Results 3,421-3,440 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy and Rural Development Programme: Statements (22 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: We have the Minister in the House.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Tom Arnold (16 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome Mr. Arnold; it is good to have him here. I was honoured to be at the convention and there were moments when I pinched myself and had to think it was really happening and that I was part of it. Much of the collegiality about which Mr. Arnold spoke was cemented by cake and there were many good cakes. That is important, as sometimes we forget about the small things. There was a...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Tom Arnold (16 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: We can allow frivolous moments. The role of women in public life and same sex marriage were highlights in the very important matters of our time that were discussed. The subjects were pretty tough and the discussions timely, but are there as many again that could be discussed? We could go on and several of my colleagues suggested many topics that were of importance. Was the...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: If I may, I wish to agree with the observations this morning of the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, with regard to the bonus culture that is apparent in Irish Water. We await more details but I oppose such a culture, and I suspect everybody in the House does so too. I welcome the Government announcement on the rural development programme and the billions of euro being put into...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Bill 2013: Irish Timber Council and IFFPA (15 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Will the Chair please repeat that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Bill 2013: Irish Timber Council and IFFPA (15 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: Having heard the observations about the breakdown of trust, no trust and the lack of trust, and given the three big issues involving the policy review group, the forestry Bill and the merger of Bord na Móna and Coillte, my view is that it will be very difficult to make any progress because there is a lack of trust on the other side also. We have a serious dilemma in that unless there is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Bill 2013: Irish Timber Council and IFFPA (15 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I will allow Senator Comiskey to speak first as he must leave later.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Bill 2013: Irish Timber Council and IFFPA (15 Jan 2014)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I share the concern about Ministers not being available. Perhaps the witnesses can afford some clarity about the reasons given. Mr. Glennon said that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte, will not meet them on the proposed merger. Is that an interpretation or was it said by him in a letter? Perhaps...

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: The Senator has just accused the Minister of doing nothing.

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: That is effectively what he said. Why does he not just try to talk sense?

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: The Minister is doing great work.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I take the opportunity to acknowledge the work of the National Board for Safeguarding in the Catholic Church and the reports it produced this week. There is clear evidence that some progress has been made and some of the orders concerned have made progress in terms of listening to persons' allegations. Of course, the concerns are two fold. The first is the low rate of conviction for those...

Seanad: Death of Nelson Mandela: Statements (10 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank the Leader for organising these expressions. It is a privilege and an honour to pay tribute to Nelson Mandela. We do so as public representatives on behalf of the thousands of Irish people who will be mourning his loss and celebrating the contribution he made to all of our lives and the world. It is difficult to know where to start in talking about a man like Nelson Mandela, a giant...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank my colleagues who attended last night's debate on a thoughtful and constructive Private Members' motion relating to mental health issues. One of the many matters that were raised during the debate was the Irish Penal Reform Trust's report on women prisoners in the Dóchas Centre, which has been raised again this morning by Senator Hayden. I support the call for a wider debate on...

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (4 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I ask the Minister of State not to apologise. We are delighted she spoke at the end. As she said the value is in listening. It has been a thoughtful and constructive conversation. I welcome the cross-party support. As Senator Marc MacSharry said, this is a subject in which we all have an interest and it is above politics. As a member of the cross-party committee on mental health I am...

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (4 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I move: That Seanad Éireann:- notes the Government's commitment to invest €20 million in community-based, patient-centred mental health services in Budget 2014; - welcomes the appointment of the new Mental Health Services Director; - notes that the total commitment of this Government to mental health is €90 million to the end of 2014; - notes the recent publication of the...

Seanad: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2013: Motion (4 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for the thorough outline he has provided. I am glad of the opportunity to contribute to this useful debate. I look forward to the betting (amendment) Bill, which is timely given recent changes in betting practices with people using online betting facilities to avoid tax. My colleague, Senator Ó Domhnaill, asked whether the tax...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: What about this collusion, Senator?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank Judge Peter Smithwick and his team for the work they have done over a very long number of years. We all share a sense of outrage, disappointment and sadness at the findings of his report and our thoughts are with the families of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan. I thank the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Shatter, and the Tánaiste,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Six-monthly Report on Developments in EU: Discussion with Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (3 Dec 2013)

Susan O'Keeffe: That would be great.