Results 1,081-1,100 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Financial Services Ombudsman (12 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank Mr. Prasifka and his colleagues for their very clear presentation. I apologise if the answers to any of my questions were included in the annual report of the Office of the Financial Services Ombudsman and I simply could not find them. Mr. Prasifka expressed the view that the levy is the appropriate way to fund his office rather than direct Exchequer funding. Without meaning in any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Financial Services Ombudsman (12 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Does what Mr. Prasifka is saying also apply to the way in which companies co-operate with the ombudsman's office in terms of coming before it, providing paperwork and so on?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Role and Remit: Financial Services Ombudsman (12 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I was referring not to companies in liquidation but ongoing concerns with which the ombudsman's office is dealing.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Senator Mullen may have left the House but he made a remark in which he likened the Government, in respect of Irish Water, to a car skidding on ice. The Senator appears to have forgotten entirely that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Kelly, already has stated clearly that mistakes have been made by the Government and that it is his intention and that...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: As for the cost of Irish Water, I trust that certainty will be given for a number of years, that the level of charges will be affordable for people and that assistance will be given for those who cannot afford them. Such measures will show that the majority of people, who believed that something was not right and who went out and exercised their right to march, have been listened to because...

Seanad: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme: Statements (18 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: With the consent of the House I would like to share my time with Senator Craughwell.

Seanad: Irish Airlines Superannuation Scheme: Statements (18 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I regret the fact that this has happened. Unfortunately, my regret will not help anyone whose pension is cut in this circumstance. I appreciate the difficulties that have arisen in the scheme. This has gone on for a long time. Like my colleague, I am not an expert in pensions and I not going to pretend that I am. I would share Senator Barrett's concern that perhaps there ought to be an...

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (20 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank the Minister of State. Perhaps people looking on might think we are indulging in a moment of self-congratulation. I think otherwise. It is important that we put on the record that when a Minister listens and there has been a collaborative effort with people who had issues, ideas and thoughts, it results in better legislation. No set of officials, no matter how hard they work or...

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (26 Nov 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister. He is particularly welcome when good news comes with him. The figures he spoke of, and others, reflect a very healthy situation for tourism in Ireland, which is a good thing. It is worth giving credit to Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland, both of which have worked incredibly hard over the past three years to rally behind the call that we needed to up our game...

Seanad: Homelessness: Statements (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I will make only a brief contribution as much has been already said. In terms of the summit to be held tomorrow, two things need to emerge. In calling a summit any Minister or body raises an enormous expectation of some solution. It is clear there are no easy solutions. People like Senator Hayden and others in the Visitors Gallery have been working for decades trying to solve the problem...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Mr. Burgess can ask the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Can we be clear that on chartered flights, and we are not talking about military flights, the Government is happy that certain guns and personal weapons are okay to be carried but it is not okay to carry other things? Have I understood correctly?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: My personal weapon as a member of the US army or marines is okay if it is secured in the hold as a weapon but other weapons on a list somewhere, including explosives or random killing things, are not allowed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: But it is okay to have guns.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: What is a personal weapon?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Otherwise known as a gun.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I have said that and made it clear. It is all right if they are secured and held in the hold. It is okay to have a hold full of guns but not a hold full of other miscellaneous things, like explosives, that we are not sure about.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: In the mix, one of the dilemmas about human rights is that things that are used for random killing, such as explosives, are more dangerous than allowing the passage of armed forces or military personnel through Shannon Airport compete with their weapons. The latter is okay while the former is not. That is what it boils down to and that is what we allow. The chartered flights that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: When they arrive at the other end, having passed through Shannon Airport, they will get out of the plane and be reunited with their weapons and carry on.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Use of Irish Airspace and Landing Facilities: Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (3 Dec 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: That is okay and that is what the Government allows. The Government then takes further advice if other matters arise, such as explosives or gas canisters. Are these the ones that are considered more dangerous? The final authorisation rests with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.