Results 1,401-1,420 of 1,494 for speaker:Deirdre Clune

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Deirdre Clune: It is important to have this debate. The Minister has appeared in this House previously to discuss it and I thank him for his work. We have now established steps for how schools, principals, teachers and parents can deal with the issue of bullying, which has advanced into cyberbullying. Bullying was always with us and always will be. It is not technology that is the problem but behaviour....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Data Protection (8 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to ascertain the steps being taken to ensure that personal data is afforded a greater level of security on the Internet. This question is exercising many people at this point and the Edward Snowden scandal was a wake-up call with regard to what can happen with the sharing and usage of data for inappropriate purposes. It is again a question of what is inappropriate, which is anybody's...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Data Protection (8 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I am glad that the issue was on the Council's agenda yesterday. I am sure the issue I have raised about companies from outside the European Union that are operating here not being subject to as strict regulation as companies from within the Union will be addressed in the detail of the proposals. We will progress that issue again.

Seanad: County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (9 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I note the Minister of State's responses. This is all about bringing the expertise of Enterprise Ireland and the county enterprise boards into the local authorities. My experience is that the proposal has been welcomed across the board as a much more efficient way of delivering a very valuable service to local enterprises and individuals wishing to set up businesses. They will now be able...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, or the Minister of State at his Department, Deputy Perry, to come before the House to discuss the Action Plan for Jobs for next year, which is currently in preparation? Everybody will agree that the budget introduced yesterday is excellent in the context of job creation. I know that Members across...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: Those to whom these cards relate may have left the country or their circumstances may have changed and they do not use them anymore.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I am sure Senator Darragh O'Brien would agree that it is sensible that the Government should review the position with regard to medical cards and ensure that GPs are not paid in respect of cards which are not being used. The evidence shows that this review is necessary. Anybody who is entitled to a medical card will either retain that which he or she already has or will be issued with one.

Seanad: County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013: Report and Final Stages (16 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State, who has been very informative. In particular, I refer to the importance of his circulating the service level agreement to Members last week. This Bill marks an important first step in the changes that are being introduced. The particular emphasis in this regard is to ensure there is a better service to the consumers, namely, those people who are interested in...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I support Senator Keane's call on the Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012. It is very important for towns and cities. We need to get this Bill in place to enable local authorities to address the valuation of properties. Will the Leader inquire about the progress of this Bill and why it has stalled? I do not understand where Senator White is coming from. The 9% VAT rate has been...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: The reduction of the airport tax to zero will bring in 1 million passengers, according to Ryanair, and we look forward to that. I hope many of those will come through Cork Airport. The stimulus initiative provided to the construction sector has been welcomed, and it will kick-start that sector. It was sought by Tom Parlon and others. The VAT rebate to be provided to householders is very...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: We know that following the Haddington Road and Croke Park agreements, there is a moratorium on recruitment to many areas of the public sector, so that sector will not provide jobs. None the less, the Government will create the environment in which jobs can be provided. The County Enterprise Boards (Dissolution) Bill 2013 was before the House yesterday, and the Senator was part of those...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: It is a very positive jobs budget, and we asked the Leader yesterday if we would have a debate on the forthcoming jobs action plan that the Minister will produce for 2014.

Seanad: Gas Regulation Bill 2013: Second Stage (17 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: The Bill reflects a programme for Government decision to consider putting non-strategic assets up for sale. I fully agree with the separation of the network from the energy-supply sector. I congratulate the Government on negotiating with the EU-IMF troika to ensure that 50% of the proceeds of such sales would be retained for job-creation initiatives. Following the sale of the national...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: The social welfare Bill will be taken this week in the Dáil and next week in the Seanad. The Leader of the House gave a commitment that the guillotine will not be used and I am sure he will follow through on that commitment. It is a very important discussion and an important element of legislation. I remind Senator Darragh O'Brien that the budget is taking €2.5 billion out of...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: It is €3.1 billion down to €2.5 billion. We are in a bailout programme-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: We are borrowing to the tune of €12 billion annually-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: The effects were felt across the board. However, the response from those involved in business has been positive and this will contribute to the economic recovery that is under way. I ask the Acting Leader to arrange a discussion on the issue of childhood obesity and to congratulate the Minister for Health on another initiative he undertook yesterday in leading a campaign on this issue. He...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Statements (23 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I wish to share time with Senator Hildegarde Naughton. The 2004 all-party committee which produced a report on Seanad reform found that the exact role of Seanad Éireann was not obvious to the general public, and that is probably true. Its primary role is legislative. What goes on in this House is part of the legislative process. Legislation is initiated in the Dáil or the Seanad;...

Seanad: EU Scrutiny and Transparency in Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Oct 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Tánaiste and Minister of State for attending the House for this debate. This Bill follows on our discussion yesterday with the Taoiseach. Over the years, there have been many suggestions that the Seanad should become more involved in scrutinising EU proposals. Since the Lisbon treaty, the role of national parliaments in EU legislation has been greatly strengthened. We are...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (5 Nov 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I acknowledge the point made by the Minister in her speech that originally €440 million was to be taken from her Department's budget and that figure was reduced to €226 million. She had a similar story to tell us last year. However, as others have said, these spending reductions will still have an impact. Budget 2014 was about getting people back to work while at the same...