Results 3,501-3,520 of 5,732 for speaker:Fidelma Healy Eames

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I support Senator Fitzgerald who stated conditions and wider factors in Ireland are impacting on the bond markets. Loath though I am to state it, at present we have a very poor reputation in Europe. I experienced this at first hand on Tuesday at an OECD meeting during an informal chat with other parliamentarians. It is not good and we have to take responsibility for it. It is about...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: -----anti-democratic for the sake of political power. It is in the Government's hands to change but I don't know if it can. Has the Government forgotten there are people out there, that there is a citizen, and that there is a taxpayer who pays our bills? This is how out of touch it looks at present. I do have some good news. A year and a half ago, I and a few others set up a job creation...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: My question is-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: With respect, when will the Minister-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: -----come to the House to discuss the quality of our education system-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: -----and to answer the very important questions about the €300 million not spent?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Why has the money not been spent?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: If not, the Government should name the dates.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Listen to the girl.

Seanad: Pension Provisions (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I also welcome the Minister of State and hope she has a good response for me. The matter I am raising relates to a proposal mooted by the Minister for Social Protection sometime ago to means-test the State contributory pension. Does he propose to deprive people of something for which they have already paid, in some cases for more than 40 years or more in others, and which, in itself, is...

Seanad: Pension Provisions (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Furthermore, we have the example of the Government executing a U-turn on proposed cuts in the pay of senior civil servants last December. As a result, the civil servants in question managed to avoid income levies. One then wonders why people are cynical. The proposal to means test pensions is stupid and unjust and should go the way of many reports, namely, into the dustbin. As in many...

Seanad: Pension Provisions (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: In thanking the Minister of State for her response I regret that only the final paragraph of her statement refers to the matter I raised. She indicated that the Minister is listening. I ask her to bring this matter to his attention. She should also note that it was an uncertain national environment and not only an uncertain international environment that brought us to this juncture.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: I second Senator Fitzgerald's timely motion on the need for the Minister for Education and Science to come to the House before the budget. Senator Ross also spelled it out. Yesterday I attended an OECD meeting about education being fundamental to enhancing growth in our economies. The clear message was that education should not be cut, that neither preschool, primary nor secondary should...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Let us work together with the students who are marching today because they are our future. We were those students 20 years ago. It is imperative that the Minister comes to the House. I felt very ashamed at the OECD meeting yesterday when other parliamentarians from other countries commented to me that Ireland used to be the model and they asked what happened us. They asked me, "What...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: As an Irish person abroad I was ashamed.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Greens should do their duty; they can do it.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: The Senator had the benefit of free fees.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2010)

Fidelma Healy Eames: Another one is coming.