Results 361-380 of 5,572 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Deputy Leader. I am delighted to welcome my mum. It is her first time in the Seanad. It is great to have her here for a short period. Last Saturday should have been Jennifer Poole's 26th birthday. She was a lovely, vivacious young woman with two children. Sadly, her life was taken from her in April last year. This should not have...

Seanad: Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces: Statements (4 Oct 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am pleased to contribute on behalf of the women in the House. I have no doubt my colleague, Senator Chambers, will also speak. I wanted to speak on this matter for a number of reasons but mainly because I come from County Kildare, very close to The Curragh, which is obviously the heart of the Defence Forces. The Minister is very welcome. It is good to have the opportunity to have a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I will address the first point that Senator Lombard raised regarding school transport. The Minister for Education, Deputy Foley, committed to doing her very best to ensure she got funding to address the school transport debacle particularly regarding those who previously had concessionary tickets. I am happy to confirm she received that extra funding. The Minister for Public Expenditure...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (27 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that the Cathaoirleach has selected this important Commencement matter. I raised it last week on the Order of Business and the Cathaoirleach rightly pointed out that I should do so as part of a Commencement debate. Recently, during a constituency clinic in Newbridge, I met Olive Cross, who heads up a group called Therapists For Change. This is a group of 900 psychotherapists...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (27 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for responding to my Commencement matter. I appreciate that she has outlined the progress made in terms of what the registration board must examine. However, I am concerned that no timeline was mentioned in the response she was given by the Department of Health. The reality is that while we await proper and appropriate accreditation, there is nothing to stop...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Transport Costs (27 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I could not believe more in the third Commencement matter. I raised it in the House last week and I am fully supportive of this. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, is very welcome.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I listened to "Morning Ireland" this morning and, in the midst all of the talk about the budget and what was going to happen, I was appalled by one of the stories I heard.We have been listening to similar stories over the past while regarding recent reports of violence at local GAA matches. Four specific instances were mentioned...

Seanad: Budget 2023 (Public Expenditure and Reform): Statements (27 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber on this important day. I welcome my friends from Newbridge in the Visitors Gallery. As we know, a budget is more than just a series of numbers on a page; it is an embodiment of all our values. Budget 2023 is a very clear commitment to the Government's values and those of my party, Fianna Fáil, on whose behalf I am speaking. Those values...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I also add my voice in welcoming our distinguished visitors form Malta. I have had the opportunity to visit Malta on the area of inclusion in sport, the Special Olympics and the Paralympics. I know the Maltese have a very strong and proud tradition of excellent inclusion in their country. I also add my congratulations to judge Síofra O'Leary. She is not only the first Irish person to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: In Newbridge.

Seanad: Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022: Motion (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I move: That Seanad Éireann: - having regard to the enactment and subsequent commencement of the Institutional Burials Act 2022, - noting that a draft order to be made by the Government, prepared in accordance with section 7(1) of the Institutional Burials Act 2022, has been duly laid before Seanad Éireann on 26th August, 2022, together with a Statement of Reasons for...

Seanad: Institutional Burials Act 2022 (Director of Authorised Intervention, Tuam) Order 2022: Motion (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister for being here. I thank the Minister most sincerely for all of the work that he has done in relation to this matter. As the Minister has said the situation uncovered in Tuam is absolutely horrifying. It has shocked people right across the world. The Minister is right when he says that it is a stain on our national conscience. In the past the Minister has said that he...

Seanad: School Transport: Motion (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The Minister is very welcome. We had a long debate on school transport this morning at the meeting of the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. We certainly appreciate the Minister giving of her time to debate this very important issue, which is relevant and important to so many families, students and communities right across the...

Seanad: School Transport: Motion (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The Minister has two minutes to respond.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Issues: Engagement with Minister for Education (21 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Thank you, Chair. I would like to welcome the Minister. I will ask my questions together, so I will not need to come back in. I really appreciate the good intent behind the 5 July announcement. As a cost-of-living measure, it has certainly had a huge impact on many families, in that there are 124,000 students availing of it. Many families have had savings of up to €500, which is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (15 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this matter, which is important in the Newbridge and Kildare area. I have used time here over the past two years and, prior to that, as a Member in the Dáil to raise the urgent issue of school accommodation for secondary school students in Kildare South and, in particular, in Newbridge and Kildare. I appreciate the opportunity to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation (15 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I appreciate that she will raise the matter directly with the Minister, Deputy Foley. I have raised it directly with her myself, and with staff in her office. Nevertheless, I am still hugely concerned. I understand that the long-term vision for the provision of additional school places is the relocation of Curragh Community College, where...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Sep 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: As this is my first time to rise since the recess it would be remiss of me not to mention the biggest issue we face, not just as a country but globally, which is the cost of living. We acknowledge that the Government has very successfully led the country through Covid and that we have emerged in a stronger and more economically viable position than we thought we would have. A lot of this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Education and the UNCRPD: Discussion (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that the Minister is certainly trying to put inclusivity and inclusion at the heart of all that he does. He particularly mentioned in his speech affording everybody the opportunity to develop to their full potential. That is hugely important. As we all know, education can be transformative in terms of people’s lives, particularly for people with disability. I would...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jul 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: As this is the last Order of Business before the recess, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group I extend our deep gratitude and thanks to all of the officials, to everybody in the Clerk's office and everybody who makes our workings go very smoothly, in particular when we have late nights and early mornings. I thank them for that, and I hope they all have a nice recess. I appreciate that...