Results 4,901-4,920 of 5,852 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Vere Foster, who was a great educationalist and the first president of the INTO, said, "A nation's greatness depends on the education of its people". Never a truer word was said. While all of us who have done a leaving certificate exam and gone through different stages in life can acknowledge that the exam is a mere drop in the ocean compared with what students go on to learn in their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is always very refreshing to hear the voice of young people so I welcome Ms Neville and Ms Austick in particular. The USI submission referred to the need to establish and develop alternative pathways to education. We have engaged with Cork Life Centre at this committee. I am picking up on the INTO's point that no career guidance is given to students in special schools, which is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The ISSU's submission referred to the need to reform the leaving certificate curriculum to promote Irish as a living language. My colleague, Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan, has spoken about that at length. I ask Ms Neville to expand on this further and outline the type of teaching she thinks students would require to keep and maintain an interest in the Irish language and culture.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Cathaoirleach for affording me the opportunity to speak on the streetscape enhancement scheme in the Chamber. I thank the Minister of State for his attendance. I was pleased to see in September that Kildare County Council had been successful in securing funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development through the 2021 streetscape enhancement measure. I was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the extension. I noticed a press release an hour before I came in here announcing its granting. It is welcome, but the constant changing of the goalposts is not acceptable. My concern is that there were seven applicants from four vibrant areas. There should have been many more, and several people to whom I spoke did not submit an application because they knew that they would not...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by my colleague, Senator Chambers. Today, as we gather here, for the second day a dig is taking place on the Kildare-Wicklow border. All our thoughts and prayers are with the Jacob family in the hope that they will find some type of resolution to what happened. Their beautiful daughter Deirdre disappeared when she was 18. If she was alive, she...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is a year since I had a Commencement matter on this topic. Part of the problem is that there was a different Minister from a different Department. That cuts to the heart of this issue, namely, that it cuts across too many Departments and one person is not taking charge of the industry and what needs to be done. I met Kieran Dunne and Larry Doran from County Kildare Growers and was...

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I commend Senator Currie on tabling this motion. I am pleased to be a co-signatory, along with all my party colleagues. While I welcome this debate, it is sad that we must have it. We were all shocked on 14 July when we saw the proposals published by the British Government for a statute of limitations, which would effectively end criminal investigations and prosecutions in the case of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined. Today is international e-waste day, the purpose of which is to raise awareness and to call on households and businesses to get behind efforts in recycling waste electrical products. I was shocked to learn this morning that we had 60 million electrical devices in Ireland in 2020. That includes all household devices, phones and all types of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is absolutely the great county of Kildare. I am glad the Acting Chairman said that. I welcome the Minister of State, and I hope he will take on board the comments and points I will make. I certainly welcome any answers he has. "Water is the lifeblood of our bodies, our economy, our nation and our well-being." That is a quote from Mr. Stephen Johnson, a former head of the American...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that it has been acknowledged that there were clear communication failures in what happened with the Ballymore Eustace and Gorey supplies. We have to ensure that does not happen again. I appreciate the plants are now stable and operating normally, are producing clean and wholesome water and the refresher training has been put in place for all staff. That is very important....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil party, I join the Cathaoirleach in sending sympathies to the family and, indeed, to the Westminster family of Sir David Amess. He was a very fine and distinguished parliamentarian. I also send condolences to the families of Máire Mhac An tSaoi and Brendan Kennelly, At a time when coarse language is something that is used all too often, we had two...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I accept that but sentencing should reflect the crime. We have to take into account the impact on children. I raise also the issue of derelict sites. I have become aware of a number of derelict sites within my town of Newbridge and around south County Kildare that are owned by investment funds. They are a blight on the estates on which they are situated. Dumping is going on and young...

Seanad: Sláintecare Implementation: Statements (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome this opportunity to discuss the Sláintecare plan. I thank the Minister for his time. One of the first things he did in his opening remarks was to talk about our incredible healthcare workers doing extraordinary work every day. We can never forget that. We have seen that day in and day out over the last 18 months and we must never lose an opportunity to pay tribute to all...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Today is World Osteoporosis Day. We must encourage people, particularly women, to make bone health a priority. A recent survey carried out by GPs found that 92% of those who suffer from osteoporosis were surprised with their diagnosis, and that the diagnosis came only after a fracture. Therefore, it is important that people, particularly women over 65, take the opportunity to have a DEXA...

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motion (20 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: To clarify, only spokespersons are allowed to contribute. I acknowledge that Senator Paddy Burke is in the Chamber and wished to speak but only one speaker is allowed per grouping. I thank Members for their contributions.

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

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. Before today's Order of Business we received news that the restrictions in regard to partners attending maternity appointments and labour will be lifted from 1 November within the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. every day. This is welcome news. We all acknowledge that babies are born between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. At the same...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Aligning Disability Services with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (21 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I confirm that I am in the Leinster House complex. I thank Mr. O'Reilly and Ms Kenny for their very powerful testimonies here this morning and for their written submissions. It is compelling and, to a certain extent, heartbreaking to listen to both of them describe what they have gone through and the barriers they face. I have had previous engagement with Ms Kenny, particularly around...