Results 1,461-1,480 of 1,494 for speaker:Deirdre Clune

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: The Minister has been here since 3 p.m. listening to all contributions.

Seanad: Critical Utilities (Security of Supply) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: As the previous speaker mentioned, if we were facing a strike on Monday, the tempo of the debate would be different. The context of the Bill, trying to protect critical utilities, is important. This afternoon, I thought back to the 1970s and 1980s, to which Senator Whelan referred, and the power strikes. We were given notice of the time we had power and we prepared for it. Senator Quinn...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions: Discussion with International Criminal Court (17 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I thank Mrs. Bensouda for her time. It has been most interesting from my point of view to hear the depth and breadth of her work. I was particularly interested in her response to Deputy Mitchell concerning gender-based crimes against women. It has been most interesting and I thank Mrs. Bensouda very much. I wish her well.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: Will the Leader arrange a debate with the Minister for Finance in the new year on the mid-term economic review that was published yesterday? The report has been criticised by some for not being ambitious enough and by others for not being sufficiently cautious. The projections contained therein seem to me to be very realistic. The House should avail of an opportunity to discuss that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: I congratulate Mr. Ryan and wish him well. He is very familiar with the work of the IDA. No doubt his 35 years of experience will be of enormous benefit, notwithstanding the previous comment by Deputy Lawlor. Like Senator Quinn, I would be interested to hear of what Mr. Ryan believes are the challenges. I do not know if it is on his agenda but something that came up recently in Cork is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: Given that three Senators are present, is it necessary to suspend the meeting?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: Is it in order for us to continue?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: IDA Ireland: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Dec 2013)

Deirdre Clune: John Cleary Development.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jan 2014)

Deirdre Clune: Like Senator Darragh O'Brien, I ask that the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government come to the House to have a discussion on Irish Water and its establishment, to get information on it and the costs associated which are the subject of committee hearings. It is appropriate that we would wait until those committee hearings have finished so that we have the full...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I welcome the publication by the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, of a review of the apprenticeship model. Traditionally, apprenticeships have been largely associated with the construction sector. Much more can be done in this area. We have heard many times about the successful apprenticeship system in place in Germany where youth unemployment is below 8%. The review...

Seanad: Irish Water: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I am not a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht but I followed some of the debate last week, and the debate following the establishment of Irish Water. Until last December there were 34 local authorities across the country, which were not connected or coordinated on delivery of water services and water treatment. Senator Barrett said that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Landscape: Minister of State (4 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: The Minister of State has covered many of the areas that I am interested in and it was good to hear his response. Will he comment on the question of the unitary patent system? There is EU funding and State funding for businesses. I remember a previous review of the money spent on research in which there was always a suggestion that more could be done to leverage funding other than State...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Research and Development Landscape: Minister of State (4 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: What about the unity of patents?

Seanad: European Union Affairs: Statements (5 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: Thank you. I wish the Minister of State well. I appreciate the importance of the work he is doing. One point I would like to raise is the European Regional Development Fund and funding for urban renewal projects, which we hear may be excluded this time around. Cities like Cork, Dublin, Waterford and Galway, and probably Limerick as well, would not receive funding under this round, but it...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Prevention Measures (5 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to my Adjournment matter. I raise the matter of the flooding in recent days and in particular flooding in Cork city which was devastated last night. Cork has experienced many flooding events over the years. The two flooding events this week are related to high tides, a lot of rain and winds from the south east. This...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Prevention Measures (5 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State for highlighting the commitment to progressing the projects. It is important we keep hearing that. He recognises the fact there is frustration in the city centre. When will these projects start construction? Could certain elements of the scheme be advanced once identified? The floods of the past week will have provided further information.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Prevention Measures (5 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: Go raibh maith agat.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters.: Data Protection (18 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I am concerned over the personal data from individuals, who are using leaky smartphone apps, which can be gathered and used for surveillance or sold on for commercial reasons. It is becoming quite serious. I believe there has to be surveillance of some sort from a security point of view in the fight against terrorism. However, do we...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters.: Data Protection (18 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: I fully agree with the Minister of State in respect of the last point she made. Had she not, I would have made the point that it is important for security reasons to protect against terrorism threats. We have surveillance but it must be controlled. I also agree with the Minister of State that there is a sense of personal responsibility in all of this in terms of using free Wi-Fi and so on....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters.: Data Protection (18 Feb 2014)

Deirdre Clune: It is great what they can do.