Results 481-500 of 1,214 for speaker:Ann Ormonde

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2006: Second Stage. (8 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, and compliment the Government and the Minister, Deputy Cullen, on bringing forward these new measures. As one who constantly drives up and down the country I welcome the fact that speed cameras will be put in place. I also welcome the prohibition on the use of mobile phones, particularly by truck drivers. While on the mobile phone they do so...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Government decision in respect of significant funding for research and development. It will be a great boost for education and training and the business world. For too long we have been in a vacuum in establishing links. This is a golden opportunity to open up all the institutes and to enable third level students to move on to postgraduate research and development. It is a great...

Seanad: European Communities (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State and I also endorse this Bill's subject matter, the provision for the accession of the republics of Romania and Bulgaria. This will give effect to an enlargement that must be completed by December 2006. Last week, I visited Lithuania and Latvia as a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on European Affairs and witnessed their transformation from a commitment...

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State whom I have heard speak eloquently on this subject many times. She has a great understanding of the problems that exist in this area and how we must tackle them. I support her observation that education is a lifelong process and one from which we should all benefit on a daily basis. I look forward to working with her on this and any other issues she may decide...

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I could talk for Ireland on this subject.

Seanad: Adult and Further Education: Statements. (21 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: If career guidance teachers are available in every VEC area, they can tap into the locality where problems exist. VEC colleges provide a ready made network, as do FÁS offices. Duplication in the provision of some courses must be examined because money is being wasted. VEC committees should not run two courses in the same area on, for example, engineering. This is not solely an issue for the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Jun 2006)

Ann Ormonde: On the relationship between alcohol and drugs, I take the point of Senator Fitzgerald that a holistic approach is needed. I am strongly of the view that there is a significant role for parents which is being neglected at present. There are various relevant groups such as community groups, local authority fora in which the local police are involved, residents' associations and public...

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I support the call by Senator Brian Hayes for a debate on the banking industry's issuing of credit cards. It is a well known fact that the information provided is not transparent. There is a great deal of room for more clarity concerning how credit cards are issued. I call on the banks to provide more education and knowledge about one's possible credit limit in any given situation. The...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: Yes.

Seanad: Institutes of Technology Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I also welcome the Minister to the House and acknowledge her interest and feel for this subject. The Institutes of Technology Bill 2006 is one of the most important pieces of education legislation to be brought before the House in recent times. It is a timely, forward-looking and progressive Bill. It reflects and recognises the environment in which higher education organisations are required...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I would like to share my time with Senator Mansergh.

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Tim O'Malley, to the House. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak on this legislation. I read many of the speeches which were made in the Lower House. I have also read the Bill and the submissions which were made available by the Irish Haemophilia Society. I have listened to the families of those who were infected by the contaminated blood...

Seanad: Hepatitis C Compensation Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Ann Ormonde: The Tánaiste and the Government should be congratulated for introducing this badly needed legislation. The Tánaiste has said that everyone who receives a compensation award at the tribunal under the existing legislation will receive a special health card and will automatically qualify for insurance cover. Two other components of support, the compensation scheme and the special health card,...

Seanad: Telecommunications Services: Motion (27 Sep 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State. Broadband is important and, as Senators all agree, must be available to every business, household and school. I support the amendment because the Government has acknowledged it must accelerate growth in broadband availability. The perception is that broadband availability is focused in cities and towns with rural and remote communities required to wait...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (11 Oct 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I wish the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the British Prime Minister, Mr. Blair, every success in the talks towards securing a permanent settlement in the North of Ireland. There is no doubt that it will be a great day for Ireland and our Government if that can be achieved. It would be a golden opportunity if, on the Taoiseach's return, and presuming he can find time in his work schedule, he...

Seanad: Energy Resources: Motion (11 Oct 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State to the House for this debate and congratulate him and his Department on this impressive, wide-ranging Green Paper on energy. This is an issue that has many different facets and has serious implications for the future of the country and the economy. Energy policy strikes at the heart of practically every activity undertaken in the State. It has implications...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I would like to see an overhaul of the processing of, and the assessment for, third level grants. If such an overhaul took place, it might overcome the problem with the interest on special savings investment accounts. Perhaps that is an area we might examine. I support Senator Brian Hayes's call for a debate on the register of electors. I would like the Minister for the Environment,...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2006)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to read into the record of the House the Government's achievements to date before I express my own views. One third of Ireland's houses have been built in the past decade. House completions are at the highest level in Europe, with 20 units per 1,000 of population. This is well over five times the rate of our nearest neighbour, the...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2006)

Ann Ormonde: A fair point.