Results 621-640 of 880 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Apr 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I join in the comments about Michael O'Kennedy and Jimmy Leonard. Michael O'Kennedy had an unbelievable career, one that many of us would be envious of achieving. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Breda, and the rest of his family. I wish to discuss the serious concerns raised in an article by Ms Elaine Loughlin in the Irish Examineryesterday. It set out the challenges that the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (4 May 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I raised the issue of summer provision last week on the Order of Business and I tabled the Commencement matter on Friday. Thankfully, however, the Department released details of the summer provision programme yesterday. It is a great programme. In 2021, the budget doubled to €40 million, which shows the seriousness of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (4 May 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: It is great to hear all of the details. I especially welcome the online application process.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Under the programme for Government, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage established a working group to examine defects in housing. I want to concentrate today particularly on apartment stock and multi-unit development stock. It is important that this working group does not pit homeowners against each other. There should be no discrimination between owners of homes and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 May 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I commend the Cathaoirleach on travelling to Ukraine and representing this House. I would like to raise the issue of hormone replacement therapy, HRT. There has been unprecedented investment in women's health under the current Minister for Health, including the opening of menopause clinics in major urban areas. There has also been significant public discourse on the menopause, including on...

Seanad: Birth Information and Tracing Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (15 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Now.

Seanad: Cost of Living: Motion (15 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to share my time with my colleague, Senator Chambers.

Seanad: Cost of Living: Motion (15 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming here. The Minister’s party has tabled an important motion because we all know, especially in recent weeks, that the cost of living has increased. I believe that we must go back to basics and ensure that the people on the margins are looked after, namely, the most vulnerable, who are people who have a fixed income from the State or receive pension or...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I, too, would like to raise the report by the ombudsman, Mr. Niall Muldoon. The website of the Ombudsman for Children states it is Mr. Muldoon’s job to make sure the children in Ireland are treated fairly. The report, published yesterday, is probably one we all know and have heard stories about. It is now formally on the Government’s record that children with additional needs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Education: Discussion (28 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Mr. Kearney has not been in his role for long so it is great to hear his language. It is very refreshing, especially when he discusses local schools and says it is very important for children to attend their local school. I counted and believe he said it three or four times. It is new language the NCSE is using, and it is noted, so I thank Mr. Kearney for that. SEN education has come in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Education: Discussion (28 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Dublin 12 has a great many. Dublin 6, Dublin 6W, Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 have very few.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Education: Discussion (28 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I do not want to discuss AIMS here today because that is another day's work. It is really the early intervention classes I am trying to figure out because you need a formal diagnosis. Without that, you cannot get into an early intervention class. Your crèche can get AIMS support. It is important to highlight that AIMS support does not attach to an individual person. It attaches to a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Education: Discussion (28 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Dr. Niall Muldoon's report came out last week. It was quite scathing of the Department. We should not take the negative from it. It should not be an attack. Dr. Niall Muldoon is an unbelievable man. Some of the words he used were quite positive, such as "reconfiguration", "being reimaginative". There is no point in being negative. We must be positive in terms of what we can do in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Pre-budget Submission from Dóchas and Global Food Crisis: Discussion (21 Jun 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Chairman for indulging me and allowing me in. I thank the presenters. This is Ms McKenna's third or fourth time here, so none of the delegates have shirked their responsibility to ensure their organisations are considered favourably in the budget negotiations. Much of this is about the Irish public and where it is at. Many people probably do not know there is such a crisis...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank Mr. Harris. I was listening to him on the way in. Much of what he said in his opening statement rang true particularly that the public is far ahead of the State when it comes to autism. We can see all of the groups that exist. In my area there is the Dublin 12 Campaign 4 Autism Inclusion and Involve Autism. I know Mr. Harris is very aware of these groups. The work they do is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (5 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for attending the meeting. I am really glad she congratulated the Spiritans on their recent collaboration with the Department of Education. They are really leading the way, and I hope other educational organisations will follow suit. The Minister of State has done a lot of work in this field. I thank her for opening Our Lady of Hope School, in my area, Dublin...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (5 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I am not asking the Minister of State to address the AIM scheme. I do not agree with it at all. I am specifically referring to the early intervention classes. They have nothing to do with the AIM system or ECCE.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (5 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: That is not true. The NCSE told us last week that one needs an autism diagnosis to access early intervention classes. The delegate from the NCSE was very specific and clear on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (5 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I am not asking about AIM support. I am asking about-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (5 Jul 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I have never agreed so much with trade unionists. My grandfather was president of the INTO in the 1950s and when one goes into the building on Parnell Square one can see his name on the board, Fionnain Breathnach. He was of a different political persuasion, but was a very interesting man. As Ms Leydon said, the unions complement each other and everyone in this room will fully support...