hectare technology park on the Sligo Road in Ballina.

Galway-native but US-based senator Billy Lawless has this week urged graduate members of the Irish diaspora to avail of their rights to vote in any future Seanad elections.

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has been challenged to explain discrepancies between housing and homelessness figures issed by his Department and those issued by COPE Galway.

Mayo based Fianna Fáil Senator, Keith Swanick, has called for a nationwide awareness campaign to highlight the signs, symptoms and dangers of sepsis.

RONAN FAGAN