Results 61-80 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Vetting (24 Oct 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House to discuss this issue regarding Garda vetting. It is a central pillar of the Government's objective to have large numbers of those who are currently out of work gain meaningful employment as a means of rectifying our current economic crisis. I commend the efforts made by the Government in this regard, including the increase in foreign...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Garda Vetting (24 Oct 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his succinct response on this matter. The system needs to be reformed as it is clear that there is a huge amount of duplication. A person wishing to work in the area of social services must satisfy Garda vetting requirements in this regard. Where such person also wishes to train a Gaelic or soccer team, he or she is required to make a further application...

Seanad: Public Expenditure and Reform: Statements (8 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I want to mention an issue that affects my constituents in Galway East, not me, Garda vetting and the delays in the system. In my home town of Athenry there are 63 students undertaking child care, healthcare, nursing and social studies and post-leaving certificate courses, PLCs, at Athenry vocational school. In the next few weeks they are expected to gain work experience, but they cannot do...

Seanad: Public Expenditure and Reform: Statements (8 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I have made the suggestion about Garda clearance because we are debating the issues of public expenditure and reform. I need Garda clearance if I want to work in the healthcare or child care industry, but I must make a separate application if I want to coach a camogie team. There is replication. I suggest the Minister and the Minister for Justice and Equality introduce a card system to...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I call on the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to come to the House to discuss an issue relating to the single payment scheme application form and its associated terms and conditions. There appears to be a degree of ambiguity in the application of the law referred to in the form. This ambiguity relates to farm inspections. Page 22 of the form states that in submitting a single...

Seanad: The Economy: Statements (13 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I raise an issue which has been raised by several colleagues, that is, the banking sector in Ireland. If the Irish banks are reluctant to reverse their current rule of thumb and associated trends of having a loan rejection rate second only to Greece in the eurozone of 24% of all loan applications to the SME sector, I ask the Minister of State to consider setting up a special working group in...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I am very concerned by the ongoing rise in the black market and the devastating effect this is having on our retail sector. Everywhere I turn in Galway, I am told by retailers and their employees that they are being financially devastated by the sale of counterfeit products in unregulated and unpoliced markets and fairs which roll into country towns on a weekly basis. Meanwhile,...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Second Stage (21 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I commend the Minister and the Government for moving to put measures in place to alleviate the debt burden the Irish people have been drowning in over the past number of years. The Celtic tiger situation was most regrettable in that some people were engaged in an orgy of spending, which was encouraged by aggressive marketing by banks and light touch regulation. Times have now changed and...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I am leading the Order of Business today on behalf of the Labour Party leader, Senator Ivana Bacik. I want to highlight an issue of utmost importance to the country and its recovery, which relates to the banking system and the SME sector. The latest news from the Department of Finance is that 24% of SMEs who were refused finance were not given reasons. Almost half of all applications take...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: A significant event happened 167 years ago, which marked a watershed in the history of this country. Its effects have permanently changed the face of this island?s demographic, political and cultural landscape. Its impact and human cost at the time was colossal. Such was its effect that it not only left an indelible mark on the Irish psyche; it also led to 1 million people dying...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House and thank him for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I commend him for moving to implement this legislation as I know it has rested on successive Ministers' desks as a way of avoiding the enactment of it and complying with our EU obligations in this regard. We all know that clean water is essential...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for outlining the situation. I welcome the fact that 290,000 people have registered their septic tank or wastewater treatment system. It is also welcome to hear the Minister not ruling out the possibility of providing financial assistance to those whose tanks might fail a test.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House and thank him for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I commend him for moving to implement this legislation as I know it has rested on successive Ministers' desks as a way of avoiding the enactment of it and complying with our EU obligations in this regard. We all know that clean water is essential...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for outlining the situation. I welcome the fact that 290,000 people have registered their septic tank or wastewater treatment system. It is also welcome to hear the Minister not ruling out the possibility of providing financial assistance to those whose tanks might fail a test.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to deal with this issue which has occurred in Craughwell, County Galway. I raise the matter of the private wastewater treatment plant on behalf of the residents of the Dún Ard housing estate. The plant services up to 59 houses. Water is seeping out of the plant and into the nearby Dunkellin River which is presenting a significant environmental...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I referred to the monitoring tests carried out in 2007 and 2012 for the wastewater treatment plant. Nothing has been done by the relevant authorities to rectify the matter. Is that not a matter of concern for the Minister and the Department? I also ask the Minister to discuss the matter further with Galway County Council and consider calling in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I wish to raise an issue that Senator Noone raised, in respect of the HMV voucher scandal. In the past few days I have spoken to several customers of the chain who bought vouchers as Christmas gifts only to find now that they are worthless. It is quite clear that HMV has taken unfair advantage of thousands of its customers in Ireland by allowing their stores to continue to sell gift...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Safety (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking this Adjournment matter on the road safety measures required throughout the country. The context in which I raise this matter is that I acquired the support and signatures of 300 people living in the Kilreekill area of County Galway who are very concerned about the condition of the Kilreekill to Mullagh road which, regrettably, is...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Safety (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: While I accept that local authorities and various State agencies have responsibility for road safety under statute, I acknowledge that the Minister is being incredibly helpful. I raise a very serious matter to do with road safety and it is clear that his intervention is needed, as quite a number of people use this road. As I stated, over 300 people have signed a petition to have the road...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Yesterday I raised the issue of the HMV voucher scandal and the fact that many of the chain's customers who had bought gift vouchers as Christmas presents were left with vouchers which were completely worthless. I have pointed out that there may be breaches of the criminal code involved which warrant further investigation by the authorities. On that basis, I have written to the Director of...