Results 981-1,000 of 4,295 for speaker:Catherine Noone

Seanad: Order of Business (6 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I will follow on from what Senator Bacik said about the obesity epidemic. I am one of the people who has bored everyone for the past four years with talk of this matter. As the Senator said, the latest figures released by the World Health Organization show Ireland is on course to become the most obese country in Europe by 2030. Professor Donal O'Shea, whom most people will have heard speak...

Seanad: Europe Day and European Commission Work Programme: Statements (7 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I welcome the Minister of State. I concur with Senator Terry Leyden who, in fairness, is a very enthusiastic member of the Joint Committee on European Affairs and a big promoter of the European Union for Fianna Fáil. I agree with his comments on Europe Day, which could be embraced a little more in the House in a positive way. I know that it is difficult to generate enthusiasm, not...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I was interested in certain reports in the media this morning outlining the NRA's views on multi-point tolling as a potential solution to congestion on the M50. I know a number of people living along the M50, in Carpenterstown and Castleknock, who would have concerns about multi-point tolling. Even if we are told it could be cheaper, most people know the reality is that we will be paying...

Seanad: Alcohol Consumption in Ireland: Statements (12 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I apologise for missing the beginning of the debate. I had planned a commitment around the schedule as it was. It is a debate that I definitely wanted to be here for, and I regret that I missed part of it, but I managed to have a look at the Minister's speech. This discussion often comes up in a fragmented form - sometimes there is a lack of a more cohesive approach - and I welcome this...

Seanad: Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011: Second Stage (13 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I welcome the Minister to the House, and I welcome Mr. Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society. Mr. Kevin O'Higgins, the current president of the Law Society, was here until a few minutes ago. There are others who have an interest in the legislation. The Government remains committed to the completion of the Bill in order to allow the new legal services regulatory authority become...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: That Fianna Fáil sold.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: I join colleagues in expressing joy at the result of the referendum. It was a proud day to be Irish and an even more proud day to be Senator Norris or Senator Zappone or any of those who went public with their personal stories. It was the likes of those interventions that made the difference in this campaign. I personally know someone very significant in my life who was intent on voting...

Seanad: Health Services for People with Intellectual Disabilities: Statements (27 May 2015)

Catherine Noone: We will wait for the Minister to attend. I thank the Minister of State and the Senators for their contributions.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I recently called on the Central Bank to consider abolishing 1 cent and 2 cent coins. I believe it is considering this suggestion. A trial was conducted recently in the south east. Based on the positive outcome of that trial, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, should make a decision on the future use of the coins. It appears frivolous when one first looks at it, but I have...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I support Senator Norris in his suggestion that we have a debate on Dublin. The advances we have made when it comes to cycling and walking in this city are fantastic. At the same time, I agree entirely with Senator Norris. We do not have the climate, first and foremost, to be constantly on foot or bicycle in this country. While the ideal is that we would have people on foot and reduce...

Seanad: National Minimum Wage (Low Pay Commission) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Community Policing (16 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I thank the Minister of State for attending. In recent times, one of the most consistent problems that we have been told of is the lack of Garda manpower. To its credit, the Government has reopened Templemore and garda training is ongoing, but we are running to stand still, that is, to keep the number of gardaí at 13,000. It would make sense for retiring gardaí to be kept on on a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Community Policing (16 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I note the Minister's response and the fact that it constitutes a useful explanatory memorandum on community policing. I hear where she is coming from in the sense that we deserve dedicated and motivated gardaí who are willing to give 100% to protect the communities they serve. The Garda Reserve was mentioned, and I gather that is on a part-time basis in any case. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I, too, wish to express my condolences to the families of those young students who were killed or injured in Berkeley in the United States. For them to have been attending such a happy event, the 21st birthday party of one of their contemporaries, and for it to end so tragically is quite shocking. I also wish to voice my support for the Clerys workers. When I first heard about this...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I will see what I can do. I obviously have the magic touch sometimes.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I will get to my question. I just wanted to congratulate Senator Quinn who was involved in the original trial in Wexford which has resulted in the withdrawal of 1 cent and 2 cent coins nationwide. As I stated last week, it costs 1.7 cent to produce a 1 cent coin and this is not sustainable. Other countries such as the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Belgium and Hungary have already...

Seanad: Tackling Obesity in Ireland: Statements (17 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I welcome the Minister to the House and welcome the debate. I speak about this issue practically every week. I feel very passionate about it, not least because I suffered from obesity as a pre-teenager and teenager. For personal reasons, I come to the subject with a lot of knowledge. A recent report compiled by the World Health Organization predicted that Ireland was on course to be the...

Seanad: Junior Cycle Reform: Motion (17 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I thank Senators O'Donnell and Mac Conghail for tabling the motion and for the debate that has ensued. This is clearly an emotive topic for Senator O'Donnell and for many others - lovers of history, those involved in the teaching of history and, indeed, those who have studied history in the past. It would be fair to say that the majority of us, if not all of us, sat history for our junior...

Seanad: Beit Collection: Statements (18 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2015)

Catherine Noone: I have good news on an issue which I have raised numerous times before. I am delighted an agreement has been reached on the abolition of roaming charges between the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council. It is due to come into effect in June 2017. From April 2016 we will have surcharges for roaming capped at €0.05 per minute for calls. There will also be...