Results 281-300 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I thought I would contribute to the debate on the Bill which represents such an important part of everything we do. Everything we do in this House should be based on the objectives behind the Bill. Fiscal responsibility is the aim of everybody elected to this House, of everybody who is not elected to it and of those behind the Members elected. This gives us the opportunity to put our best...

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I propose that the Bill be reviewed and that its best pieces be incorporated into the Government's Bill. Perhaps, just as an asterisk denotes a Government amendment to a Bill, a square box might be used to denote a recommendation made by Senator Sean D. Barrett which the Government is prepared to accept. This would be an indication that the Seanad works. There is expertise in this House...

Seanad: Fiscal Responsibility (Statement) Bill 2011: Second Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: Yes. Senator Sean D. Barrett might address my questions on section 7 and the Fiscal Advisory Council.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I wish to make a brief contribution. I am standing in for our spokesperson, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames. I congratulate the Minister, who has a difficult job. The entire House has recognised that she has probably one of the most difficult portfolios and is one of the best people to deal with it. As I said when speaking on another issue, her heart is in the right place. Due to the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: No, I think the Senator——

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: Yes. The requirement is not for 520 contributions but 260. Either Senator White took that up wrong or she was reading from an old script. I appreciate it has been corrected. It is important for everyone to be informed, myself included. In respect of section 6, at a time when changes are being introduced to State pensions, such as the new rate, which reflects the level of contributions...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: That would be an ideal, Utopian world. However, a consistent approach must be applied. It is difficult for people to know their entitlements. Senator Ó Domhnaill's recommendation that people be informed of the new regulations is a valuable one which I hope the Minister will take on board.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I agree this time with Senator White.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I will not continue in a political vein after Senator White's contribution, I will revert to the conciliatory tone and congratulate all Members who have helped me as a new Senator and all of the staff. I will not name names because I am sure I would leave out some important names. I refer to staff, leaders, Whips, Senators and everyone who has helped me to lead the way and to follow...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I still agree with it but I did not receive the support. It is the only element covered by "Oireachtas Report" but if it was not covered, the legislative side in the afternoon might be covered and we would have more bodies on seats. We are here for legislation. We would also have better debate and better input. I am not criticising people because I and other Members listen to debates on...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I am not saying that it is. I am saying that we must change. Gabhaim comhgairdeas leis an tSeanadóir D'Arcy a bhí ag caint mar gheall ar an teanga Gaeilge. Gabhaim comhgairdeas, chomh maith, leis an tSeanadóir Ó Clochartaigh as an éacht atá déanta aige ó tháinig sé isteach sa Teach. Is as Conamara é agus tá Gaeilge líofa aige. Nuair a bhí an Bille Rialtais Áitiúil (Muirear...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

Caít Keane: I also admit I was wrong, as for 18 years I was totally against against gender quotas. However, I have come full circle. I look forward to the Bill being brought before the House in the new year and I am sure it will be robustly debated.

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: I agree with Senator O'Keeffe and express my sympathy to Mary Raftery's family. I acknowledge the fantastic work she was doing. Everybody in this House recognises what she has brought to the fore. She lifted the carpet and exposed many serious issues, and I thank her on my behalf and on behalf of the people of Ireland for doing that. Regarding the furore over the pensioners tax issue,...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: Senator White should not stigmatise an area. This important issue affects schools across the country.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: Senator White should put down a matter on the Adjournment.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: That point on 1% per annum yielding €1.5 billion is a good place for me to start. If we had 1% per annum improvement in the fitness level of children, there could be a €3 billion saving to the health system. We had a debate on fitness among school children and Senator Eamonn Coghlan carried out a major survey on the issue. I would like to see more support given to that survey. The...

Seanad: Suicide Prevention: Statements (12 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: The Clondalkin community action on suicide group, from my area, which has left was welcome. It has done massive work, as has Deputy Derek Keating and Deputy Dan Neville who spearheaded the issue, when people were not as vocal. I mention, in particular, John Quinn from Clondalkin, who was awarded the equivalent of the Dragons' Den in the business section, which was shown on RTÉ television...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: I refer to events to take place on National Diabetes Day. Thanks to the media which have provided facilities and doctors who are freely giving of their time, tests are ongoing at various shopping centres throughout the country. Why is this test not mandatory when a patient presents to a general practitioner? The pinprick blood test is not common. The way the country is going, preventive...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: I would like to say that we think of ourself as an innovating island, particularly when we look at the IT companies we have attracted to the shores. We have Facebook and Google, to name two of the big companies, as well as a number of smaller companies. We are about to introduce a statutory instrument to change a law that will affect all these companies. A previous speaker referred to...

Seanad: Water Services: Statements (25 Jan 2012)

Caít Keane: We all know the importance of water and the requirement to support economic growth. In Ireland, water is a valuable resource and we have the capacity, if we use it and do not abuse it, to position Ireland well in terms of competitiveness. We should never lose sight of that. We all know the €1.2 billion cost of water and ask whether it is being spent in the best possible way. I examined...