Results 19,281-19,300 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: Committee Stage (31 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senators for the hard work they have put into the Bill and the various amendments that have been tabled. I very much respect the spirit in which the amendments have been tabled and look forward to discussing them. My approach is very much one of wanting to work constructively on the Bill. We have a shared goal of strengthening its provisions and ensuring we deal effectively with...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: Committee Stage (31 May 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will get on to that now. There is also an attempt to capture coercive and controlling behaviours, including those with a psychological element. I have no ideological difficulty with defining domestic violence or creating an offence of coercive control. I have no ideological resistance to that whatever. The key question is will it be effective and is it going to be supportive of victims...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank him for his interest in the Fine Gael leadership election.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I hope all other parties will show the same level of transparency, democracy and excitement in their leadership elections as we have shown in the course of ours.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: By the way, I believe it is Deputy Thomas Byrne's birthday. I wish him a happy birthday.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Deputy spoke about personal contract plans. I have noted, as he said, that the issue has been raised in other countries. I have heard the debate in the United Kingdom about them. There is quite a lot of concern that people may be taking on unmanageable debt. I appreciate the Deputy raising the point which has not received very much coverage in this country, but it is one to which the...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy is well aware, there has been an increase in car sales although there has been somewhat of a decrease this year.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, but anybody who puts a lending product into the Irish market has a responsibility. This issue is now becoming more relevant because of the increase in car sales. These products are available. As the Deputy said, people can access finance in an easier way than before when they buy cars from garages. Given the improving economy, people want to change their cars and so on. The...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: For 30 years our gardaí and Defence Forces sought to prevent people getting involved in shootings and terrorist activity across this country. They dedicated themselves to preventing those murders. Unfortunately and despite that effort, they were unable to prevent some murders. However, they certainly helped to maintain the peace and protect communities. Our gardaí are doing the...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Pathetic.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: As usual, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald is dividing communities. She cannot acknowledge the positive initiatives that have been taken. There is the usual negativity and she cannot even acknowledge the huge initiative that has been taken in the north-east inner city.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: In less than one year we have seen a huge number of short, medium and longer term measures and the community recognises this. When I attended meetings with the Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, it acknowledged the importance of the initiatives that were under way and the investment being made. Unlike Deputy Mary Lou McDonald, it actually acknowledges that there is a long...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: It will not be dealt with overnight.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Clearly, there is huge-----

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Perhaps for a change Deputy Mary Lou McDonald should try to acknowledge some of the positive things that have happened.

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I acknowledge the Deputy's expertise in this area and the work done by Deputy Shortall and the members of the Committee on the Future of Healthcare. The country would be pleased to see an all-party approach to health. Every citizen and every Member wishes to have a health service as described by Deputy Harty, that grants equal access, is fair and provides a good service. When speaking...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: When the committee was doing its work it invited many experts to its meetings and received the contributions of many stakeholders in the area, including health care professionals, academics and other interested parties. Undoubtedly, that contributed hugely to the report. The Government acknowledges the level of expertise that went into framing the report, so it must be taken extremely...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: The decisions that have been taken are extremely important in terms of the separation of the influence of any religious body on our health services. Everybody here will welcome the decision announced this week by the Sisters of Charity to end their involvement with the St. Vincent's Healthcare Group. It is a very significant development for the whole health care sector. It deals with the...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy Shortall raised the question of whether that should be changed in the case of this particular hospital. There are complicated issues involved in that but, as the Deputy said, the health care report addresses this issue of the model we want to adopt going forward. The Deputy used the phrase "to disentangle". In terms of disentangling this issue, there are complex funding decisions to...

Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2017)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe is very important that this project gets built without the delay. I am sure the Deputy is familiar with the circumstances in which care is being delivered to pregnant women in Holles Street at present. Staff do an amazing job, but there are very poor conditions. Now that this issue of the role of the Sisters of Charity has been resolved, I believe the priority is to get this...