Results 341-360 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman Special Reports: Discussion with Ombudsman (6 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: The proposal was put to the Department and there was literally no response.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman Special Reports: Discussion with Ombudsman (6 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Was that last year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman Special Reports: Discussion with Ombudsman (6 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: My recommendation is precisely the same. We are asking the Minister to deal with the illegality of the approach rather than the specific detail of the report entitled Who Cares? An Investigation into the Right to Nursing Home Care in Ireland. This in fact should be raised on a different day. I would hate to try to deal with both of these issues at the same time because we will not get...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Ombudsman Special Reports: Discussion with Ombudsman (6 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: The clarity needs to come from this committee. When we make our request to the Minister, we should make it clear that the issue of illegality should not be obfuscated with the details of the motorised transport scheme. That is my fear, however. We could talk all day about the motorised transport scheme without getting to the issue we need to raise with the Minister. According to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: In the middle of this very difficult debate it was good to be in a room last night surrounded by entrepreneurs, people who are battling the elements and doing their bit to create jobs. I cite a man named Michael Murphy, who now lives in Moville but has travelled the world. He was originally a dairy and food scientist before setting up a company called Moolicious Foods. Forgive me stating...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: It will be difficult to follow that one. Senator MacSharry and his colleagues may have forgotten how difficult it is to be in Government and to try to govern responsibly, or perhaps they never knew. The Labour Party is one third of the Government and not the whole Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: The balance of power is exactly that. In the budget, the Government has managed to reduce the cuts in social protection by ¤150 million, not an insubstantial sum, and by another ¤150 million in the health budget. What has happened is exceptionally difficult but that achievement is worth noting.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: We are sick and tired of being called the Government when we are one third of it but are working, in fact, as 50% of the Government. I add my voice to those calling for a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. I pay tribute to his wife, Geraldine, for the dignity and fortitude she has shown over 23 years. She is still fighting the fight. She understands that the only way is to...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Senator Leyden is wasted here.

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (13 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Alex White to the House. I commend the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission and the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas services for the work they have done. It is always incredibly difficult to be doing the same or more with less and it is good to see this is happening. As Senator MacSharry has said, such is the growing cynicism about politics...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: On behalf of the Labour Party group, I would like to express our condolences on the enormous tragedy in the United States last week, on the deaths of 20 small children and of the teachers who tried to protect them. I am sure we would all like to express our sorrow and I ask the Leader, on behalf of the Seanad, to write and express this on our behalf. I agree with Senator O'Brien. I am glad...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: That is disgraceful.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: How could Senator Mullen link the death of children in Connecticut with this debate?

Seanad: Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank the Minister for attending. Like others, I welcome the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill. It is not often we welcome a measure that could increase prices, at least for people like me, but I understand most of the price increases affecting women will affect younger women. Once one is over the age of 40 or 45 years - sadly, I am in this age bracket ? the price difference becomes much less...

Seanad: Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Better.

Seanad: Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Interesting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Ladies do not do bi-location.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: May I add to the recommendations?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: We could perhaps write to the petitioner to ask him for the response he has undoubtedly received from the Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence because he has already made an application for this to the Minister and obviously has a problem, which is why he has come to us. It might better inform our letter and the way that we advocate our recommendations.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (19 Dec 2012)

Susan O'Keeffe: Yes. In that way, when we write to the Minister, we could articulate and take into account what was said. Otherwise we would be wasting the Minister's time.