Results 321-340 of 866 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (26 Jan 2021)

Catherine Ardagh: I, too, join with colleagues in saying it is very appropriate that Senator Boyhan is in the Chair today. I thank him for taking time to do so.

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (26 Jan 2021)

Catherine Ardagh: All of us waited for the publication of the report, but no one more so than the survivors and relatives of the survivors of the mother and baby homes.The treatment of women in Ireland in recent history and, obviously, in the timeframe of the mother and baby homes can only be described as one of abandonment, distress, grief, loneliness, heartbreak, trauma and pure unkindness. The sight of the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Chathaoirleach. I also thank Senator Craughwell for bringing these amendments forward. On the face of it, it seems to be manifestly unfair that those who pay PRSI contributions have no benefits stemming from it. In the past number of years where we have had a particular influence in this House the public have become aware of the fact that one needs one's...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to discuss the housing assistance payment, HAP. Nearly 59,000 households are supported by means of this payment and many of us on the ground know that those in receipt of it are struggling to pay their rent. Many of them are topping up their HAP to their landlords so that they can stay in their homes. Topping up HAP was never meant to be the case. The system is significantly...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. Fianna Fáil welcomes this Bill, which gives effect to unprecedented levels of expenditure in budget 2021. Aside from the enormous levels of expenditure, the Bill also provides that the change to the State pension age previously planned for 1 January 2021 will be deferred. The pension age will remain at 66 pending the report of the...

Seanad: Finance Bill 2020: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I support the extension of the help-to-buy scheme. The figures show that 16,412 people applied for the help-to-buy scheme from January to November and even more people have applied in the last few months. If the Senator were successful in removing the section, can he imagine how many first-time buyers would be let down by him and Sinn Féin? The UK has brought in a similar scheme,...

Seanad: Deportation Moratorium (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (9 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House and I congratulate her on her good news. I commend the Civil Engagement Group for tabling this Private Members' legislation. It is probably one of the first times we have had the start of a meaningful debate on immigration in this House and we must have many more debates like it. I refer to immigration and its impact on us as an island and a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I would like to raise my disappointment at the reconfirmation by AIB that it plans to reduce its workforce by 1,500 people by 2023. Not only is this hugely disappointing for a huge amount of staff but it is also disappointing for people who use AIB's banking services locally. The reduction is not only of people but also of branches. It is closing down its Crumlin Cross branch and moving it...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for coming in to address this issue. I have worked with the Dublin 12 campaign for ASD inclusion and the Involve Autism groups since their inception. These are groups of courageous and dynamic parents who campaign for autism units in their local schools. More specifically, the Dublin 12 for ASD inclusion has campaigned since 2018 for an autism-specific school...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: Can I not come in again? Everyone else had the opportunity.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (25 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State, but I asked for a specific update on Scoil Colm. I would like to know where we are in regard to the discussions. What the Minister of State has said is very unclear. We need to know what is the future for Scoil Colm. What is going on is very cloak and dagger but the Department should give parents a proper update on the position of the school. They want to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I agree with some of the statements made by Senator Ruane on Senator Mullen's language today. It was completely inappropriate.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: Today is international day for the elimination of violence against women. This is against the backdrop of reports where we have learned that one in eight women suffers violence during pregnancy and that one in five women who are in an intimate relationship suffers violence. Domestic violence did not go away during the lockdown, where one might have thought it may have. This shows that a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: We all know about the pending Covid vaccines, which are very welcome. They are not a panacea and there is a long road ahead, but I am cautiously optimistic. I see them as, it is to be hoped, a pathway to the rejuvenation of the economy and some sort of normal life. Those who are vulnerable and front-line workers will be the first to be vaccinated, but we should have a proper debate on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs Council: Minister for Foreign Affairs (12 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for his detailed presentation. I will go backwards with regard to his speech. It is very exciting that we are taking a seat on the UN Security Council in the next few weeks. I welcome the fact that the Minister will be keeping us informed, but because it is so soon and because the Minister will be attending only every six months, I suggest that he give us an ongoing...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: We are well aware that the tourism industry has taken a severe battering since March due to Covid-19. Prior to Covid-19 the tourism industry employed 265,000 people and was worth €9.2 billion to the economy. The tourism industry is resilient and it can recover but we need to do everything we can to help. Today, I wish to raise the challenges facing St. Patrick's Cathedral, which is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I raise again the untimely death of Shane O'Farrell. This tragic killing has been discussed twice in this House and the Dáil since 2017. Shane O'Farrell died in a road traffic accident nine years ago in August. He was hit by a car driven by Mr. Zigimantas Gridziuska, who had 42 previous convictions and was at large while on bail. He should have been in prison for breaching many bail...

Seanad: Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 and Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020: Motions (22 Oct 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today. We in Fianna Fáil support the extension of the sunset clauses for both Part 5 of the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid-19) Act 2020 and Part 3 of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020. Regrettably, the ongoing presence of Covid-19 still presents a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Workforce Planning in Acute and Community Care Settings: Discussion (21 Oct 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the witnesses very much for all their contributions. My first question is for Ms Clyne. Ms Clyne has said that GPs need a lot of help establishing themselves. Obviously it is a huge question, but generally what is Ms Clyne's view on GPs being employed directly by the State? I am aware that a lot of young GPs do not want to pay rent, rates and staff. I know it is a very wide...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Workforce Planning in Acute and Community Care Settings: Discussion (21 Oct 2020)

Catherine Ardagh: I am saying they are not employed by the State.