Results 3,041-3,060 of 7,123 for speaker:Mary O'Rourke

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I welcome the Minister to discuss this Bill, which is part of the social fabric, being the translation into legislation of an EU directive. I am glad it is the subject of primary legislation, because ministerial orders do not have the same effect. The law is the law and people have more respect for legislation. When I was in the Minister's job there was an ongoing struggle between the...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Education and social partnership have led to this country having a first-rate economy. I hope we go the well-trodden but well-respected way. Everybody should be treated with respect. The beauty of social partnership is that people and unions listen to each other. The discussion is equal and there is good practice and proper methods of treating people. I have never heard of anything like the...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Yes.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: The British economy is faltering.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: There was only one shop there.

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: They failed because SIPTU stood up to them.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator Finucane, who acted as leader of his party in the Seanad today, raised the matter of rip-off Ireland, Eddie Hobbs and the debate surrounding this issue. I juggled my time and watched the four episodes. It is his presentation that is attractive. He is quirky and funny and the Cork accent helps. I am sorry if I have offended Cork people. I just mean the Cork accent helps.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator Minihan has a posh accent.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Eddie Hobbs did the State some service. People were riveted by his programme judging from the numbers that watched it. Senator Finucane also referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General and senior officials. I will return to that point to which Senator Mansergh replied. A Minister has overall responsibility for his or her Department and that includes the actions of civil servants and the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: No, it is not. It is masquerading under the guise of redundancy. The same thing could happen in the retail sector or some other sector of employment. Workers from other countries are being invited to come here and work for half-price. It is a terrible situation. I hope there is no watering down of the Taoiseach's condemnation of it. Senator O'Toole also referred to the partnership programme....

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: That was some accolade. We are so busy beating ourselves up that we do not make the good points. Certainly, Mr. Trichet's remark was a good point. Senator Maurice Hayes referred to immigration policy and said the Polish version ofNewsweek had a very damning report on how the Poles perceive themselves to be treated in Ireland. The Polish people are everywhere, including in hotels, restaurants...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I have to curb my tongue. After three months, it is hard, a Chathaoirligh. It is very difficult. After Senator Quinn had vanished from the Chamber yesterday, I praised him on his excellent article on the Oireachtas in The Irish Times. Senator Ormonde called for a debate on immigration and asked a very relevant question which I cannot address because the Cathaoirleach will not allow me to do so.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: It is an interesting point.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator Glynn called for a debate on cystic fibrosis, men's health and type 2 diabetes. It would be difficult to frame a health debate just on those three issues but we will have to find some mechanism for doing so because he has been raising the matter for some time.

Seanad: Treaty of Amsterdam: Motion. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I move: That the proposal that Seanad Éireann approve, in accordance with Article 29.4.6° of Bunreacht na hÉireann, the exercise by the State of the option, provided by Article 3 of the fourth Protocol set out in the Treaty of Amsterdam, to notify the President of the Council of the European Union that it wishes to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: The Order of Business today is Nos. 1 and 2. No. 1 is a motion referring a proposal to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights for consideration. It concerns the establishment of a specific programme of civil justice as part of the general programme of fundamental rights and justice. The motion will be taken without debate; No.2, the Employee (Provision of...

Seanad: Garda Investigations: Motion. (28 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: As the Leader of the House, I wish to add my voice to this debate. I thank the Fine Gael Party, which deserves credit for using its Private Members' time to initiate a debate on this issue. I give credit to the Minister, Deputy Michael McDowell, and his colleagues on the Government side who produced an amended motion that took the views of all parties into account. The leaders of the parties...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator Brian Hayes welcomed General de Chastelain's report on decommissioning and the response of the Ulster Unionist Party to it. The UUP welcomed the report and stated it would return to the issue when fuller details become available. The UUP response was statesman-like. The Private Members' motion will be amended by the Government but because the Cabinet was meeting this morning, the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: He will. The Senator also referred to his visit to Trim to examine where a new hotel is being built. He also said Members were rightly not enthusiastic for the Centre for Public Inquiry. We are not enthusiastic about it because we do not know what it is about. Now we see there will be another Comptroller and Auditor General. Senator Quinn asked for a debate on this issue and we will see what...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: As it is no longer in the constituency, what would I be going there for?