Results 1,521-1,540 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I join the Leader in welcoming Senator Niall Ó Brolcháin to the Seanad. It is a proud day for him and his family. On behalf of Fine Gael, I wish him success in the Seanad and extend our congratulations to him on his election. As people take in the effects of what is an unfair and unjust budget and as they struggle to find hope for the future, I ask the Leader to provide time for a...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: A number of questions must be asked of any budget. Was the budget fair? Did it deal with competitiveness issues? Was there a job stimulus? Did it protect vulnerable and families? Did it protect children? That is surely one of the first goals of any budget. When we examine this budget and all of these criteria, we must, unfortunately, conclude that the budget was not fair, did not...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: An increase of 15%.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I support the calls by a number of Senators with regard to having an inquiry into the banking sector and what has happened to our economy and finances. I congratulate Mr. Patrick Honohan on the clarity of the statement he made to the joint committee yesterday. I want to raise one aspect of what he said, namely, that he was concerned that confidentiality was being overused and that "the...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is an extraordinary story on the front page of The Irish Times and throughout the media today. It describes how in the Circuit Criminal Court in County Kerry, about 50 people, "mostly middle aged and elderly men", queued to shake hands and sympathise with a man convicted of rape. Can the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform come to the House and explain how this could happen...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the Bishop of Kerry dissociating himself from the remarks made by the parish priest. In view of the isolation felt by the victim of the sexual assault, I welcome that statement. I reiterate my call for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to examine what happened in the courthouse and the recent report of the Rape Crisis Network on the isolation of victims in sexual...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: It has been a real turn around.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: There is no sign of it at the moment.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Leader will have to talk to Deputy Healy-Rae about the matter. He seems to make the decisions on health matters.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Bill 2009: Motion for Early Signature (18 Dec 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I second that.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: Are we taking the Order of Business?

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: I join the Leader in congratulating Senator Mooney on his re-election to the Seanad. Those of us on this side of the House wish the Senator all the best. We look forward to working with him. We know he has a strong record of hard work in the House and he is welcome back.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the House reconvenes, the country faces many challenges. I wish to focus on yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Finance in which he outlined the Government's approach to the banking crisis. When one examines past events, it is clear that the capacity of the powerful in this country to act in private and secret was a major factor in the collapse of the banking system and the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: Actually, we did.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: No.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am very surprised. That is a disgraceful comment.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: Let us have the debate today.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: Order of Business. (21 Jan 2010)

Frances Fitzgerald: I wish to raise two items, the first of which is the strike that occurred yesterday which effectively amounted to economic sabotage at a time of such uncertainty for the country and hardship for people. It is unacceptable to see our international reputation being damaged in that way, the suffering it caused, the impact it had on people's arrangements and the effect it had on our exports....