Results 581-600 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Child Care Services: Statements (21 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: This pushes the disadvantaged into the poverty trap and encourages the black economy. There is no logic because there is a poverty trap for hard-working families trying to make ends meet. The State should not support a scheme that does that. The other aspects of the problem are that community child care providers experience a continuing decrease in direct funding. This makes it extremely...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yesterday, we saw an ungracious climbdown by the Government on the decision to withdraw medical cards from those aged over 70. Reflecting on the way the Government has handled this and the various U-turns it has made, what strikes me and what is most disturbing is the lack of ideology or guiding principles in the Government's decisions. No attempt has been made to protect the elderly, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: A discussion document.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is easier to means test the elderly than to means test the owners of the private jets.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: They can means test the elderly but they cannot means test the owners of the private jets.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: They can means test the elderly but they cannot means test the owners of the private jets.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: They cannot means test owners of private jets, apparently.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is outrageous.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Do not be ridiculous.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Not any more.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Balance sheet.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: That cannot be done because contracts were signed in respect of them.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yesterday, we saw people power at the gates of Leinster House, when tens of thousands of elderly people came to protest at the budget, as well as thousands of young people who also felt threatened by the decisions in the budget. The budget is unravelling and has become, as Deputy Enda Kenny has said, a discussion document. I am concerned about the figures contained in the budget, especially...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Senator is right.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: No it is not. The Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, has abandoned it.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Fianna Fáil bought into Progressive Democrats policy.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is too bad that Fianna Fáil bought into the Progressive Democrats' philosophy.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Oct 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Government side should respect the independent decision of the elderly to march on Leinster House yesterday.