Results 1,381-1,400 of 5,534 for speaker:Maureen O'Sullivan

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Homeless Persons Supports (26 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: To ask the Minister for Health the residential accommodation and services provided by the Health Service Executive in Dublin 1 and Dublin 7; the staffing levels; the type of accommodation and services; the numbers availing of the accommodation and service; and if there are similar statistics available for other areas in Dublin [14861/13]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Animal Experimentation (26 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 636 of 12 March 2013, which does not include a reference to any specific enforcement activities undertaken by the Irish Medicines Board or his Department to ensure compliance with the EU marketing ban on animal tested cosmetics, the number of cosmetic products that have been surveyed by the IMB in conjunction with...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: Will this provision apply retrospectively? Will everyone with a dog in the country have to have it micro-chipped? If anyone is found not to be in compliance, what will be the consequences?

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 9:In page 14, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:“(2) A person shall be guilty of an offence if he keeps animals solely or primarily—(a) for slaughter (whether by himself or another) for the value of their fur, or (b) for breeding progeny for such slaughter including keeping animals or (as the case may be) breeding them for sale for slaughter...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I must take issue with the Minister's statement that fur farming is not cruel. It is cruel, because the animals are gassed with either carbon dioxide -----

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I know, but if animals are to be gassed with carbon dioxide, that is cruel. It has been scientifically proven that cruelty and pain are involved for these mink. The Irish Wildlife Trust's report on mink farms, which was covered on television some time ago, pointed out the dreadful conditions that exist in such farms. I accept that the Minister has said he does not intend to ban this...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I am appalled that in the previous vote only 14 of the 120 Members in this Chamber today voted in favour of banning fur farming. When it became known in animal welfare circles that the Minister was working on this Bill, there was a great sense that finally we were going to do the right thing and that cruel practices such as hare coursing, the gassing of mink and the culling of badgers would...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I will not take two minutes as there is no point in repeating the figures Deputy Clare Daly was starting to give. However, one cannot say that the previous vote and the votes that will take place on these amendments represent a victory for democracy. It is a victory for a party system, vested interests of which want to maintain these particular industries.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: It is not democratic. I am totally committed to democracy, but that was not an exercise in it.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: We are talking here about deliberate cruelty. I am not against what happens in the countryside in the natural course of things with animals. With a name like O'Sullivan, I have very strong rural connections. While I can accept what happens as part of the natural order in the countryside, this is deliberate cruelty. One almost feels like saying that if a hare survives once, he should...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I accept the amendment. It is hard to accept that the Minister has tabled this amendment, which is about trying to eliminate unnecessary suffering, when the majority of Members have just voted for various actions that cause untold suffering to animals.

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I understand this relates to the use of poison in a particular situation, but I am concerned about the deliberate poisoning of white-tailed sea eagles and, in particular, the two red kites that were poisoned last weekend. Is the Minister seeking to convince us that this particular aspect of the Bill is strong enough to prevent this from happening and that there are serious consequences for...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 18:In page 25, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following:“(i) safeguarding animals exposed to hazards in testing and research laboratories.”.I have previously tabled questions to the Minister on this issue, which I acknowledge does not come only within the remit of his Department. There is always the danger, where several Departments are involved, of...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: Much of the debate on the Minister's side has been about greater regulation and increased emphasis on codes of practice. They will not be worth the paper on which they are written unless there are qualified inspectors with the necessary expertise to ensure adherence to those regulations and that the codes and standards of practice are being addressed. There are concerns among some animal...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I accept the Minister's argument and that his heart is with our amendments. There was another case in Cork recently in which a red fox was tortured and hanged from a bus stop. These cases show us the vital need for inspectors. I felt the term “appropriate” was a little bit loose in the legislation. While I am not suggesting a qualification or a degree is the answer to...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I move amendment No. 44:In page 56, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following:“(iv) feral cat populations, (v) animals sold as pets, (vi) canines used for breeding purposes.”.On my own behalf and that of Deputy Clare Daly, there was a misunderstanding when Deputy Bernard J. Durkan was in the Chair and we did not have an opportunity to speak to amendment No. 14. We...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Gambling Legislation (27 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the methods that will be used to identify and protect minors in relation to gambling issues; the number of Gardai inspections that have taken place since the establishment of the Casino Gaming Controls Section of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15463/13]

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I also agree with the Minister's and Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív's argument regarding how following a three hour debate yesterday, the media chose to focus on one item and got it so wrong. I was here yesterday and heard what the Minister said about microchipping and his efforts to ensure this would be done at minimal cost. Like Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, I was shocked this...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: As the Minister said, feral cats are not vermin so there is no role for pest control companies in dealing with feral cats. Like Deputy Ó Cuív I am getting calls from people about the activities of these pest control companies. There are good indications that where the trap-neuter-release system is put into practice, it has a very positive effect on the number of feral cats in an...

Animal Health and Welfare Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2013)

Maureen O'Sullivan: I move amendment No: 45: In page 57, line 25, after “description” to insert “including feral animals”.