Results 1,281-1,300 of 1,494 for speaker:Deirdre Clune

Seanad: Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (28 Nov 2012)

Deirdre Clune: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Refugee Accommodation (28 Nov 2012)

Deirdre Clune: Does Senator Ó Clochartaigh wish to ask a supplementary question?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Obesity Levels (29 Nov 2012)

Deirdre Clune: The issue of people who are overweight and obese is one we need to keep to the fore. Yesterday a report by Professor Ivan Perry of UCC was reported in the media. A study found the fact that people are obese or overweight is costing the country ¤1.1 billion every year. That cost is based on scientific evidence, so we should take it very seriously, and that is not to mention the effect on...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Obesity Levels (29 Nov 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive reply. As she pointed out, the Minister is working on this. I accept the point that this is about striking a balance and I certainly agree that we should avoid concentrating on body image and focus instead on the health and well-being of individuals, especially the long-term consequences of carrying weight. We must tackle this for...

Seanad: Credit Union Bill 2012: Second Stage (4 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak on the Bill. I always avail of the opportunity to contribute on the operations of credit unions because, as other speakers have said, their importance is reflected in the community. I am an admirer of the credit unions in my constituency and the role they play, being rooted in the community and coming from a volunteer co-operative movement, a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to again raise the issue of the sale of alcohol. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Alex White, has been in office for a number of months and I look forward to the development of his policy. I hope it is near completion at this stage because it is badly needed. Dr. Declan Bedford addressed the Irish Medical Organisation in the Royal College of Surgeons last...

Seanad: Budget 2013: Statements (5 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: We should all remember we are in a programme with the EU and IMF and the situation is difficult for everybody, but today we are 85% of the way there and the end is in sight. It was interesting to note that both Ministers, Deputy Noonan and Deputy Howlin, made the point that the end is in sight. However, the situation remains difficult for people. We cannot take ¤3.5 billion from any...

Seanad: Report of the Expert Group on the Judgment in the A, B and C v. Ireland Case: Statements (6 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: This is a very sensitive issue. I understand that individuals have personal views and experiences. Childbirth and pregnancy are wonderful experiences but they throw up some difficult and tragic situations. Each and everyone knows of incidents that have been highlighted in both Houses. I am glad that the Minister is clear on the commitment of Government to act on the recommendations of...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (11 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: While the Bill is short and technical, it is important. It is essential that we have registration boards and regulation for professionals. There must be certainty for professionals working in the various disciplines and members of the public who avail of those services must have certainty and trust in standards. A certain level of educational attainment must be established prior to...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (18 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I welcome the Minister and commend her on a number of points. First, she has succeeded in bringing her reductions to ¤390 million and she got ¤150 million savings. We should all remember that ¤150 million in her own Department and that of the Minister for Health is to be funded by taxation measures at a time when we are trying to keep taxation low to encourage consumers to spend and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I have a question but as I have to attend the Seanad soon I apologise if I am not here for the answer, although I hope I will be. The witness said she supported the proposal for a rotation of auditors. There may be a danger of a loss of expertise in some difficult technical areas if firms have developed a relationship with individual companies. Have representations been made to the IAASA...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: Did the witnesses think there was an issue concerning foreign companies based here?

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to share my time with Senator Noone.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: The property tax was well flagged and we knew it would be introduced. It is part of our obligation under the EU-IMF programme.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: Yes it was. As part of the memorandum of understanding between the Government and the troika, a commitment was given to introduce tax in this budget.

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Second Stage (19 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: That condition has been there since 2010 and we are now implementing it. It is a positive measure in that we will have a more sustainable tax base in the future. We can look back on how spending increased from 2002 to 2007 and beyond that. When the bottom fell out of the property market we were dependent entirely on revenue from VAT and income tax and we know what a vulnerable position we...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Committee Stage: Fee-Paying Schools (20 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to raise the matter of the Minister's plans for fee-paying schools and their place in the future provision of education. Some 26,000 pupils are being educated in 55 fee-paying schools in the country. It was announced in the budget that the pupil-teacher ratio would be increased to 23:1 in fee-paying schools from next September. This follows on from last year's increase in the...

Seanad: Finance (Local Property Tax) Bill 2012: Committee Stage: Fee-Paying Schools (20 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge the support to the Protestant schools. The joint committee has had discussions with those schools. I refer also to Catholic fee-paying schools who need to be considered because parents chose to send their children to those schools for that specific type of religious education.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fee-Paying Schools (20 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to raise the matter of the Minister's plans for fee-paying schools and their place in the future provision of education. Some 26,000 pupils are being educated in 55 fee-paying schools in the country. It was announced in the budget that the pupil-teacher ratio would be increased to 23:1 in fee-paying schools from next September. This follows on from last year's increase in the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fee-Paying Schools (20 Dec 2012)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge the support to the Protestant schools. The joint committee has had discussions with those schools. I refer also to Catholic fee-paying schools who need to be considered because parents chose to send their children to those schools for that specific type of religious education.