Results 421-440 of 1,208 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Seanad: Sláintecare Implementation: Statements (19 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to speak about Sláintecare. It is a most important initiative, and one that has been talked about for a long time. We all support the concept of universal healthcare being provided to people based on their medical need and not just on their ability to pay for that medical care. For our party, it is intrinsic and a priority. We...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Monuments (20 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to take this Commencement matter. I am looking for an update on when works will commence on the 1916 commemorative centre in Moore Street and on the regeneration of the street market. The Minister of State knows that Moore Street is at the heart of our capital city. It is a street where there has been market and street trading for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Monuments (20 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State. I am really concerned. I have no doubt that the Ministers of State, Deputies Burke and Noonan, and the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, understand the value of Moore Street. They are committed to a sense of regeneration and commemoration of our history on Moore Street and the rejuvenation of the street market. I have grave concerns that despite the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (20 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House for the second time today. We will be charging him rent next. I commend Senator Moynihan and the Labour Party and I support their Bill, which is very welcome. It deals with one aspect of the student housing crisis but it is an important one. The proposal in the Bill to restrict the possibility of changing purpose-built student...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I urge the Leader to contact the Minister for Finance before he publishes the finance Bill and ask him to extend, in budget 2022, the provision that exists for commercial residential landlords to claim tax relief to address fire defects in apartments to owner-occupiers and social landlords. This is an issue that has been aired on many occasions.The Minister for Housing, Local Government and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I commend Irish Families Through Surrogacy, members of which were outside Leinster House today to raise awareness among Members of the Seanad and the Dáil in regard to their simple demand that the Government legislate in order that their children can be afforded the same rights as every other child in Ireland. It is not an extravagant demand; it is a very basic human request. England...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Members of the European Parliament (2 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I urge the Leas-Chathaoirleach to keep his finger on the buzzer for the other side of the House. My questions are really simple. I thank all of the MEPs for the work that they do on behalf of Dublin and for representing the voices of Dublin within the European context. There are three big issues: climate action, which has been spoken about; the energy crisis, which is really affecting...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Today is the day the Government will announce the climate action plan. It is often said that an ounce of action is worth a ton of talk. Today we must all recognise the time for talking is over. Today is a day we must all take action. Climate change is real. It is dangerous and it is taking place at an unprecedented rate. This is indisputable. It is a fact that none of us can escape or...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I do.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Student Accommodation (23 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, for coming to the House. I mean no disrespect to the Minister of State when I say I would have preferred the Minister, Deputy Harris, to be here. I appreciate the Minister of State's time. I understand that the Minister is at a Cabinet meeting. The issue I wish to raise is access to third level education and, most importantly, the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Student Accommodation (23 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I accept and welcome the innovations that the Government has made in enabling the TUs, the consideration of the affordable cost-rental model, the other innovations in the capping and limiting of the rents and upfront payments and the reduction of the notice periods. We have to go further, however, to fully ensure that any of the purpose-built...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Today is 23 November. It is almost exactly one month to Christmas. I know that we all want to look forward to Christmas but all of the media talk and speculation is about lockdowns, shutdowns and circuit breakers. It is three weeks since I contributed to the Order of Business because I was also hit with Covid-19. Everybody is very alert to the infection rates and we are all frightened....

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House for a second time today. We appreciate his time, as well as the effort that he and the Department have put into trying to tackle the crisis that is affecting far too many people who are renting their homes not just in Dublin, but all over Ireland. All Members know that rents have become unaffordable. It is for that reason that this new...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) (24 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Tomorrow.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I would like to express condolences and sympathies on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group to the families and individuals who lost their lives in the English Channel. It was a really tragic event and all our thoughts are with the individuals. We ask the acting Leader to write to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and our MEPs in Europe to emphasise again to them the desire of this House and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting students from Dominican College on Griffith Avenue. I had a great discussion with Dearbhla Lawlor and Toby Long. They are leaving certificate students and among the subjects they are studying are politics and society. As part of their leaving certificate course, they undertook a research project to identify and analyse the social and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: No country has been as affected by emigration over the decades and centuries-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Indeed, since 1800 more than 10 million Irish people have emigrated. I, therefore, welcome the decision that was taken by the Government to introduce a programme in January to regularise the undocumented migrants in this country. This is a welcome and important decision. It will give an opportunity to people who live in our communities or work in our shops, restaurants and care facilities,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: The decision is very welcome and must be championed by all Members.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Dec 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I commend everybody who campaigned for it so that is the Migrant Rights Council of Ireland, many NGOs and many individuals. It was a very brave decision to campaign for this because many of these people live in very vulnerable situations where if they get sick, they are frightened to ask for help or if they are victims of crime, they are reluctant to go to the Garda or any authority figure.I...