Results 61-80 of 7,970 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Seanad: Order of Business (7 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Like Senator van Turnhout I wish to raise the kidnap and sale into servitude or marriage of 276 Nigerian girls. This is not news. One year ago, the leader of Boko Haram announced to the world a new policy in an attempt to enforce militant Islamism in Nigeria. He told the Nigerian Government and the international community that this group would begin kidnapping children and selling them....

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (7 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and very much welcome the debate. I note that the Irish Human Rights Commission, then chaired by a former Leader of the House, Dr. Maurice Manning, with the active participation of Professor Gerard Quinn of NUIG, played a significant role in conjunction with many NGOs in the area in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Support for Young People with Disabilities: WALK and Carers Association (7 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I apologise for my late arrival. I was in the Seanad. I thank the witnesses for appearing before the committee. Coincidentally this week, my Labour Party colleagues are debating a motion on personal assistance service. Can the witnesses recommend an overarching definition of the function and role of personal assistants? Are there any suggestions as to how we could improve the disability...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (13 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to inform the Seanad-----

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (13 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: If the Senator wants to go ahead of me, I will be happy to facilitate him.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (13 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I would like to inform the Seanad of a significant development in the criminal justice area that has received very little attention. Late last week the Department of Justice and Equality informed the Law Society of Ireland that the Director of Public Prosecutions had issued a direction to An Garda Síochána to the effect that a suspect in Garda custody who made a request for his or...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Second Stage (13 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister to the House and I appreciate his work since he took office. A few of his achievements include the abolition of the travel tax, which has increased airline seat capacity to Ireland by millions; the rejuvenation of the tourism industry, thanks to the reduced VAT rate; The Gathering; and now the Wild Atlantic Way. The west has not gone without notice by the Minister....

Seanad: Abduction of Nigerian Children: Motion (13 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I join colleagues in strongly supporting this motion. The leader of Boko Haram announced more than a year ago that he intended to kidnap girls into slavery or forced marriage as part of his plan for forced radical Islam. No attention was paid by either the Nigerian Government or the wider international community. Human Rights Watch estimated that 25 young girls had already been kidnapped...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Registration of Ships) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Minister for taking on board Members' views and congratulate him on the Bill.

Seanad: Establishment of Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Motion (14 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome this motion. We all wish this inquiry could have happened sooner, but as legislators we must be aware of the legal constraints and the potential for legal challenges to it. I would like to address the comment made by the Sinn Féin Senator with regard to the Government being forced into holding this inquiry. That is not the case. The Government introduced the Oireachtas...

Seanad: Establishment of Joint Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis: Motion (14 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: We are now at the juncture where a committee is to be established. The Oireachtas tradition is that committee members would put party politics aside and act in the best interest of the public. Given the calibre of those chosen to sit on the committee to date, I have no doubt but that this will happen. I also have no doubt that the public will not tolerate any grandstanding of committee...

Seanad: Youth Guarantee and Rent Supplement: Statements (28 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: The publication of the youth guarantee implementation plan was a positive step in addressing the difficulties of young people within the State in obtaining employment or suitable educational opportunities. This discussion with the Minister is a welcome occasion to discuss the progress to date. It comes on the back of the Minister's being able to secure agreement on €6 billion of...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I wish to raise a harrowing story that was highlighted in the Mail on Sundayat the weekend but got overlooked due to the election frenzy. It relates to a mass grave in Tuam, County Galway, where the remains of approximately 800 children - citizens of Ireland - were buried. The area is well know by locals. Many of the children were born outside wedlock. They were thrown lifeless into a pit...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (4 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I wish to return to a matter I raised last week, namely, the babies buried in the septic tank in Tuam. Subsequent to my raising the issue, a number of politicians in the area took an interest in it and are rightly calling for an investigation. I wrote to the Taoiseach in this regard last week and yesterday I was in communication with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. I am...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (4 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I ask the Leader to write to the Minister for Justice and Equality to request her to attend a debate in the Seanad on the matter of the unmarked graves of babies. Tuam is not the only graveyard in existence.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Regional Development (4 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister and thank him for addressing this important issue. The most recent figures available from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation indicate that IDA Ireland has not achieved its 50% investment target in areas outside Dublin and Cork. In fact, investments outside these two areas in the period 2010 to 2013 accounted for only 35% of all foreign direct...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Regional Development (4 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Minister. I accept and agree with the emphasis on the indigenous sector and entrepreneurship. That is key and I welcome the efforts the Minister has made in the past three years in this area. He has worked very hard in that regard. Perhaps he might return to the Seanad in the future to update us on the development of the regional enterprise framework and regional development...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Forthcoming Environment Council: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (5 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Minister for attending. I have two questions, the first of which is on the policy framework for climate and energy 2020 to 2030. Does the Minister consider Oxfam's call for binding national targets of energy savings of 40%, boosting sustainable renewable energy by 45% and reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 possible? Will Ireland support the current proposals in this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Forthcoming Environment Council: Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (5 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: It relates to what exactly is envisaged in regard to monitoring and verification of CO2 emissions on board commercial ships. Are we looking at CO2 detectors? What exactly is envisaged in regard to the enforcement mechanisms on board these commercial vessels?

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the announcement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs that a statutory commission of investigation will be established to investigate the matters arising in the mother and baby home in Tuam and in other institutions. It has been less than two weeks since I raised this matter in the House. There was no delay by the Government because it is taking the matter extremely...