Results 441-460 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I am happy to give two minutes to Senator Feargal Quinn.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I thank the Minister of State for his presentation. We in Fine Gael are delighted to be able to support the work of the commission and the extension of time required to complete the report. This episode of child abuse, which went on for years in the 20th century in our country, is regrettable. It went on in our institutions and involved people in positions of authority. My concern is that...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ——and be aware of the lack of staffing at Health Service Executive level to follow up on the problems. Last week, in another debate involving the Minister of State, Deputy Barry Andrews, I stated that 50 cases of neglect were reported by gardaí to the HSE West. The social worker there told me she did not have anybody to open those files. Her words to me were, "Children are suffering....

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ——to all teachers in all schools, not just the deputy liaison person, and in the colleges of education because the rollout is patchy at best. To that degree the Department of Education and Science and this Government are failing the children of the 21st century.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I look forward to a commitment in that regard.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: All maternity leave should be covered, end of story.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Let us not get away on this one.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I thank the Minister. Everyone is of one mind here in that our overall aim is to protect the children of today and those of the future. I am pleased to hear that the interdepartmental group is considering the proposal to make the Children First guidelines mandatory. Does the Minister of State plan a full roll-out, as he promised at the outset, of the Children First guidelines for all...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Is a full roll-out of the Children First guidelines planned for all teachers and not just the liaison persons, as promised at the outset by the Government?

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000: Statements (28 May 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: It will work for the Green Party.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Notwithstanding what Senator Ross stated, it is my observation that members of the public are fed up of and cynical about our being obliged to put referenda to them on a second occasion. If there is one lesson we need to learn it is that the Government must get matters right on the first occasion. On many occasions prior to the referendum, I reported to the House the findings of a survey I...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Yes, I apologise. However, I ask the Leas-Chathaoirleach to bear with me. The boy in question included on the note a drawing of the Taoiseach stating "Vote yes right now!" and of those on the "No" side stating "How the Lisbon treaty worksis . . . ". The children to whom I spoke were incredibly engaged by the treaty and they basically stated that those on the "Yes" side did not explain the...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I also discovered among the young people to whom I refer a major concern regarding conscription into an EU army.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I understand that. However, people's genuine concerns were not addressed. We must learn from this——

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: ——if we are to move forward. The Leas-Chathaoirleach will be delighted to hear that I do not wish to get lost in Lisbon.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I call on the Minister for Finance to urgently consider ways to reduce the cost of doing business in this country. In that context, I refer, in particular, to the rising price of diesel and how this is impacting on business. I call on the Green Party to consider this matter. We must examine ways to reduce the excise duty on diesel in order that we might get the country moving again. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jun 2008)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Leader should communicate the message to the Minister for Finance that we must urgently examine matters relating to the cost of doing business, particularly in the context of reducing the excise duty charged on diesel.