Manus Boyle
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I will raise an issue about small craft registration in Ireland. The Marine Survey Office is responsible for registering all vessels, from large cargo ships to small pleasure boats. Registration is essential for every ship travelling to ports in and out of the EU and other countries.”
“In the end, they had no choice but to register their boat in another EU country so they could continue their plans. They are proud Irish people and wanted to sail under the Irish flag but instead have been forced to fly the flag of another country because of the delays in our system.”
“Despite being approved for home care, the family was told there are simply not enough carers available to provide this woman the care she needs. Instead of receiving care at home her condition worsened to the point she had to be hospitalised in Letterkenny.”
“Many patients end up back in the hospital because the care they were promised never materialises. We need urgent investment in our home care services, recruitment and retention of carers and a guarantee that when carers are approved it actually is approved. Older people deserve dignity and families deserve support.”
“I will talk about home care for the elderly. I want to raise a heartbreaking case that highlights the deepening crisis in our healthcare for the elderly. I raised this last week and before on numerous occasions but nothing has improved. We are failing our older people.”
“I concur with my fellow Senators' comments on water safety. It is an important issue, especially in rural counties like my own county of Donegal. With the weather being so good, the beaches are going to be full this weekend. There will be large amounts of people at them. I ask people to be cautious and vigilant of what is going on.”
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“To highlight the pressing need for immediate action to address the speeding on the overall road safety through the village, there are added concerns for pedestrians walking and crossing the road. It can take a long time to cross the road and they are taking their lives in their own hands attempting to cross between traffic. Noise is another issue in this beautiful seaside town where the houses are built on the hill overlooking the beautiful Lough Swilly. The volume of traffic and weight of heavy vehicles in the village is very noisy. Donegal County Council recently was allocated €42.4 million in funding for the roads. The Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, needs to prioritise the village of Fahan to support and implement the plan for the village.”
“There is an urgent need for the Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, to prioritise the village of Fahan in County Donegal on the application of roads funding. Over the years, there has been a disproportionate number of accidents in the vicinity of the village because of the way the village is laid out. Cars and heavy vehicles tend to go through the village. More could be done by the authorities to improve the village in order that drivers realise much quicker that they are entering a village. The issue of road safety is compounded by the sheer volume of traffic through Derry and the other side of the Inishowen Peninsula. There has been a large number of traffic accidents in the vicinity of Fahan, although thankfully none of them have been fatal.”
“I would like the Minister of State to come to the House to give us an up-to-date plan of what he intends to do, and outline how we can keep these people updated on what is happening.”
“I ask the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to come to the House. I would like to get an update in respect of the flooding that took place at Bridge Street, Killybegs, on 23 November. It was one of the worst floods to ever take place in County Donegal. At this time, residents are getting no answers from the relevant Departments. They are afraid to go to sleep in bed at night if there is heavy rain in case it will be the same as 23 November, when they were woken up by fire brigade sirens and people knocking at their doors trying to get them out. All the people want to know is what is happening with the river. Will tree cutting go ahead before 31 March? We need to get answers on that. Looking forward, people are now afraid to go to bed at night if a heavy rain is forecast. The sandbags are still at their front doors.”
“I ask for the Minister for Health to come in to the House. The six new surgical centres she has announced are great news. She is giving out two to Dublin, one to Cork, and one each to Galway, Waterford and Limerick. They will deal with 10,000 surgical appointments a year and 18,000 outpatients. Once again, Donegal and the north west have not featured in this. Donegal is such a big county, where someone can be two hours away from the major hospital in Letterkenny. We need to get the Minister to revisit this and to give Donegal one of the new surgical health facilities moving forward to help the whole north west region.”
“I am here especially for the good of the fishing community there. All over Ireland, coastal communities have been decimated by what is going on. I will be here as a voice for Donegal, the fishing communities all over Ireland and everything else going on that we need to sort out in Donegal. There are a lot of problems but we can sort them all out. It just takes everybody across the House pulling together. I congratulate each and every Member. I thank Simon Harris for appointing me. Most colleagues' election came the hard way; I got here the easy way. I am glad to be part of this and to be on the team here in the Seanad.”
“It is a very proud day for me and my family. My wife, Arlene, switched her dialysis appointment to give me the surprise of being here today. It is lovely to see her here, as well as my children, Barry and Amy. The members of my team, who supported me through thick and thin, are there at the back. I come from a Fine Gael background. My father, of whom I am so proud, was a Fine Gael councillor for many years. He was here yesterday, along with my mother and brothers and sisters, to see me come in this door. I thank each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart. I am really looking forward to working with everybody in the House. I am seen as a person who works with everyone, no matter his or her political persuasion. I can work on a cross-party basis. I am here for the good of Ireland and the good of Donegal.”
“I wish the Cathaoirleach the very best in his role. I am delighted to be here as a Member of the Twenty-seventh Seanad. It is a very proud day for me. My election came very much as a shock, and it was a good shock. I am here as a very proud Donegal man. There are four of us in the House. I am delighted to be here to wave the Donegal flag. We beat Kerry last weekend after many years. We are making a good start in Dublin, too.”