Results 21-40 of 1,352 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Seanad: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Okay. We will do that. Please, carry on.

Seanad: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I am sure the Minister of State is giving this matter his attention.

Seanad: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Seanadóir. I call the Minister of State to reply. He has ten minutes.

Seanad: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage (26 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I will give the Minister of State a minute or two.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. In a world where we are surrounded and bombarded daily with bad news housing stories, I want to talk about one positive housing story. The croí cónaithe vacant property grants were introduced by the previous Government in 2022. I had the privilege of working with the previous Minister, his Department and our local authority...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Vacant Properties (20 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for his kind words. Solving the housing crisis is our number one priority. The work the Government and the Minister of State do, and which all of us can do to support the Government to achieve that outcome, is a privilege for us. I acknowledge in the Minister of State's reply the fact that the croí cónaithe grant can be used in combination with the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I ask the Deputy Leader to ask the Minister for Justice to introduce legislative protections for retailers to protect them from spurious and vexatious defamation claims. The Deputy Leader and I are aware that shopkeepers are up early in the morning, providing essential front-line services in all of our communities. A recent survey of retailers found that 94% of them have been impacted by...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (4 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I acknowledge the work being done by the Department, the Minister of State, the Minister and all of the stakeholders. It is good news. Women will be pleased to hear that there is a date of 7 March for Estradot transdermal patches. That in and of itself is really positive news. I ask the Minister of State to go back to the Department and ask for a date by which HRT will be made available...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medicinal Products (4 Mar 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, for coming to the House. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit on her appointment. I am sure she will be very successful in her new position. I am disappointed that the senior Minister is not here to take this matter. but I genuinely appreciate the Minister of State's time and the support from the Department. I am...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Planning Framework (27 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit on his appointment. I am sure he is wondering why a Senator from Dublin Central is asking about rural housing planning guidelines, but he knows my remit and that I was elected by councillors from around the country. He is also familiar with the fact that this is issue that was considered by the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: National Planning Framework (27 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State. He articulated the complexity of the issues very well. I recognise that complexity, as do councillors around the country. We all appreciate that the balance between housing, economic, social and environmental needs has to be got right. All of these elements need to be accommodated and protected.We need to be careful not to allow perfection to be the enemy of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I join the Cathaoirleach and the Deputy Leader in offering our best wishes to the people of Bulgaria on their national day. This week marks three years since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. We in the Upper House and the Lower House marked that and reaffirmed our solidarity with the people of Ukraine. I acknowledge the great leadership being shown by our Taoiseach. I understand he is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Absolutely. I apologise for not respecting that. It was not my intention. I will not continue on the subject. Go raibh maith agat.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (26 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire. I wish him luck in his new role. I am sure he will have a transformative effect on all matters related to transport. Public transport is essential for our economic, social and environmental progress. It is critically important. The importance this Government places on it is a budget of almost €4 billion, almost half of which is in public...

Seanad: Community Safety: Statements (25 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for discussing community safety with us. It is a request other Senators and I have made. The people who live, work and visit my community just want to feel safe. This is not an unreasonable expectation to have or an unreasonable request to make. I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment and Jim O'Callaghan on his. Trying to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2025)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Comhghairdeachas to the Cathaoirleach and to everyone who has been elected. It is a great privilege for all of us to get to serve in this House. I start by thanking everyone who voted for me and who supported me. I particularly thank the Seanad staff, including Martin Groves in the Seanad Office. Without their work none of us would have been elected and they did it with great...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Policy (7 Nov 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for being here this morning. I have tabled this Commencement Matter on behalf of those who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, their families, teachers and friends and the society that represents those with dyslexia and dyspraxia. I am asking for an update from the Minister on what engagement the Department has had with the SEC on their request for extra time for...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Policy (7 Nov 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. I welcome the fact the SEC acknowledges the increasing complexity, particularly in terms of special educational needs and examination of students with special educational needs. I also welcome the fact the SEC has committed to undertaking and will undertake a full and comprehensive review of the arrangements that are in place. The accommodations...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Nov 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: This is the last Order of Business for this Seanad and, on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I thank Martin, Bridget and all of the staff in the Seanad Office, the Head Usher and all of the ushers in both Houses for their courtesy, support, co-operation and dedication. It has been a huge privilege for me personally to serve in this Seanad and it has been a privilege for my colleagues....

Seanad: Amendment to Seanad Standing Orders: Motion (23 Oct 2024)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Senators for bringing the motion this evening and I thank the secretariat for drafting the motion so expertly. I sympathise with the proposer on his experience of the duplicity of a former Taoiseach. I cannot speak to that or account for it, or I certainly cannot apologise for it. I reject the insinuation that Chairs who are supported by Government are somehow impartial or...