Results 341-360 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Promotion: Discussion (Resumed) with British Irish Chamber of Commerce (20 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome Mr. Aiken and Ms Glen. It is great that they have given such forthright answers. The question I wish to pose relates to the banking industry. As our guests will be aware, economic activity in Ireland has been greatly affected in recent times as a result of austerity and on foot of the lack of lending to SMEs. Some 99% of businesses in Ireland are SMEs. The Government has taken...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Trade Promotion: Discussion (Resumed) with British Irish Chamber of Commerce (20 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Is there a difficulty in that we are continuing to adhere to the traditional way of assessing applications for credit, that is, in the context of bricks and mortar and other forms of security, as opposed to considering the business plans being put forward by companies which are trying to access loans?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Sheep Breeds (19 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for giving such a detailed response to my question. I am glad to see Galway sheep will be considered eligible for support and I urge the Minister to ensure that all such applicants who apply for assistance will be furnished with moneys. It is important to ensure the continuity of the breed, which is under a significant threat of extinction. There are cultural,...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Sheep Breeds (19 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to the need to outline the steps that will be taken to protect the Galway sheep breed from extinction. I ask that breeders be admitted to the AEOS 3 scheme for this purpose. Galway sheep have been granted rare status due to the steady decline of flocks in recent years. National statistics show that the percentage of Galway...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Sheep Breeds (19 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to the need to outline the steps that will be taken to protect the Galway sheep breed from extinction. I ask that breeders be admitted to the AEOS 3 scheme for this purpose. Galway sheep have been granted rare status due to the steady decline of flocks in recent years. National statistics show that the percentage of Galway...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Rare Sheep Breeds (19 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for giving such a detailed response to my question. I am glad to see Galway sheep will be considered eligible for support and I urge the Minister to ensure that all such applicants who apply for assistance will be furnished with moneys. It is important to ensure the continuity of the breed, which is under a significant threat of extinction. There are cultural,...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Feb 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: With a number of my colleagues, I want to address the very serious issue of the horsemeat scandal that has gripped the country in recent weeks. Undoubtedly, it has done untold damage to the beef industry. As a consequence of what has happened, the industry is now, clearly, on its knees and at crisis point, with farmers being pushed to breaking point and a considerable number of employees,...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Like my colleagues, I express my sympathies to the Henry family in Sligo and to the family of Éamon de Buitléar, whom I had the pleasure of meeting on a school tour back in 1985. Today, however, I want to bring up the unforgivable act that resulted in the loss of life Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe and the trauma inflicted on Detective Garda Joe Ryan in County Louth last week. What...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP (24 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP, to the House. It is always a welcome departure to have guests address the House, especially those of his experience in local, national and European politics. It is great that he has shared Europe's history and experiences with us and I enjoyed listening to his speech. This is a timely visit given that Ireland is holding the Presidency of the European Union...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP (24 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I accept that. I thank Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP, for coming to the House and addressing us today and I thank the Acting Chairman for being given the opportunity to put my point across.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Gay Mitchell, MEP (24 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Yesterday I raised the issue of the HMV voucher scandal and the fact that many of the chain's customers who had bought gift vouchers as Christmas presents were left with vouchers which were completely worthless. I have pointed out that there may be breaches of the criminal code involved which warrant further investigation by the authorities. On that basis, I have written to the Director of...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Safety (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: While I accept that local authorities and various State agencies have responsibility for road safety under statute, I acknowledge that the Minister is being incredibly helpful. I raise a very serious matter to do with road safety and it is clear that his intervention is needed, as quite a number of people use this road. As I stated, over 300 people have signed a petition to have the road...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Road Safety (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for taking this Adjournment matter on the road safety measures required throughout the country. The context in which I raise this matter is that I acquired the support and signatures of 300 people living in the Kilreekill area of County Galway who are very concerned about the condition of the Kilreekill to Mullagh road which, regrettably, is...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I wish to raise an issue that Senator Noone raised, in respect of the HMV voucher scandal. In the past few days I have spoken to several customers of the chain who bought vouchers as Christmas gifts only to find now that they are worthless. It is quite clear that HMV has taken unfair advantage of thousands of its customers in Ireland by allowing their stores to continue to sell gift...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. I referred to the monitoring tests carried out in 2007 and 2012 for the wastewater treatment plant. Nothing has been done by the relevant authorities to rectify the matter. Is that not a matter of concern for the Minister and the Department? I also ask the Minister to discuss the matter further with Galway County Council and consider calling in the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water and Sewerage Schemes (12 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for coming to the House to deal with this issue which has occurred in Craughwell, County Galway. I raise the matter of the private wastewater treatment plant on behalf of the residents of the Dún Ard housing estate. The plant services up to 59 houses. Water is seeping out of the plant and into the nearby Dunkellin River which is presenting a significant environmental...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for outlining the situation. I welcome the fact that 290,000 people have registered their septic tank or wastewater treatment system. It is also welcome to hear the Minister not ruling out the possibility of providing financial assistance to those whose tanks might fail a test.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House and thank him for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I commend him for moving to implement this legislation as I know it has rested on successive Ministers' desks as a way of avoiding the enactment of it and complying with our EU obligations in this regard. We all know that clean water is essential...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Wastewater Treatment Systems (11 Dec 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to the House and thank him for taking this matter on the Adjournment. I commend him for moving to implement this legislation as I know it has rested on successive Ministers' desks as a way of avoiding the enactment of it and complying with our EU obligations in this regard. We all know that clean water is essential...