Results 641-660 of 1,158 for speaker:Fiona O'Malley

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. Unfortunately, I was unable to listen to much of the debate. However, I have read the Minister of State's speech. I am disappointed by the arguments of Senator McFadden. Essentially she agrees with the initiative.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: That is not a reason to oppose it.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I would be grateful to the Acting Chairman if he could restore order.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: The scheme is worthy of our support. Senator McFadden mentioned the problem of fuel poverty. This scheme is designed to deal with that problem. She should be supporting it. It is not sufficient to say it does not go far enough because a good initiative should always be supported.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: As the Minister of State has pointed out, we need to find ways of kick-starting our economy. This green opportunity is one such way. It has the additional benefits of insulating people's homes, making heating more cost-effective and reducing our carbon emissions. It is a winning scenario and I am astonished at Fine Gael's response.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I do not like to criticise for the sake of it and I admit that I have not listened to every speaker but I am responding to the contributions that I heard.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I have lost my train of thought, which does not help. We do not need to engage in argumentative politics for the sake of it. I spent my afternoon in a meeting of the Joint Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security. All members of that committee acknowledged the benefit of working together in the interests of the country. Given these economic times, that is what all of us should do....

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: We are overly dependent on imported fossil fuels and are thereby put at risk. As a Member of the previous Dáil, I spent a lot of time trying to convince the then Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to introduce a strong insulation scheme. Such a scheme benefits houses and, more importantly, the people who live in them. It is an extremely welcome initiative and I...

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I do not mean to pick on Senator McFadden but I listened with interest to her contribution.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: She spoke about logic but the lack of logic in her response to this initiative was regrettable.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I will not provoke her further.

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I look forward to seeing the positive effects this initiative will have. We need to take advantage of the opportunities that exist in the area of green energy because that type of thinking will help us through the economic difficulties we face. Other countries, notably America, are taking similar initiatives to this scheme. Thankfully the new US administration has made a stronger commitment...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: The Senator thinks he is giving a lecture in college.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I listened to Senator McCarthy and I have no doubt he is very sincere in his concerns about those people he mentioned who took out mortgages based on certain levels of earnings. It is all very well to make the case for those people and he is right to do so, but just as important are the 145,000 people who have lost their jobs and who...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: This is the beginning. They are to come.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: If Senator Bacik would allow me to speak without interruption, I would come to the point. As Senator Harris said, we must grasp this nettle fast and furiously. It is not that long ago since the devastation of the 1980s. None of us wants to go back to the 1980s. In those years, if one could get the fare to leave the country, one would do so but things are so bad globally now there is...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: The fact the Leader of the Opposition had indicated there was a flight of capital and that the banks would be nationalised is not very good for the national interest abroad. People sitting at market desks in international finance offices will say the Leader of the Opposition thinks the banks are going to be nationalised, let us just sell. The Opposition has to think about the long-term...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I remind Members that we are to conclude at 2 p.m. While Senator Norris was perfectly entitled to speak for 18 minutes, we must try to get through our business. Therefore, I ask Members to be as brief as possible in their contributions.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: Not quite 18 minutes. We should try to work our way through the amendments.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Fiona O'Malley: I remind everyone that we should be keen to move things on so I ask the Minister of State to wrap up the amendments and make his answers brief.