Results 4,141-4,160 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Treatment Abroad Scheme (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I would appreciate it if the Minister of State could look at amending the rules as he suggested. We are not talking about more money. If the Minister of State could make a representation on that basis, I can given him the case-----

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Treatment Abroad Scheme (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I appreciate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the panel. I concur with Deputy Jim Daly's point on the lack of ambition in the Gateway programme. Let me illustrate the point. Around ten days ago, an employer in the engineering manufacturing business, an exporting company - which we know is our big hope as it can improve our GDP - told me he cannot get people to work for him on 1.5 times the minimum wage, which is over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: They are leaving. It is a brain drain. Job activation must become far more aggressive. It is not working enough. I am of the view that all we are doing is tinkering at the edges. What must be done is that the witnesses must promote the schemes to employers outlining what social protection benefits applicants can still avail of - for example, rent allowance, medical cards and so on -...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Can Ms Faughnan repeat that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Ms Faughnan is giving me wonderful information. She must be rather disappointed, therefore, that it is not filtering down. That is the feedback I got from a recent employer. There are many anecdotal accounts but I have a specific account in mind. It indicates that none of this knowledge is filtering down.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Yes, this is an employer. Equally, employees are also giving feedback to the employer suggesting that if they take a given job at €12 odd per hour they will lose their benefits and they know about the transition re-arrangements. There is work to be done around communication. I like the proposal about a better-off-at-work calculator, but can Ms Faughnan bring it to the Minister? It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is that on the Gateway scheme?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Job Creation and Mortgage Support Schemes: Discussion with Department of Social Protection (2 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The work is valid, there is no doubt about that, but is the Department satisfied with those take-up rates?

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Much has been said about the referendum tomorrow and I find that the public is still confused. As I am sure are all the other Members, I still am being asked by people how they should vote. I believe it comes down to a single fairly simple message, which is vote "No" for the citizen and vote "Yes" if one wishes to put power into the hands of fewer people. This is what it is about for me....

Seanad: An Appreciation of the Life and Work of Seamus Heaney: Statements (3 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Marie, distinguished poets and guests, I am deeply honoured to have a few moments to say just a few things. I am honoured also to be among my colleagues and to have heard what everyone has contributed so far. I am sorry I forgot to mention the Minister. I always considered Seamus Heaney to be a man of great courage. He dared to be different. That he came out of his background and yet had...

Seanad: An Appreciation of the Life and Work of Seamus Heaney: Statements (3 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: All those bogland neighbours in Galway. Absolutely. I consider myself very fortunate to have been a student of Seamus Heaney. I attended Carysfort College in the early 1980s. As a 19 year old he supervised, probably, my second teaching practice. Somehow I knew there was a bit of greatness about him because a good friend attended his English lectures. She used to speak to me about his...

Seanad: An Appreciation of the Life and Work of Seamus Heaney: Statements (3 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The reason I had chosen it is that so many children studied it and so many of us looked forward to the mid-term break. The images he imbedded in that poetry are many. I remember when my grandfather died it was during a mid term break. I heard neighbours saying, "Sorry for your troubles", and whispering to strangers all around, "That is the eldest, away at school". That is exactly what I...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Friday's achievement was that it put an end to a growing period of heedlessness in this country. Despite what we might think of ourselves and our power, it took the Irish people to do that. We could not represent the Irish people and be listened to during the past summer in this House. However, the vote we received on Friday is not for back to normal, but to go forward.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: We have been given a clear signal by the Irish people that we have a responsibility to reform both this House and the other House, so both can work effectively to quickly meet the needs and issues facing Irish people. I agree with reflection. Will the Leader bring motion No. 8 on the Order Paper, tabled by myself and Senator Bradford, to the attention of the Taoiseach so it could also form...

Seanad: Political Reform: Statements (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I thank the Leader for giving us time to discuss this very important issue. We must start by asking what is political reform. It is about changing the way we do politics, the way we manage to represent and integrate the people and solve the problems they are bringing to us which are real issues in society. We received a mandate at the weekend to do this. We can be sure of one thing: if...

Seanad: Political Reform: Statements (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Political Reform: Statements (8 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It was brilliant.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Perhaps the following has been raised, but if it has not it needs to be. The Rape Crisis Network published a report this morning about the age of perpetrators abusing children and young teenagers. We have known for some time that abuse is likely to be within families but the average age of perpetrators is 26, much younger than we thought. In some cases the abuse is by child perpetrators on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: The Role of Special Needs Assistants: Discussion (9 Oct 2013)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I welcome the panel. I get a little frustrated with the role of SNAs. A large amount of resources have rightly been put into special educational needs. However, we must work together to find the best way to achieve the best outcomes for children with special educational needs. We must make that our sole purpose and ensure that the children get a level playing field. The assistance can...