Results 1,001-1,020 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Home Loans (3 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This matter relates to the need for the Minister for Finance to use his influence with the banks by asking them to allow hard-pressed mortgage holders who entered fixed rate home loan agreements within the past two years to renegotiate new rates at current variable or fixed mortgage rates. Some of the people in question are in danger of losing their homes. My aim is to enable people to...

Seanad: Home Loans (3 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Minister said: "Those on fixed rate mortgages have the option of switching to variable rate mortgages under the terms of their existing fixed rate agreement." However, they can only do that by incurring a six-month penalty. Why will the Minister not intervene on behalf of the home owner? Why would he not use his authority?

Seanad: Home Loans (3 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Minister is letting the banks be king again.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Last night, the Minister for Finance refused in his response to my Adjournment matter to intervene to assist hard pressed fixed-rate mortgage holders. He also stated that his only role in respect of the banks was to create a regulatory framework, which must be the joke of the century considering how much he failed on that front. Last night we learned of the introduction of a new budget,...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Yes. We keep pouring water in only for it to run out the other end. How much more tax can workers — middle income earners — take? This is a serious issue. There will be anarchy in this country if workers are continually asked to pay while the Government fails to come up with a job creation strategy. The only way to plug the hole in the bucket is to put in place a job creation...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I made the point last week in this House that although we have a political arrangement with the North we do not have an all-Ireland economy. We are draining to the North. The Tánaiste has not addressed this issue and will be a failure unless she puts in place a job creation strategy. I ask the Deputy Leader to ensure the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment...

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: The whole point of this Bill is to facilitate families in Ireland who can provide a loving and secure home for children, many of whom are in institutions and would benefit from a good home, to do so. I speak in favour of these amendments. Some 78% of families in Ireland seeking to adopt children want to do so from countries that have not signed the Hague Convention or countries with which...

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: And non-bilateral agreement countries.

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: Well done to the Minister with regard to the Vietnam agreement. Let us hope it is established by 1 May so there is no breakdown for the couples in the process of adopting there. I wish to focus on Russia. I am aware of a number of couples — I am close to one of them — who have been approved to travel to Russia. This Bill is going through the Oireachtas at a rapid pace and if the Bill...

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: May I clarify the figure?

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: Of those seeking to adopt a child, 78% are considering countries which have not signed up to the Hague Convention or with which we will not have a bilateral agreement.

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: In that case, the figure would be lower.

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: To clarify, I stated that 78% of those seeking foreign adoptions are considering non-Hague Convention countries or countries with which we do not have bilateral agreements. This figure is from the International Adoption Association, which does research in this area. Couples seeking foreign adoptions contact the association for advice and to declare their interest. That is a fact and we...

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: Amendment No. 50 refers to section 81, which states: "The Authority may enter into an arrangement with a non-contracting state that is not a party to a bilateral agreement if...the prospective adopters are relatives of the child". The amendment would continue this with "or have previously adopted a child from a non-contracting state". I support the amendment on the grounds it would be...

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: He did not deal with the grandfather clause.

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

Fidelma Healy Eames: That is not true.

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This is a sensitive and important issue. It is not helpful to talk about people's sincere views as destructive. It is not good to be holier than thou because ultimately we are deciding who has the right to be a parent and the construct in which they have that right. I do not want this debate to be polarised into who is right and who is wrong, it is too important for that. I was...

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: This was not personal; it was the argument that was holier than thou.

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I was delighted the Minister of State offered to the House the information that same-sex couples currently foster children in Ireland. That information is not well known and it is very useful in terms of the overall direction we are taking in this new and sensitive area. I want to clarify one or two things for the sake of my colleague, Senator Mullen.

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Indeed. I did not think he was holier than me at all.