Results 141-160 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Margareta Wahlström (29 May 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome Ms Margareta Wahlström to discuss the challenges and opportunities for building risk resilience to disasters of nations and communities. It is a great opportunity to have someone held in such high esteem as Ms Margareta Wahlström to address the House. Every Member of Seanad Éireann is privileged to have her here to debate the issue. It is not often we have the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Architectural Heritage (12 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, for coming before the House to take this matter, which relates to the well-being of and future plans relating to the artefacts from Yeats' Tower at Thoor Ballylee outside Gort in County Galway. As he is probably aware, this building and the artefacts contained within it are, from a historical, recreational and cultural perspective, of special...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Architectural Heritage (12 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his reply. I am absolutely thrilled with the content of the reply. It is great that museums and similar entities in the area may now be in a position to enter into negotiations with the Department in the context of housing some of the priceless artefacts from Thoor Ballylee. In light of my background as a barrister, I would be delighted to offer legal assistance to...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, for coming to the House to address an issue which is of great concern to people in Portumna, County Galway, and surrounding areas. People in the town have been left without public health services since November 2012 as a consequence of a rat infestation in the health centre building. This matter was brought to my attention at the time by...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response. However, I am most dissatisfied with it. There is a pressing need right now to provide health care services within Portumna and its surrounding area. As the Minister of State mentioned, some 6,500 people want to avail of these services and it is not good enough to think that they are being ignored. What will the people of Portumna and the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: No more than the Minister of State, I am in the business of finding solutions. Unfortunately, this is a long-term solution to a short-term problem. Something needs to be done and more urgently than kicking the ball down the road until such time as a primary medical care centre is built or until such time as GPs come on board. My door is open at any time to facilitate and help people in...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I am aware the Minister is in talks with a private company in that regard. However, what I need is a short-term solution for the people of Portumna. I am not looking at a situation two or three years down the road. I want to represent the people to the best of my ability.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (18 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: A location has already been identified, but the problem is it is on a long-term basis.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I request that the Minister for Justice and Equality comes into the House to discuss the possibility of introducing minimum sentences for those convicted of certain crimes. I raise this in light of the decision reached by the Australian court in the Jillian Meagher case. Justice was not only seen to be done but it was done and the convicted killer got a minimum sentence of 35 years. While...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Suicide Prevention (20 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss the possibility of implementing a policy that would undoubtedly assist the safety and well-being of Irish teenagers. I raised this issue in the Seanad a number of months ago. As we know, the issues of bullying and suicide are persisting right across the country and, unfortunately, are remaining prevalent among teenagers. I...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Suicide Prevention (20 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am delighted to learn of this latest initiative to deal with an issue I raised some months ago as a result of lobbying from people in my area. It was great to be able to bring it to the floor of the House and now to see that something so positive is being enacted as a consequence. Teenagers are our future. I was one, as indeed was the...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: The contents of the Anglo Irish Bank tapes which have emerged in recent days are not only outrageous but insulting to the people. The effect of those details on taxpayers' lives is almost matched by the arrogance dripping from Bowe, Drumm and Fitzgerald. It is outlandish that these people were able to-----

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I will not mention them again. In any case, it is outlandish that these people were able to dupe the regulatory authorities of this country and the taxpayers to such an extent. The question that arises is whether there are further tapes. Are there tapes similar to what we have heard, where bankers act and behave in a cavalier manner towards the taxpayers of this country? We should demand...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy White for coming into the House this evening, but I am a little disappointed that the Minister for Finance is not here, given that the issue I raise on the Adjournment is a matter of national importance and of particular concern and interest to the taxpayer. This matter relates to the recent revelations regarding a former employee of NAMA who secured...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I apologise. It will not happen again. This communication may be prejudicial to NAMA's customer and has left the State and the taxpayer exposed to a potential claim for damages for hundreds of millions. It is quite clear to me that NAMA did not act in the best interest of its customer in this instance. My concern is that this may very well be the tip of the iceberg. Will the State be...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his response and it is unfortunate that the Minister for Finance is not here this evening to address the issue. It is regrettable that he pre-empted my submission this evening. I am a qualified barrister and I have an understanding of the law. I spent quite a number of years at King's Inns and in practice thereafter. I make it clear that the issue is not...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: It is also a breach of privacy and confidentiality agreements, as well the European Convention of Human Rights. These details are on public record and they were part of-----

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I understand but it is very important to clarify the matter.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Staff Recruitment (25 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I have a right to clarify the issue when the ministerial reply intimated I was abusing parliamentary privilege. I want to make it very clear that I am not. There are serious issues that must be addressed and I will furnish the Minister with the details.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Yesterday, I called for all tapes from all the bailed-out banks to be made available to the Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, in the public interest. I reiterate that call today. I want to raise an issue related to the Anglo Irish Bank debacle and the individuals recorded on the tapes. Were their terms and conditions of employment contracts changed in their...