Results 341-360 of 787 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to raise commitments in the realm of justice that were promised under the programme for Government. Last week, I raised the issue of violent muggings and burglaries on the streets of Dublin. We also learned last week of the horrendous rapes of three college students in Cork, of how they had not reported the incidents to their colleges or to the Garda and of the fact that two of them...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to praise the demonstrators who protested outside Leinster House yesterday as part of the Raise the Roof campaign. I hope the Government and the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, will take heed and acknowledge the seriousness of our housing crisis. I do not think I have ever seen such a large group outside Leinster House. There are 10,000...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I convey my personal sympathies and those of the Fianna Fáil group to the family of the late Emma Mhic Mhathúna. I commend her bravery and strength in recent months. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a h-anam dílis. We have all come from either the Lower House or we were watching the budget on the monitors in our offices. One of the cornerstones of the confidence and supply...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: In the context of Brexit, we all know how important it is for small businesses to have access to high-speed broadband. Anyone running a small business knows that if the broadband service is down, one may as well go home because no work can be done. However, there are many companies, particularly in rural Ireland, that do not have access to high-speed broadband.They lack a competitive edge...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I am very disappointed for the 500,000 homes and businesses across Ireland who will not be in receipt of high-speed broadband. It was indicated over the weekend that the Minister was pausing the roll-out of broadband. He said it was being done on the basis that there will be an audit of the process to date. It is as clear as night follows day that the process is flawed. The Government...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I apologise.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I did not mention any names.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: No names were mentioned. Third, I congratulate St. James's Hospital, the largest acute hospital in the country, which has gone digital. I believe that going digital will enhance patient safety, decrease waiting times and ultimately create efficiencies within the hospital. All hospitals nationwide must strive to go digital in order that we have overall efficiencies in our health service.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I want to bring to the attention of the House the fact that immigrants from outside the EU who are seeking to renew their visas or obtain re-entry visas are suffering and being exploited due to the security levels relating to the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service, INIS, website. The INIS website was hacked by a bot that has taken up all the slots for appointments for re-entry or...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: A malware bot. It is a program that is able to pre-book all the slots.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: The security on the INIS website is low level. It has been reviewed by security academics. A website usually asks one to confirm that one is not a robot by asking how many cars are in a picture. The INIS website does not have any of these security provisions so a bot has been able to go in, buy up the slots and sell them on Facebook for €25 to €30. This is unfair and...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: A recent report by Care Alliance Ireland states nearly 6,100 people nationwide are awaiting home helps. It outlines that it is more difficult to access a home help today than it was ten years ago. Care Alliance Ireland also indicates that there seems to be a disparity between areas within the country and describes a "postcode lottery", whereby people seeking a home help in some areas will...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: We learnt today that, unfortunately, two more schools have closed and up to 1,200 children are affected. The schools are the Educate Together in Tyrrelstown and St. Luke's national school in Mulhuddart. Parents have been told anecdotally that the schools should be open after Christmas. Other parents have been advised, however, that if their child is to attend school next September, they...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (24 Oct 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I will split my time with Senator Leyden who served with the late former Senator Maurice Hayes. I welcome the Hayes family to the Chamber. I convey my condolences and those of the Fianna Fáil group to them on the passing of their father, grandfather and husband. We are here to pay tribute to him and his distinguished career. I did not know him, but after my research, I am struck by...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: During last week's recess, a serious issue arose in the Department of Employment Affairs Social Protection as a result of which those who were meant to be in receipt of illness benefit either did not receive it at all or only received partial payments. The Minister updated the country on the "News at One" and stated it was a technical issue related to a transitional arrangement while the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Yes. That is over the past year. I apologise and correct the record. More than 10,000 people aged over 75 have had to wait more than 24 hours on hospital trolleys. We know the cold is coming; it comes every year. The number of people in need of emergency department services increases during cold spells but an emergency department winter plan does not seem to be in place.One was expected...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I want to speak about Drimnagh in the context of the housing crisis and planning and development in our capital city. Drimnagh lies between Crumlin, Inchicore and the Grand Canal and has a population of approximately 12,000. Ten years ago, Dublin City Council highlighted the need to ensure the proper development of amenities in this part of the city and to ensure that potential development...

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill was introduced as a Private Members' Bill by the Social Democrats in April 2017 and has passed all Stages in the Dáil. We are taking the opportunity to bring this Bill to the Seanad in our Private Members' time with cross-party and Independent support and hope it will continue through this House in the Private Members' time...

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I wish to note that the early childhood care and education, ECCE, scheme was introduced by Fianna Fáil and we welcome the extra funding. However, we have heard anecdotal stories about owners of crèches feeling that they are not being supported properly and find it difficult to retain and recruit staff, which has a knock-on effect...

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (7 Nov 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Next Tuesday.