Results 81-100 of 7,970 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Seanad: Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (11 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, for attending today in the House where this issue was first raised. In fairness to the Minister, on first becoming aware of this issue he has expressed a willingness to deal with it and I welcome the establishment of a statutory commission of inquiry. This is the proper course to take. The treatment and neglect of children in mother and baby homes has...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Catherine McGuinness (19 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I very much welcome the former distinguished jurist and Senator to the House. Ms McGuinness has a litany of other qualifications and has held many positions of both authority and influence, any of which we could happily discuss. However, there is one experience I would like to address and she referenced it in her address. Ms McGuinness was the Sole Member of the tribunal of inquiry into...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I raise the perennial issue of alcohol abuse in Ireland in the context of the publication yesterday of a report by the Health Research Board. Following the multiplicity of reports and findings on this issue, one might have assumed we were beyond being shocked by new findings. However, the numbers in this report are astounding. It shows, for example, that 75% of all alcohol consumption...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I return to an issue I raised previously in the House, which is the matter of cyberbullying. The Internet advisory group has reported to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and made 30 recommendations which were discussed at Cabinet yesterday and which are to be implemented in the coming months. This is a welcome step. The criminalisation of cyberbullying sends a...

Seanad: Child Protection: Motion (25 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House. I also welcome this motion and fully support it. What we are discussing here is the protection of children. This motion is premised on the judgment of Mr. Justice John MacMenamin in the High Court last year. The judge has subsequently been appointed to the Supreme Court. Mr. Justice MacMenamin has vast experience in the area of child...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister to the House. There are many commendable aspects to this legislation. The first, section 3, deals with payment service providers and changes the legislation to allow the Department to enhance the services it provides and their proper supervision. Contrary to some commentary on the Bill, the Government has no intention of denuding the post office network. This...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Second Stage (26 Jun 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: It was 72.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I raise the issue of the free travel pass for senior citizens and recent speculation that it might be stopped or withdrawn for some of those of pensionable age in the next budget. The present review of the system is not due to any wish on the part of the Government to withdraw the pass but rather that the Minister wishes to review the operation of the scheme in relation to the avoidance of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Second Stage (1 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I wish to concentrate on two aspects of the Bill, the first being the termination of local authority tenancies. Section 62 of the Housing Act 1966 has a long history of litigation before our superior courts, going back more than ten years at this stage. As Senators will know, that section gave the relevant council wide-ranging, unfettered and...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I refer to the apology by the Taoiseach on behalf of the State to the Roma families whose children were needlessly taken into care last year. I welcome the offer of compensation to the families concerned and the acknowledgement of the inappropriateness of the actions of the Garda Síochána in this case. I commend the Ombudsman for Children on her very straightforward report and...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2014: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Last week, I was contacted by people from the Irish Postmasters Union. They stated that they understood they could not be included by name in the legislation. I wanted to record that.

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I call on Senator Barrett. Does the Senator wish to share time?

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2014: Second Stage (2 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: Yes. The Senator has time later on in the session.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (3 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome the Minister of State. In view of the recent kite flying by the Opposition, I hope he will provide clarity on the free travel pass issue. Will he confirm that the current review of the system is not due to any wish on the part of the Government to withdraw the pass, but rather that it wishes to review the operation of the scheme to ensure the avoidance of fraud and in the context...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Free Travel Scheme Eligibility (3 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Minister of State. I am sure many people will be glad to hear that there are no plans to remove the free travel pass from those who are eligible for it. When the review has been completed, I would appreciate it if the Minister of State returned to the House to report to us on it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Licensing and Harvesting of Seaweed in Ireland: Discussion (8 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I ask the witnesses to clarify their views on the establishment of co-operatives. Reference was made to part-time harvesters whose ancestors have been doing this work for generations. Mr. O'Sullivan suggested that major barriers arise in regard to co-operatives.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht: Licensing and Harvesting of Seaweed in Ireland: Discussion (8 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: If I may continue, I wish to ask about designated areas for part-time harvesters and smaller companies. In regard to the costs involved in preparing records and the importance of sustainability, is there a way for smaller harvesters to come together to deal with the application process so that they have access to designated areas along the coastline? Perhaps they can work with smaller...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I raise the issue of licensing arrangements for outdoor concerts and suggest that the law needs to be amended in this regard. In respect of the events over the weekend, which have reached a crescendo with yesterday's cancellation of all five concerts, it is incredulous that a concert promoter and a venue could agree a deal of this magnitude, sell tickets and then express amazement when...

Seanad: Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I welcome both the Minister and the legislation. We all have experience of dealing in our localities with small businesses which have been endured an extremely tough time in recent years as a result of the downturn in trade and the lack of credit available to facilitate refinancing and development. The new strategic investment fund which will make an initial amount of €500 million...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (15 Jul 2014)

Hildegarde Naughton: I, too, welcome the Tánaiste and congratulate her on her new appointment. I wish her every success in the future. I join the Children's Rights Alliance in describing the Bill as the most important reform in family law for generations and will concentrate on two changes made in it. As Senators know, the name of the non-marital father of a newborn was not required to be registered....