Results 4,781-4,800 of 21,440 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Written Answers — Department of Health: Speech and Language Therapy (25 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 559. To ask the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a Health Service Executive recommendation of speech and language therapy for a young child (details supplied) in Dublin 7 will not be implemented for at least one year due to a waiting list for such therapy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30172/13]

Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 31. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views regarding the decision of the EU not to renew the arms embargo on Syria; and if he will encourage his European counterparts not to send weapons to any side in the conflict. [30758/13]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Human Rights Issues (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: 14. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the high rates of gender based violence in Sierra Leone; the specific projects and programmes Irish Aid are implementing and supporting, to assist the survivors of gender based violence and tackle this pervasive human rights abuse, in Irish Aid’s newest Key Partner Country. [30764/13]

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 14: In page 3, line 34, after “Government” to insert “, to include all cabinet members,”.The Minister will recall that the most recent budget was the subject of considerable criticism from Government ranks. I have in mind specific criticism made by the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, who expressed the view that Ministers...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The concept of collective Cabinet responsibility, which I fully understand, is not at issue here, nor is the status of the decisions taken at Cabinet. The issue is the process by which decisions are arrived at. As the Minister is aware, some of his Cabinet colleagues have been publicly critical of this process. I cited statements made by the Ministers for Social Protection and Agriculture,...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Joan Burton, was very clear. She accused the four members of the Economic Management Council of excluding big spending Government Departments from key budgetary discussions. She made this statement on the record, not in a hushed tone or in private, and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, expressed a similar concern....

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 15: In page 4, line 5, after “year” to insert the following: “with due regard for equality and human rights obligations”.The Minister will recall that the programme for Government includes the following commitment: "We will require all public bodies to take due note of equality and human rights in carrying out their functions". I support this...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I take issue with the Minister's statement to the effect that equality and human rights obligations are somehow subjective. I do not believe that to be the case.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The human rights standards which apply in this State are largely, thought not exclusively, internationally underwritten and well understood and defined. I accept that they may, however, be honoured more in the breach in this jurisdiction. There is nothing subjective in respect of these issues. The difficulty which has arisen in respect of any number of budgetary decisions is that they...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not accept that. It is not good enough to refer to a prism of which equality is one of the facets and then state that this will not be underwritten in the legislative framework relating to making the type of decisions to which the Minister refers. This makes a nonsense of the commitment in the programme for Government to take due note of equality and human rights. These are the...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 16: In page 4, lines 21 and 22, to delete "as soon as may be" and substitute "immediately".These amendments are quite straightforward. They are designed to ensure that there will not be a space within the legislation which might give rise to an undue delay or time lag in respect of the reporting of key budgetary decisions. I think once a decision is made, people...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Whatever the standard language, this is a new piece of legislation and a new framework signalling a new way of doing things. The word, "immediately" gives a sense of urgency which, the phrase, "as soon as may be", frankly lacks.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 17: In page 4, line 26, after “Government” to insert “, to include all cabinet members,”.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 18: In page 4, line 32, after “concerned” to insert the following:“with due regard for equality and human rights obligations”.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 19: In page 4, line 40, after “concerned” to insert the following:“with due regard for equality and human rights obligations”.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 20: In page 4, line 43, to delete “as soon as may be” and substitute “immediately”.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 21: In page 5, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “(c) equality and human rights obligations.”.”.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: Why is this amendment being made in this Bill? It is an amendment to the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2012 which was the responsibility of the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan. It is strange to introduce this amendment in this Bill. If the Minister, Deputy Michael Noonan, is minded to alter section 8 of that legislation, he should do so. Second, on the particulars of the change...

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: The wording that the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council shall endorse is presumptive. It makes a presumption of endorsement. The provision continues, "as it considers appropriate". It would be more accurate to state "shall endorse or not, as it considers appropriate". It is better language and would be much clearer.

Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform: Select Sub-Committee on Public Expenditure and Reform: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Mary Lou McDonald: You are the Minister.