Results 4,721-4,740 of 5,845 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It strikes me the Minister will have a very busy time when the 5 km restrictions are lifted in visiting all the wonderful places right around Ireland. Within two hours she has had the opportunity to go the length and breadth of our beautiful country. I have no doubt she will get a wonderful welcome wherever she goes.

Seanad: Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I apologise for cutting the Minister off, but to be fair to the cleaners we must take a break to allow the next session to start at 3.45 p.m.

Seanad: Covid-19 (Tourism): Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: National Development Plan: Statements (22 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The Minister is very welcome. We appreciate his taking the time to come and discuss with us the review of the national development plan. It is good that the Minister is looking to the future to ensure we are sufficiently prepared for transition to a post-Covid-19 world. That is certainly something we are all looking forward to. In his few words at the start, the Minister emphasised that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Citizenship Applications (26 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the Minister to the House. I really appreciate that she is here to discuss the important issue of the fast-tracking of citizenship for non-national healthcare workers. It is an issue that I have raised in the House before. As we know, migrants currently make up 26% of essential workers in Ireland. Our hospitals have been very active in seeking work permits for non-EU staff since...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Citizenship Applications (26 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister for her work on the White Paper, which is very welcome. I impress on her and the Department the need to prioritise these essential healthcare workers, both those who are immigrants and those who are asylum seekers. We are not talking about many people. Asylum seekers represent a maximum of 800 people. These workers make a significant difference to the everyday lives...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. The first issue I wish to raise, which I have no doubt it is uppermost in the minds of all Senators, is the awful situation that began to unfold yesterday, culminating in an "RTÉ Investigates" programme broadcast yesterday evening from which we learned that various elements of Departments gathered and shared information relating...

Seanad: Residential Tenancies Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, for being present. The Bill is welcome. Unfortunately, due to Covid, it is the fourth time that we have had to introduce legislation to protect tenants. It has been necessary to extend the period of emergency rental protections and to strengthen the supports provided to tenants at risk of eviction. That gives comfort to tenants. I know...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Senator Garvey for chairing this debate. I regret that she has been subjected to rudeness by some Senators.Easter is a time of renewal, new life and hope, so it is appropriate that we use our final sitting day before Easter to talk about our line of hope, the vaccination programme. The Minister is, as always, very welcome to the House. I take this opportunity to commend him and his...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is not-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Special Needs Education: Discussion (13 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Mannion and all her colleagues. I acknowledge all the work that has been done and the significant investment that has been made in special needs, and rightly so. I share Senator O'Reilly's concern about the EPSEN Act. That 17 years have elapsed since its passage and that some issues may have changed certainly do not lessen its whole principle. What was considered very important...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (19 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for being in the House to take this very important Commencement debate on the fair deal scheme, which is a good scheme when it works but for farm families and the families of small business owners the system is anything but fair. I welcome the support the Minister of State has given on ensuring that elderly people can stay at home and access extra home care...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (19 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is a great start to the week to hear that really welcome news. Senator Chambers and I can attest to the work and focus the Minister of State put into this when she was part of the Opposition. I am really delighted to see she has prioritised it. It is really important that this is imminent. It will make the scheme fair and equitable for everybody, which is all we want. It is much...

Seanad: Water Quality: Motion (19 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It was W.H. Auden who said, "Thousands have lived without love, not one without water." I am not suggesting that any of us should live without some love in our lives but we certainly would not live without having access to water. I commend my colleagues from the Green Party, namely, Senators Garvey and Martin, on bringing this motion before the House today. It is very important and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Business of Joint Committee (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Today's public meeting is being held virtually through Microsoft Teams. Apologies have been received from the Chairman, Deputy Paul Kehoe, who cannot be here because of a family bereavement. Senator Rónán Mullen will view the meeting from outside the precincts of Leinster House. I remind members to ensure their mobile phones are switched off for the duration of the meeting as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The next part of our meeting is with AsIAm, Down Syndrome Ireland, Inclusion Ireland and the Ombudsman for Children, Mr. Niall Muldoon. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Mr. Adam Harris, CEO of AsIAm, and Ms Nicola Hart, head of member services of Down Syndrome Ireland. From Inclusion Ireland, I welcome Ms Lorraine Dempsey, interim CEO, and Ms Margaret Turley, both of whom have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that, as you said, Mr. Harris, three minutes is a short time in which to cover such a wide topic, but you have done extremely well. I now turn to Ms Nicola Hart, who is head of member services with Down Syndrome Ireland. Ms Hart, the floor is yours.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Thank you, Ms Hart. I now move to Inclusion Ireland, on behalf of which Ms Turley will speak. She is joined by Ms Lorraine Dempsey. I congratulate Ms Dempsey on being appointed interim CEO of Inclusion Ireland. She gave many presentations to the previous committee on the perspective of a parent of a child with special needs. She was an inspired choice. I wish her well, and we look...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Dr. Muldoon correctly mentioned a number of matters we will get to but in today's meeting we will just deal with the EPSEN Act. Members have six minutes within which to pose their questions and receive an answer. If members wish to put a question to a particular witness, please do so, but they can also put general questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That point is well made.