Results 301-320 of 375 for speaker:Margaret Cox

Seanad: Cancer Screening Programme (26 Oct 2006)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister of State for clarifying the position regarding the donation. On behalf of the women of the west, I wish to send a message to the Minister and the Department that a timescale of 48 weeks is unacceptable. We can afford to shorten that schedule. Even if we only shorten it by eight weeks, that might save a life. There are many life-saving initiatives that can be put in...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2006)

Margaret Cox: I support Senator Mansergh as regards the death penalty for Saddam Hussein. It is regrettable this is the level of justice people believe ought to be meted out. The last time the death penalty was used in Ireland was in 1954. It is not that long ago and people remember it. The House should pass a motion, hold a debate and condemn outright this sentence. There is no doubt the man created...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the social welfare package announced recently. I am approaching my tenth year as a Senator and in one of the first debates in which I participated I spoke before the then Minister about the single payment issue. As increases were made and additional benefits were provided for carers, it became increasingly difficult to provide a justification for people...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: Tomorrow. Committee Stage ordered for Friday, 15 December 2006.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: The Minister referred earlier to an SSIA-type arrangement in respect of pensions. We debated pensions approximately two and a half years ago and his suggestion in this regard was discussed at that point. The Minister is correct that many people do not understand or recognise the benefits of money being invested on a tax-free basis and being drawn down the same way. If we were to repackage...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I was hoping to put forward an amendment in respect of parental and paternity leave. We discussed this matter on Second Stage. Now that maternity leave has been extended to 26 weeks — people can also take unpaid leave — and there is to be increased maternity benefit, the next step in nurturing families is to consider the issue of paid parental leave. The Minister will be aware that...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: It would be nice to have paid paternity leave. A cost of €6 million, rising to €10 million if all the men were to take it up, seems small in the context of the overall social welfare budget in which €1 of every €3 spent by the Government goes to social welfare benefit. The real issue is the parental leave per child. The case for that is to allow the child be looked after in his or...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: Irishmen are not the same as European men. They could not deal with that.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: It is important to recognise the great difference the extension of maternity leave and benefit has made. It has made a significant difference to the lives of many women in the past two years, which we appreciate.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I pay tribute to the Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and the departmental officials who worked on the preparation of the Bill. It is indicative of the successful nature of this legislation that we moved through all stages of the Bill with the complete agreement of the House. Although the social welfare package is worth in excess of €1.4 billion, in many ways it did not receive the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Motion for Earlier Signature (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Social Welfare Bill 2006 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Consumer Protection Bill. Senator Kitt mentioned an area on which I wish to focus my attention, namely, credit card charges and surcharges. Members will recollect that I proposed to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment a Private Members' Bill for consideration. It proposes to abolish credit card charges and surcharges by...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I join Senator John Paul Phelan in welcoming the Bill. I welcome the concept of making life easier for people with disabilities. The Bill is intended to provide an enhancement of life for people with disabilities. In considering where we are in providing services for people with disabilities, we should take a step back and consider some philosophical questions. I have the following...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: An example is the Minister's reference in an earlier version of his speech to the terms and conditions of funding and the new provisions in the Comhairle Act to enable the citizens information board to set terms and conditions for voluntary bodies in seeking funding and to promote the development of high quality standards in the provision of information to the public. The effect of the...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I interpreted this incorrectly. On re-reading it, the Minister is correct.

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: It is 2007.

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: Next Tuesday. Committee Stage ordered for Tuesday, 13 February 2007.

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: The last time I spoke with the Minister about this, I outlined my philosophical difficulty in allowing the system to continue in a situation where we needed advocates to make it work for people. Will the Minister ensure a review is done within a certain period, such as every year or two years? Instead of continuing to provide advocates as required, the Department should have a quality...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister for his forbearance and patience in listening to arguments made by Senators from both sides in their efforts to improve the legislation. Time and again, when the House deals with legislation from the Department of Social and Family Affairs, it is wonderful, as legislators, to be in a position to discuss the bigger picture and philosophical questions as well as the...

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Committee Stage (14 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I move amendment No. 14: In page 49, subsection (3), between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following: "(h) in relation to the method of payment, charging the consumer— (i) any extra amount of money, commonly referred to as a credit card surcharge, if a consumer chooses to pay for goods of any description or any services or accommodation by credit or debit card, or (ii) a different price to...