Results 281-300 of 504 for speaker:Mary White

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I will be very interested to hear Deputy Bannon's contribution. We must look at how we do our planning and plan our towns. A place is not a home for a child if the child cannot go to school nearby or play sport in the locality, if all time is spent being taxied around by parents because the local infrastructure is not there. That is not what memories of childhood should be. When we are...

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: If one cleans the rivers, one pushes the problem somewhere else.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I was a member of the Barrow catchment initiative and know how the Barrow drainage system works. One must drain rivers very carefully. Draining of rivers can cause problems.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Although farmers are suffering, they sold lands at the time of the boom and we must now consider what has happened because of the over-development of some lands and over-capacity in the housing market.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Unless we recognise that, we will be in real difficulty. How long do I have left?

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I hope he has winged feet when he comes.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: When I was a councillor with Carlow County Council, there was contentious rezoning in the county. The most foolhardy example of rezoning to take place when I was a councillor was to allow for an industrial development quite a distance from Carlow town on a flood plain. Bingo - what happened last week? The whole place flooded.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Green Party councillors, who were not rezoning land on flood plains, did not rezone the land. It was Fine Gael and Labour Party councillors and councillors of all parties except the Green Party.

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: If we want to go back to the old way of ensuring that every green space on a map is filled in by a development, it does not bode well for the future of the country. Deputies Bannon and Hayes only need to consider their own constituencies to find examples of bad planning. I welcome this Bill. It will do tremendous good-----

Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Second Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Mary White: -----for the future development of our towns and villages. I look forward to hearing Deputy Bannon speak on sustainable planning and sustainable local area plans produced in tandem with regional planning guidelines and the national spatial strategy. I will be transfixed in my seat as I hear him.

Written Answers — Job Creation: Job Creation (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 116: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on creating a jobs taskforces in all areas of high unemployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45435/09]

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 303: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her views on extending the provision of the scheme of community support for older people to persons under 65 years with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45433/09]

Written Answers — Community Development: Community Development (8 Dec 2009)

Mary White: Question 304: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the efforts being made to disseminate information on the provision of socially-monitored alarms through community groups and services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45434/09]

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: There was 17% unemployment when the Deputy's party was in power last.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I thank Deputy Michael Kitt for sharing time. This has been a particularly tough time for families. The past year has been especially bleak. The challenges faced by both families and the Government have been immense. There is a need to take control of the public finances and protect the families to which I refer in order to prevent future generations from inheriting the kind of debt with...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: We must ensure that resources are spread adequately and in a thoughtful manner among those who most deserve assistance at this time. I wish to refer in particular to two groups in our society, namely, the elderly and the young. I will begin with our senior citizens. I am glad the elderly are protected in the budget and that there will be no reduction in the basic rate of their old age...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: The 11% increase in the fuel allowance will help many older people who cannot yet take advantage of the opportunity to retrofit their homes and make them more comfortable. This increase will help to offset that which will arise as a result of the introduction of the carbon tax. Deputy Shortall is aware that there will be an 11% increase in this allowance.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: A dedicated fuel poverty strategy will be initiated by the end of this year. That strategy was negotiated by the various Members, of whom the Minister, Deputy Hanafin was one, from the Green Party and Fianna Fáil who negotiated the programme for Government. I am delighted that the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, is increasing the funding...

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: I am pleased that certain social welfare rates are not being altered in the budget. The household benefits package and the free travel schemes are very important for those dependent on social welfare and I welcome their retention. I have always been someone who considers the glass half full. I am not a naysayer who considers it half empty.

Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Dec 2009)

Mary White: When times are tough, we must ensure that we adopt a positive attitude and identify those who require our help.