Results 221-240 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: The One Percent Difference National Giving Campaign: Statements (22 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: The Senator must conclude to allow the Minister to respond.

Seanad: The One Percent Difference National Giving Campaign: Statements (22 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: When it is proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Statistics (Heritage Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (16 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this interesting Bill, which has been introduced by our colleague, Senator Ó Murchú. He must be commended for showing such an interest in this topic. I understand the Senator is seeking to propose amendments to the Statistics Act 1993, which would mean that the provisions of the Act would no longer apply to the 1926...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (9 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (9 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response on the efforts being made by the Government and the Department in trying to improve job creation in County Galway, and I welcome the fact that ALS remains committed to the area. I hope that as a consequence of an expected upturn in the world economy, more job opportunities will be created in the town. There is one caveat and we cannot...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (9 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I hope there is similar good news for County Galway and, in particular, the eastern part of the county.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Job Creation (9 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: The matter I wish to raise relates to the difficult situation in Loughrea, County Galway as a consequence of a number of lay-offs in recent times. The Minister of State is from the west and will know that County Galway, in particular, has been very badly hit by the recession, through the closure of various businesses and other facilities which were treasured and cherished by the local...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I refer to an article I read recently in the Irish Independent. It speculates that the Government will reduce VAT for the construction sector in the upcoming budget. Like all Members of the Oireachtas, I certainly welcome measures designed to generate employment, but I would be horrified by the vista of NAMA and cowboy developers getting a tax break from the Government. If the measure was...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Treatment Abroad Scheme (2 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: We move to the second matter on the Adjournment. I understand that Senator Ó Clochartaigh is to share time with Senator Ó Domnhail.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Treatment Abroad Scheme (2 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Is the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley also responding on this matter?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (1 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for his detailed response and welcome everything he is doing in respect of the provision of discretionary medical cards to those who are in need. I also acknowledge the high percentage of people in receipt of medical cards. However, as I stated with regard to cancer patients predominantly, as well as those who are suffering from Huntington's disease, to avoid...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (1 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: With the agreement of the House, I propose to share time with Senator Marie Moloney.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Medical Card Eligibility (1 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for agreeing to discuss on the Adjournment the need to provide cancer patients with discretionary medical cards. This matter arises about as a result of a recent visit I had to Gort Cancer Support. This is a voluntary group that operates in Gort and which carries out undoubtedly invaluable work for cancer sufferers in that area. The service...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: The Senator should have objected last week.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fodder Crisis (26 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to take this matter. I would like to raise the fodder crisis earlier this year and what can be done to help farmers and to prevent future crises. I commend the Department for Agriculture, Food and the Marine on all the measures it put in place last spring to assist farmers in dealing with the crisis. The funds to help to transport fodder from...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fodder Crisis (26 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I would like to convey my thanks to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. This would be a progressive step and it would complement the committee's strategy to alleviate future fodder crises.

Seanad: Pathways to Work Strategy: Statements (25 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister. Without doubt she has done enormous work since she went into the Department and took up her brief. Some of my colleagues in the Seanad Chamber have failed to realise the mess that she inherited and the number of people who were signing on for welfare payments when she first became the Minister, and subsequently. Over the summer period I had cause to be in my...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Protected Disclosures Bill 2013 as a very necessary and detailed legislative framework which will protect whistleblowers across all stratifications of the workforce. There is no doubt that the details within the Bill are necessary reforms to the law and that they will encourage employees to come forward with reports of suspected wrongdoing within their place of employment while...

Seanad: Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act (Commencement) Order 2013: Statements (24 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to discuss the item of legislation that provides for the banking inquiry. We must remember that the banking fiasco wiped out so much individual wealth in the country and left people on the breadline. Members of the Oireachtas see this on a weekly basis at constituency clinics. I am on record as being opposed to the banking inquiry being held in...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I call on the Minister for Finance to come to the House to debate the urgent need to retain the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality industry before any budget discussions on it. The restaurant and hospitality sector, particularly hotels, were particularly badly hurt during the economic downturn. This VAT rate was a very welcome shot in the arm to the industry. By reverting to the 13% rate we...