Results 501-520 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, and congratulate him on his appointment. Like many others, I believe he can bring about change in this arena. I welcome the visitors. Their presence makes a difference to us. It also makes a difference to the debate and I believe it will make a difference to the impact of the debate. I thank the visitors for being...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Disability Authority: Chairperson Designate (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Guinan for the presentation and I congratulate her and wish her the best. I am delighted to see that she has a background in education and experience at the coalface. In my family life, in the past year and a half, I have begun to deal with the issue of coping with disability and I can see very clearly how far we have to go on priorities in the strategic plan. Ms Guinan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: National Disability Authority: Chairperson Designate (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: How many people are working in the universal design centre?

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: In light of the unfolding controversy about the abortion guidelines published by the Department of Health last Friday as well as the HSE's report on Ms Y's case, made public by RTE's "Prime Time" last night, I have some questions for the Minister for Health. As responsible law makers no doubt we all have questions for the Minister for Health. It is imperative that we are provided with an...

Seanad: Access to Educational and Other Opportunities for People with Disabilities: Motion (24 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, and thank him for his comprehensive statement on the commitment of the Government and the extraordinary work of all the policymakers, civil servants and providers of services for people with disabilities. I commend Senator Moran on her introduction of this motion. It is an important debate. I welcome Mr. John Dolan, chief...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I have two questions for the Leader, one of which is related to the arts and the other to the Seanad. Since last Wednesday, as all Members are aware and as they just have been reminded by Senator Darragh O'Brien, there has been an ongoing public controversy about the disrespect - the Senator used the word "disrepute" - paid both to the arts and to the Seanad in light of John McNulty's...

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister of State for her attendance and comments. I will begin my support for Senator Mary Ann O'Brien's motion by addressing the issue of semantics. According to the Government's amendment to our motion, water fluoridation is not medicinal. I looked up definitions of "medicine". A fairly standard one is "a drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of...

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: Every human has the right to "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health", as articulated in the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which we have signed. To ensure the health and safety of its residents, the Government must re-evaluate its law and policy in light of the recent emerging evidence to which Senators Mary Ann O'Brien and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: In light of the fact that she needs to leave, does Senator Bacik wish to make a comment now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: It is wonderful to welcome Ms Logan. I thank her for attending. A collective "Yay" was uttered - most appropriately - when we heard about her appointment. She described the process relating to her appointment in her presentation, which was both independent and very different from those which obtained in the past. She also outlined her concern with regard to the Toland report and whether...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Logan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: My final question relates to something the Chairman stated earlier in respect of the committee's consideration of the possibility of including human rights within its remit, adding reference to the latter in its name and taking a specific role in this area. The Chairman has been extremely supportive and he and I met a number of commissioners designate during the earliest stages of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Logan for that response and I have one further comment. An argument could be made that when legislation comes before all the committees, they are already implicitly reviewing it from a human rights perspective and the question could be asked why we are making a big deal about this. An example would be when Ireland goes before a particular UN committee in terms of a convention,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: Gentlemen-----

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I have a question for the Deputy Leader in regard to the announcement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the revision of the model for ministerial appointments to State boards. As we are all aware, this revision was prompted by the questions raised by Members on both sides of Seanad Éireann about the lack of transparency in the past. According to his announcement, the...

Seanad: Budget 2015: Statements (14 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: People are tired of the daily discourse of austerity they have endured for the past seven years. They are angry and are protesting in their thousands and I do not believe this is merely about water charges. Ireland pursued a policy of massive social disinvestment during the austere period. During this time, Ireland knocked back the possibility of a good life for everyone, especially those...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospitals Inspections (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I am asking the Minister to outline the response of his Department to the report on the unannounced inspection of Tallaght hospital, which was published by the Health Information and Quality Authority, HIQA, last Thursday. The report summarised the results of two unannounced inspections of Tallaght hospital in July and August of this year. The findings were disturbing and raised serious...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospitals Inspections (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for his response. The Minister outlined how Tallaght hospital is responding to these reports and identified it as a good thing that these reports are being produced. It is helpful for the Minister to put on the public record the way in which the hospital is responding. This will offer support to the local community when they think about the hospital. The inspections do...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Hospitals Inspections (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: That is noted and well spoken. I thank the Minister for his leadership.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Members of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Motion (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for attending to address the joint committee on the motion. I echo the Chairman's comments on the process. The people the Minister is proposing to appoint are excellent choices and a great leader has been chosen as Chief Commissioner. We look forward to their being able to move forward in their planning process. I commend the fact that the Government had no role in...