Results 881-900 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Feb 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Exactly.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (25 Feb 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Senator. He is right.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome Senator Boyle's statement that there are anomalies in the legislation. If the Government parties accept this, why were they not rectified? Why were the amendments tabled by Fine Gael not accepted in the Dáil? It is disgraceful for a Member on the Government side to admit there are anomalies, say they will be corrected some time over the coming year and expect those who are...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: A strong national engagement between the political system and the public is necessary. The public would not be found wanting were the Government to reach out.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Will there be an Order of Business tomorrow?

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Absolutely.

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Is the Senator criticising the Chair?

Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: We remember them well for the mess they made.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Does the Deputy Leader agree that a new budget is needed that is fair and balanced and that addresses expenditure and taxation measures? Will he clarify when the new central banking commission will be established? Will it replace the Central Bank and the Financial Regulator? I assume those bodies will no longer exist under the new banking commission. Is that correct? Has the Government...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (3 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Not before time.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the decision to take only Committee Stage of the Adoption Bill today and to have the Report Stage debate on another day. This is much more satisfactory than what was originally planned. Unfortunately, the optimism expressed by the Deputy Leader in the House yesterday, when he indicated that tax receipts would be adequate to prevent the need for further budgetary measures, was...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I want to raise a couple of issues concerning these amendments and perhaps the Minister of State can cast some light on the situation. First, it is disgraceful that people are wondering whether or when the bilateral agreements will be concluded. If this matter was clarified it would relieve much anxiety for people who, for example, want to adopt children from different countries, including...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Minister of State's comments will reassure many parents who are involved in the adoption of Vietnamese children. He indicated his hope that there will be an agreement and he referred to the fact that the USA and Sweden have stopped all adoptions from Vietnam. Are the difficulties being experienced in respect of this matter relative to the Vietnamese side or to the Irish side? Do those...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: ——what are the implications of that for social policy in this country with regard to adoption? More important, what are the implications for the individuals who are currently dealing with those countries? What is the Minister's advice to them? What will be the knock-on effects of this legislation for them? The Minister should spell that out as clearly and in as much detail as possible...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: On that point, the Minister of State appeared to indicate that his Department is not in a position to work on the bilateral agreement with Russia until such time as the bilateral agreement with Vietnam has been concluded. Perhaps I misunderstood him.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: My point was related to the resources available to the Minister of State's office to secure bilateral agreements. As the Minister of State noted, the Department has an agency working on the ground in Vietnam and departmental staff have been able to visit the country and work with Vietnamese officials. I hope we are moving towards a resolution although if I am to interpret the Minister of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I did not make any such inference.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: We asked questions about resources. No inferences were made about personnel in the Department.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The uncertainty experienced by prospective adoptive parents is disgraceful.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I used the word "disgraceful" because parents in this situation have told me that by 17 February it was apparent the agreement had still not been sent to Vietnam. The Minister might confirm the date on which the agreement was sent to Vietnam.