Results 1,981-2,000 of 2,438 for speaker:Caít Keane

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: He is very fragile.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I put up my hand to speak when the Senator stated that this side of the House voted against this amendment, which we did. As it stands, the amendment is flawed but the spirit behind it is good. Openness and transparency is very valuable in politics but we are not going to fix an entire system with this Bill. I agree with the spirit nonetheless. We are all Senators and our category - in a...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: Precisely. I would go along with the outlawing of expenses.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: Exactly.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: On the amendment, which proposes to substitute the word "Part" with the word "Parts", this is a grammatical issue. The word "Part" is the correct form because the word "Parts" refers to a subset of the overall amendment.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: That is good.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: It would not be binding, as they would be only guidelines.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I am in agreement with the spirit of the amendment. The legislation currently refers to "at least 30 per cent". I encourage all parties to ensure they reach a level of 40%. They will not be prevented from having 40%. They will need to have at least 30%. I urge all parties to strive to achieve 40%. If the Government established a committee to examine legislation and make recommendations,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I welcome former Senator Gemma Hussey to the Seanad. She did much work in this area and I thank her for it. She is still working with the various groups that have been set to ensure that women are educated. Much work remains to be done besides introducing quotas. We must get to the bottom of the problem. I will not make a Second Stage speech, but quotas are one thing and preparatory work...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I am not confused in any way.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: At a recent Fine Gael party conference, I heard the general secretary of my party say that Fine Gael would be seeking to reach the quota at the next local elections, but in a voluntary capacity. I ask the Minister to seek a way to impose sanctions. The amendment, as worded, is pie in the sky. I have learned from experience that pie in the sky will not work. There must be a sanction and it...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: That is what I am trying to do.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Report and Final Stages (15 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: On a point of order, I was not admonishing the Minister on the title of the Bill; rather it was the concept of voluntarism and-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I listened to Senator O'Brien earlier, who rightly reminded us of the people who have lost their houses or the roof over their heads. We should use the time we have for reflection in the Seanad to think about who caused such people to lose the roof over their heads in the first instance and do something about it.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I said we should all-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: Yes. The Freedom of Information Act became law in 2003 and there is a policy from this Government that it will be changed so as to revert to an openness that was evident prior to 2003. The Government is working on it at the moment. I ask the Minister to come to the House and we will legislate to restore freedom of information to what it was before it was undermined by the previous...

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: Tá mé ag ceapadh gurbh í seo an díospóireacht is tábhachtaí sa Teach seo agus an conradh is tábhachtaí le cur os comhair mhuintir na hÉireann i mbliana. Ós rud é go bhfuil Seachtain na Gaeilge ann, déarfaidh abairt amháin as Gaeilge. It is a very important treaty. Since the Government took office, we have taken every opportunity to seek ways to reduce the debt. People who...

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: If the Government continues to operate as at present we will not need-----

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I am not.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Caít Keane: I will. I was referring to what Senator Tom Sheahan said. I do not agree that we need a second bailout.