Seanad Debates present the opportunity to raise important and relevant issues and request time to discuss them. As a Senator this is one of the many ways I can bring the concerns of the people of Cork South West to the attention of the Government as well as my Oireachtas colleagues.
Below are relevant articles pertaining to this work, additionally you can find out more about my daily contributions to Seanad debates here.
Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard has said the publication of a new Government policy will help raise awareness of skin cancer. “I am very pleased that Minister Harris has published the new policy on skin cancer. I have been petitioning the Government to reduce the VAT rate on sun cream products for months. “Hopefully now the policy is in place the Government will be able to reduce the VAT rate for sun cream and launch an awareness campaign to help drive down the 11,000 diagnoses we have here
Read MoreLocal authorities must take action to deal with the scourge of derelict buildings in our towns and villages, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard raised the matter in the Seanad this week highlighting public health concerns arising from dereliction of privately owned buildings and noting a particular example in Bandon Co Cork which presented a local health and safety risk. Senator Lombard said: “Dereliction of urban areas is an issue we all need to address and local
Read MoreCork Senator Tim Lombard has confirmed the introduction of a new travel zone for Cork bus services; the Cork Leap Green Zone, introduced on Saturday 1st December, includes Kinsale, Bandon, Macroom, Fermoy, and Mallow. Senator Lombard said: “I am delighted with the introduction of this new travel zone for Cork bus users. I have been demanding that Bus Éireann review the pricing structure of the West Cork bus services and it is great that local concerns have been listened to. “The
Read MoreThe association of Halloween with sweets is damaging Irish children’s health, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Senator Lombard said: “I was in Cork on Halloween night and I saw children walking around with carrier bags full to the brim with sweets. “I know Cork is no different than any other part of the country and I’m sure this scene was repeated across the island. “This is particularly concerning given the epidemic of childhood obesity this country is facing. “If you walk into any sup
Read MoreThere needs to be a collection point for used agricultural tyres in County Cork, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Cork Senator Tim Lombard was speaking following the announcement of a national tyre collection by the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Minister Naughten has made €700,000 available to help farmers remove tyre stockpiles on their farms and the Irish Farm Film Producers Group (IFFPG), the national farm plastics recycling compliance scheme, has agreed to
Read MoreThe Government needs to look at making sun cream more affordable, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Senator Tim Lombard said: “As we get a spell of fine weather, I think it’s important to bear in mind that skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland. There are over 11,000 new cases reported in the country each year. “This has a knock on effect across our families and communities, putting pressure on our health service. “Making sun cream more available to people in Ireland would help us
Read MoreCork based Fine Gael Senator Tim Lombard has criticised the outrageous expense of the West Cork bus services and the huge pricing difference compared to other regions. Senator Lombard stated: “I have been examining bus fares over recent weeks and discovered that there are major anomalies in the pricing structure of Bus Eireann services, whereby West Cork bus users are charged excessive rates in comparison to almost anywhere else in the country. “A monthly TaxSaver ticket for Kinsale to Cor
Read MoreSustainable rural housing will ensure that rural communities can thrive, a Fine Gael Senator has said. Senator Tim Lombard said: “After a comprehensive debate in the Seanad, Minister Eoghan Murphy confirmed to me that once-off rural planning will be safeguarded under the forthcoming national Planning Framework. This is great news for communities in rural Ireland. [caption id="attachment_1176" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Read More“I am delighted to announce that Cork County Council has been advised by Transport Infrastructure Ireland [TII] to proceed in producing a preliminary design for the Bandon Southern Relief road. “The need for a traffic diversion around Bandon has been recognised and proposed for many years. The excessive daily volume of traffic travelling through the town is creating immense congestion, particularly as a significant portion of this traffic are heavy goods vehicles, whose size and cap
Cork based Fine Gael Senator, Tim Lombard, raised the issue in the Seanad today of the lack of legislation regarding Coast Guard Services in Ireland. “The Irish Coast Guard Service is an invaluable and essential emergency service for our island nation. Each year its 950 volunteers manage roughly 2,500 marine emergencies and assist other primary response agencies with nearly 4,500 treacherous situations. The highly trained Coast Guards volunteer an average of 10,000 combined man hours every ye
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