Results 3,201-3,220 of 7,123 for speaker:Mary O'Rourke

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Members who participated in the debate on the Bill wish to speak to the Minister of State.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I also thank the Minister of State for coming before the House and remaining for all the sessions here. I also thank his officials, Ms Siobhan Barron and Mr. Brendan Sheehy who were present and listened to the debate throughout. I agree with Senator Terry that the Bill now differs from that which was originally presented in this House because the Minister of State, in meeting the DFI and the...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: They did so without any suggestion of thinking "oh the Bill again". They remained present and went about their business. I also thank my colleague, Senator Kett, who works in the area and who provided me with much wisdom. Sometimes, if I became bolder than I should, he stayed my hand. Everyone who participated in this Bill and stuck with it throughout the debate has done the State a great service.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I believe that each Department should be included. When the Bill is enacted factors will emerge that belong to other Departments. Departments change name and become merged and segregated. The cleanest approach is to require every Minister to report a sectoral plan, which will ensure they understand it is also their business and not just the business of the Ministers responsible for transport,...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Does this apply to the Departments that have no plans now?

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: The Minister of State said other Ministers are required to come back by the end of the year.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Let the call go out loud and clear from this House that it was a big mistake to state that the sectoral plan should be laid before the Dáil. Senator Quinn discovered this omission some years ago. I would not be as kind as Senator Terry about it. Those in the Office of the Chief Parliamentary Counsel who formulated the Bill should realise there are two Houses in the Oireachtas and that no...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I wish the Minister would accept this amendment as it opens the door further. I take the point that a Department may not take further action in this area if a Secretary General, for example, says the quota of 3% has been reached. Senator Feeney called for a report into whether further action could be taken. Of course Departments could do more. In a Department with a staff of 300 or 400, a...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I echo Senator Kett's statement. I have some questions for the Minister. Senator Terry spoke about access to railway stations. Great effort has been made at some stations around the country to make them accessible to people with disabilities. Can the Minister of State report how long CIE has to get the stations updated in this regard, not just with buses and trains but with its railway...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Ten years is a long time for someone in a wheelchair.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: That would echo what the Minister of State has said about CIE informing people of what it was doing, that stations would be visited, and that the body would testify about what work had been carried out.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senators Brian Hayes and Henry said nobody should have to apologise for raising particular immigration cases. My heart is broken with stories about immigration, visas and asylum seekers. No matter what one does one cannot keep up with the flood of injustices which come to light each day by telephone, letter and e-mail. There seem to be inconsistent rules such as in the case of the Romanian...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I will. I do not look forward to the Senator prowling the streets of Westmeath though, with or without your armband.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: He will be welcome in Westmeath. I do not know what the Deputy will say about that. I hope I will be welcome in Longford. Senator Bradford also raised the Christy McGrath case and EU proposals for the future of the sugar industry, which do not bode well for Ireland. I will ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, time permitting, she will come to this House next week. Senator Feighan...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: The Order of Business is No. 1, the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005 — Second Stage, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business until 1.30 p.m., with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 15 minutes, those of all other Senators not to exceed ten minutes and the Minister to be called on to reply not later than ten minutes before the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I thought it was 12 months later.

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I see him coming.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Is this merely a technical language amendment? Does the advocacy still remain?

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: The elaboration and extra information for which the amendment provides will not only help to determine needs but inform future strategy. The number, age and category of persons with disability will be supplied concurrently rather than gathered to ensure that when a strategy is prepared for the provision of, for example, speech therapists, it is immediately apparent what is required and when....

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I would have thought so.