Results 481-500 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Business of Seanad (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: We will certainly have to hope that the execution of the legislation is better than its birth.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: This is the way the legislation has been handled in the Dáil as well as in this House, and it could have been handled in a better way. However, we now have no choice but to meet again at 2.30 a.m. to consider——

Seanad: Business of Seanad (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Will it even be 2.30 a.m.?

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: The State has guaranteed €400 billion.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Will the Senator confirm or deny it.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will share my time with Senator Phelan.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the Minister to the House. It has been made clear that Fine Gael supports this legislation. We believe it to be in the national interest. I caution, however, against the euphoria and self-congratulation which comes from some members of the other side of the House. This is by no means the end of the game but rather the beginning of an entirely new set of circumstances, the...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: We hope it will give the kind of confidence in the economy that will safeguard our banking sectors and jobs and create a new economic dynamic. As we have seen in recent months, there is now considerable uncertainty in the world economy and in world finance. That magic ingredient, confidence, is not always present when we have expected it to be. There is no absolute guarantee that this step...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Second Stage (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is the point.

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: There has clearly been much concern about the governance of banks about which many Members in the Dáil and Seanad have spoken. The purpose of this amendment is to ensure an outside person is appointed to the risk management committee and the main company board of each financial institution that receives financial support. The Minister may have seen the Fine Gael Public Appointments...

Seanad: Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Bill 2008: Committee Stage. (1 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the staff, particularly our own staff, and all the staff who work in Leinster House for their support this evening, which was essential. I thank the Minister for staying here with us all night and his officials for all the work they have put in. It is an historic occasion. It is the first time that all Stages of a Bill have been passed after midnight in this House, emphasising the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: We did our job last night and, as I said at the conclusion of the debate last night, this is not a time for self-congratulation from the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Minister described the Irish banks as orphans who had nowhere to turn except to the Irish State and Government — what a description of our banks — and that this was a firefighting exercise to deal with an emergency situation. The implication was that the situation had verged towards catastrophe. We have dealt with one aspect of our economy, but there are other underlying problems...

Seanad: Schools Refurbishment (2 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I raise the urgent need for the refurbishment of St. Brigid's national school in Palmerstown, Dublin 20. This school has commissioned a health and safety audit. Following a response from the Department of Education and Science, the Health and Safety Authority will visit the school on 9 October 2008. This is how serious the situation is. I do not know if this is unprecedented but it is...

Seanad: Schools Refurbishment (2 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I appreciate the fact the Minister of State will bring my concerns to the Minister. Why is there not transparency with regard to the building programme? Why do schools not know where they are on the list and in the timeframe?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would like to be associated with the remarks of the Leader in regard to the late Jack Tobin. Many members of the public watching the emerging debate on the banking and international financial sector and on the economy in recent days will have been struck by a number of factors. One is that, as I said in last week's debate, we are not at the end of the situation in regard to the banks; we...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would say the Senator has very little chance of that.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: Orders of Reference of Select Committee: Motion (7 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would support that.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: It would appear from what the Leader has said that we will not receive the scheme and regulations to underline the Credit Institutions (Financial Support) Act 2008 this week. Given the urgency with which the issue was dealt with last week in both Houses, many people on this side of the House will be very concerned that the scheme has not been completed by Government and that it is not being...