Results 121-140 of 218 for speaker:Tony Kett

Seanad: Totalisator (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: We may as well cancel life if we take that approach. I grew up in Galway and one of the highlights of the year was to go to the Galway races with my parents, which we did faithfully every year. We had a few pennies in our pockets to lose or accumulate. Part of the fun was to back a horse without letting one's siblings know which it was until the horses came around the bend and she was either...

Seanad: Totalisator (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: That generates great income for the Exchequer. I read an article last year about a proposal to allow people play the lotto through their mobile phones. That would be of much greater significance because a child in the comfort of his or her bedroom could bang out lotto tickets on his or her mobile phone without his or her parents' knowledge. That is more devious than betting on the tote but I...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Seanad Eireann" and substitute the following: "notes: —the considerable progress which has been made in increasing the availability of quality and affordable child care places across the country through the equal opportunities child care programme and other Government initiatives; —the provision of an additional 36,500 new child care...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister to the House. I wonder why we are again having this debate, having debated the issue two weeks ago. Having the debate again diminishes what has gone before because we had a very constructive debate previously.

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: On that occasion, the Minister showed a great willingness to take on board the points of view expressed. I am at a loss because the Labour party has many good issues that it would wish to bring to the House during Private Members' business.

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: Will this issue be a priority every fortnight?

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: The Minister took up the point that we were coming from nothing and it reminded me of someone stopping to ask another person for instructions and that person saying to him or her "Well, I wouldn't start from here". It is necessary to start somewhere when dealing with something as important as this issue. This debate at least gives us the opportunity to congratulate the Minister on the...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: We have had the opportunity to work, now it is the mothers' turn. Despite the investment and successes of the EOCP, there is no doubt we still have a long way to go in the challenges that face both the development of child care and child care itself. The EU, under the Barcelona Summit, requires us to reach a specific ratio of child care places by the end of 2010. These targets differentiate...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (9 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: It means that women are managing to go to work; they are not trapped at home because of this terrible Government. The number of women in full-time employment has increased by 32% and the number of women in part-time employment has increased by 33%. Women are making a massive contribution and childminding facilities are available. I accept there are too few of these facilities and perhaps they...

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister to the House. I thought he had fallen out with us as it is almost a week since he was here.

Seanad: Tribunals of Inquiry: Motion. (24 Mar 2005)

Tony Kett: I am pleased to support the motion before the House. Under the Weston Park agreement we are obliged to hold a public inquiry into the brutal murders of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan, in accordance with the recommendations of Judge Cory. We must honour this obligation in full and without reservation. In doing this we are also honouring the memory...

Seanad: Anti-Social Behaviour: Motion. (11 May 2005)

Tony Kett: I wish to share my time with Senator Brady.

Seanad: Anti-Social Behaviour: Motion. (11 May 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad of this opportunity to support the amendment to the motion as outlined by my colleague, Senator Jim Walsh. Fine Gael has afforded us an opportunity to show how successful the Minister's crime prevention programme has been to date. Although this applies to both sides of the House, it is unfortunate when divisive motions are tabled and...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Second Stage. (31 May 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister of State and I congratulate him on bringing this Bill before the House. It will be one of the most important Bills discussed in my time here. I commend him on the energy and enthusiasm given to it and I also commend the contributions made by Deputies O'Dea and Mary Wallace when they were in the job. I know it was not an easy task. The publication of the report by the...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (1 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: Senator Norris's views have been noted and ignored.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I support the Minister of State's view. The word "disability" conveys exactly what the Bill is about. The amendment refers to the "assessment and services for people with disabilities", but says nothing about treatment. If one is going to be prescriptive, one should take into account all the elements associated with the needs of people with disabilities. The word "disability" is all...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I agree with the Minister of State. There is a serious obligation on bodies which supply various services to health boards. If they are manufacturers they must first register with the Irish Medicines Board and must also obtain a qualification which I understand is called a C2 certificate, regarding certain standards. Some operators within the health system went out of business within a short...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I support the remarks made by Senator Terry. Section 5(4) states that "in determining the appropriate allocation under subsections (2) or (3) in a financial year, the Minister or specified body concerned shall ensure that the amount remaining after the allocation is not less than the amount that is required". I do not understand what is meant by "the amount remaining after the allocation"....

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: In order to have a review that is real and meaningful, one must give the legislation time to settle in all its elements. The Minister of State said the legislation will be monitored on an ongoing basis in any event. I am sure the voluntary bodies working in the field will be feeding information to the Minister through the various sponsored bodies in regard to how they feel it is working and...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (14 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: This might be possible in some instances but, when considered, the assessment officer and the liaison officer are the two fundamental people involved. If I read the Bill correctly, the assessment officer is independent and the liaison officer is resource-led. The assessment officer is the person one looks to to give one's assessment without any consideration of how much it might cost whereas...