Results 641-660 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (8 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: To go back a little, what I am asking is whether there is going to be an improvement, a tightening, an escalation or a further investment in controlling goods coming from outside. Is that what we are saying here? Is it too early to know what the regulation is saying?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (8 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: So all countries will, effectively, have to invest in better border control. Is it correct to say they will be obliged to do so - they will not have a choice?
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (8 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: Given that it is so complex, will we have the chance-----
- Seanad: Statistics (Heritage Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: I apologise for my absence when Senator Ó Murchú introduced the Bill. I was attending a committee meeting. As with Senator Ó Clochartaigh, I welcome the spirit and intent of the Bill. The Seanad had a useful debate previously on the valuable work done by the Central Statistics Office. I share the Minister of State's views on the splendid work done by the CSO. We are not in...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: This is a complex and difficult case for the petitioner but we ask that the committee write to the Minister for Justice and Equality on foot of the Supreme Court ruling of 18 July 2013, which directly affects this particular petitioner because it gave relief to another person. It would appear as if the petitioner in this case, Mr. Des Keane, may be able to get relief under that ruling but we...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: I would like to put on the record that the Tobacco Free Policy Review Group has a very large task before it, which is to try to establish whether a smoking ban should be extended to all public areas such as playgrounds, parks, sporting grounds in education and so on. I am aware that University College Dublin recently voted to have a smoke-free zone so obviously we will have to wait. In...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: And that the work of the review group will take time.
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: The petitioner raised his concern that government had failed to intervene to reduce the pensions of former taoisigh and others but it is my understanding that the pensions of former taoisigh have been reduced. Given that this aggravated the petitioner considerably, we might perhaps write to the petitioner and explain when we respond to the rest of the petition that this has happened and give...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: Perhaps also in preparation for that meeting it might be worth checking what the Higher Education Authority's ruling was at the time this change took place because there has been a great deal of rationalisation by the authority recently. There must be a note of the decision on what happened, which we could take in tandem with whatever comes back from the petitioner next week so that we would...
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: Given that we have not conducted this process before, are there Standing Orders or any guidance on how and at what level we might engage with Mr. Tyndall? Has he actually been appointed or is he appointed only if we agree? What is the kind of-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: That is exactly right. I want to know what the-----
- Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Public Petitions Received (16 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: That would be very helpful. I thank the Chairman. It would be incorrect of us to abdicate our responsibility. It would also be incorrect if we overstepped our responsibility.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: I take the opportunity to welcome certain aspects of the budget, including the retention of the VAT rate for the tourism sector, as referred to by colleagues. The investment in research will be extremely important and valuable, particularly as it is targeted in very specific areas. The provision for additional teachers and resource teachers is also very welcome, as is the retention of the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: The Senator's party would have done more.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: There is no reduction in the fuel allowance.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: The Senator should look back on Fianna Fáil's plan for social welfare.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: It was cutting €1.5 million out of the social welfare budget.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: With all due respect, the Senator is speaking out of both sides of his mouth.
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: Of course I am not saying that. I am saying Fianna Fáil-----
- Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)
Susan O'Keeffe: That is not what I said.