Results 101-120 of 786 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Yesterday, I called a vote on the Order of Business, having called on the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to attend to clarify certain statements made by Mr. Tony O'Brien, director general of the HSE, on the national children's hospital. The Minister was unable to attend but sent a Minister of State in his Department to address us. I asked the following questions. Was the statement...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: It is absolutely scandalous.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Senator Reilly was one of those Ministers.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: How long has Fine Gael now been in government?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Today I will not call on the Minister to address the House because I know the Minister has no respect for it. I will leave it there.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: The Leader did not answer my questions.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I do not doubt the Leader's commitment, but none of my questions were answered.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: On a point of order, this a matter of public-----

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: This is a matter of public importance. There are simple questions. I do not doubt the Leader's commitment-----

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: -----or any representative's commitment to this project.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: It would be remiss of me not to mention the Maurice McCabe controversy. I welcome the cross-party consensus in regard to the establishment of a public tribunal of inquiry but I also look forward to hearing the Ministers' clarifications in respect of certain questions in the Lower House. I look forward to listening to them answer those questions later today. I wish to raise two items on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Schools are being penalised for getting good results for their kids and teachers are being penalised for working too hard. That is outrageous. The second matter I would like to raise relates to the Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium, which was unexpectedly closed. I was meant to go to the stadium this evening but I learned that it has been closed. This is part of the Irish Greyhound Board's...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I welcome the motion to be taken this evening and the opportunity to debate the terms of reference of the tribunal of inquiry into the Garda. This is one of the biggest matters that has been before the House. It is important that the inquiry commences and that its terms of reference cover all the allegations. The information needs to come out into the public domain. It is important that...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to raise the plight of homelessness, an issue that my party has raised on numerous occasions. Sadly, it is an issue that affects many families today. To put it mildly, I was disappointed to read this morning in The Irish Timesthat the number of people homeless has reached a new high with over 7,000 people now homeless. It is new high in terms of homelessness but it is a new low for...

Seanad: Recent Education Announcements: Statements (21 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming to address the House today. I have raised the matter of DEIS schools in the House. I very much welcome the expansion of the programme. However, as some of my colleagues have pointed out, there are some issues regarding transparency and the criteria required for entry onto the scheme. The DEIS expansion is something welcomed by Fianna Fáil. It is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I raised the issue of the national children's hospital in the Seanad last week and caused a division in the House by calling on the Minister for Health to attend to address why the hospital has not been progressing. I urge the Leader to use his power and political skills to urge the Minister to take a renewed look at the national children's hospital to ensure he brings a new focus to it and...

Seanad: Minimum Custodial Periods upon Conviction for Murder Bill 2017: Second Stage (22 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank Senator O'Donnell for bringing this legislation to the House. The lack of consistency of sentencing, in general, and not just for murder, is a serious issue. I welcome the victims of crime and their families who are in the Visitors Gallery and the representatives of AdVIC because this is a difficult debate. I concur with fellow Senators regarding the LRC recommendation that judges...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to convey my sympathies and that of the Fianna Fáil group to the family of the late Peter Mathews on his passing - to his wife, Susan Mathews, and to their four children. Ar dheis láimh Dé go raibh a anam dílis. The non-principal private residence, NPPR, tax, colloquially known as the second home tax, was in place from 2009 to 2013 until it was replaced by the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: No, I am referring to the non-principal private residence charge, known as the second home tax, which was replaced by the local property tax.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Most people did not include the NPPR as a deductible expense because the Revenue Commissioners were so explicit in stating it was not deductible. It has now been made clear that it is a deductible expense but only as far back as 2013. Those who paid the charge will only be able to submit claims as far back as 2013 because of Revenue's rule that one can only amend one's tax returns for the...