Results 20,381-20,400 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: A large number of people have benefitted from the VHI and we owe it a debt of gratitude for the work done over many years. It has served the Irish consumer well and changes to its status would require very careful discussion. However, this does not take away from the fact it raises competition issues which we are discussing. Some of these must be dealt with to open up the market and ensure...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Does this mean that all the powers that were previously vested in the Minister for Health and Children have gone? Is there no regulatory power over the VHI anymore?

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 31: In page 6, before section 6, to insert the following new section: "6.—The Board shall report on a six monthly basis to the Competition Authority on its market share in the health insurance market.". Given that the Minister will no longer have a role and that various competition issues arise with the development of these new subsidiaries given the dominance of VHI, I...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Deputy Varadkar.

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: When the Minister introduced the Bill in the House she spoke about a number of amendments she would bring forward to deal with concerns people expressed about the proposed change to the structure. She might comment on that when addressing this section. A number of competitors in this field made the point that, at its most basic, the Bill appeared to give the VHI further commercial freedoms...

Seanad: Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 5: In page 3, before section 2, to insert the following new section: "2—The Board should be solvent and prove itself to be so before any additional powers are vested on it so to ensure fair competition within the market.". This relates to the solvency issue which the Minister has addressed to some degree. The point we make is that while there is a requirement on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: This morning the chaos for 60,000 bus commuters in Dublin continues. I ask the Leader to bring the concern of the House on the matter to the attention of the Minister for Transport. The Government indecision on transport issues in Dublin has a very corrosive effect on the workers. I refer to the indecision regarding the regulation of the market, combining public and private transport, and...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Pension Provision: Motion (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a motion, not a statement.

Seanad: Road Safety: Statements (Resumed) (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Ahern, to the House for this important debate on road safety, which was requested by Senators from all sides of the House. I congratulate the Road Safety Authority on its new strategy. It is obviously critical that we put in place a very broad strategy that commands the support of the wider public, including drivers of all ages. We know from...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is not the first time it has been sought.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: The year 1997 was ten years ago.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: I agree to the Order of Business. In the past few weeks, a number of Senators have asked the Minister for Education and Science to address the concerns they have expressed about education. The report published today by the ESRI on young people dropping out of school merits discussion in this House because it is extraordinary that so many young people, and young men in particular, are...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: He should stop going to international conferences if he feels so deprived.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: That was what Dr. Crown was doing.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: That is the basic point.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: Last week Senators across the House were very keen for the Minister for Health and Children to address the Seanad and discuss the crisis in breast cancer care services and the fact that women had been misdiagnosed. I am disappointed the Minister was not in the Seanad last week and apparently will not be in the House this week either. Will the Leader comment on that and let the House know...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2007)

Frances Fitzgerald: There are two more very disturbing reports today, which make it even more urgent that she attend the House. It is shocking that somebody had enough energy to make some calls to RTE, which led to Professor Crown——