Results 321-340 of 1,467 for speaker:Geraldine Feeney

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: That is the lowest of the low. The Cathaoirleach should make the Senator withdraw that statement.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: I support Senator Brian Hayes in his call for a debate on discipline in schools. Under the leadership of the Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs, Deputy Killeen, an expert group is meeting to examine bullying in the workforce. It might be a good idea for the House to consider its findings in the new year. I have come from a conference this morning at which a teacher spoke...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: The Bill is action.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: The Senator should stick to the topic.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: I wish to share my time with Senator Daly.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: I, too, welcome the Minister to the House. I envied the Minister having half an hour to make her speech which she delivered so well. Anyone who had never read the Bill would have gained a clear understanding of it from her speech. Since we commenced this debate under an hour ago, almost €1.5 million has been spent in the delivery of the health service. We spend €13 million per day on the...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: I am pleased to have an opportunity to contribute on this important Bill. The Minister said there is an onus on us to obtain value for money on behalf of the taxpayer. I am sure all Members will refer to this legislation as important. It is possibly the most important Bill to come before the House this session. It was a long time in gestation and has been flagged for many months, possibly a...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: That is a compliment to Senator Browne.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: Am I not even allowed a little flirtation at Christmas time? At the time of the establishment of the health boards, people feared they would lose the old intimate relationship they had with their county health authorities. It is fear that makes people not want change. If fear can be overcome and we can move on, we will get a better system. Some 30 years after the establishment of the health...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: If the Opposition knocks it so much, why can it not come up with an alternative? I have yet to hear anything constructive come from that side of the House.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: Over time, the health board system proved itself. I grew up in the Midland Health Board area and have lived for the last 25 years in the North Western Health Board area. I take my hat off to pay tribute to those who have worked in the North Western Health Board, particularly the chief executive officer, Mr. Pat Harvey and his predecessors. I pay tribute to the staff of the board and board...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Second Stage. (10 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: It will lead to better value for taxpayers. Opposition Members may be a little slow but we can give them a little shake to wake them up earlier. The Bill will result in a better working environment for health service employees, who have given us diligent service, which they deserve. The level of information that will come about when the legislation is enacted will be excellent and better than...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: Having listened to what has been said, it is like a case of déjÀ vu. We had a debate on the arguments for and against a rights-based approach in the Disability Bill. At that time the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, said the same as what the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, said about this Bill, namely, that much of the money would be taken up in the...

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: I am glad to hear voices in support of it in its broad sense. I will deal with what the Senator said. Every time I stand in this House I say the same thing to members of Fine Gael. If they are talking about reform and knocking the reform proposed by the Government side, they should kindly bring forward something that is worth our consideration.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: The Senator's party does not do that. The Senator has jumped on the bandwagon of what Senator O'Meara suggested.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: We have had all of that discussion again. If the Senator has something constructive——

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: ——to bring to us, let us hear it, but so he has never brought anything constructive to us.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: The Senator can talk about reform, sneer and laugh and we can joke and leave here and still be the best of friends. However, if there is something constructive to put forward, let us hear it because to date we have not.

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: When I found no reference in the Bill to undergraduates, I was flummoxed. Is this related to the area of competence assurance for the professions, as the Department is now talking about funding this?

Seanad: Health Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Dec 2004)

Geraldine Feeney: Will the facility we are discussing deal with protected time for junior doctors and consultants, or teaching hours? Will it cover protected study time for junior doctors? Many of the problems arise because young doctors do not have protected time for study purposes. When they are meant to be studying they are equipped with a bleeper which could go off at any time summoning young doctors back...