Results 4,021-4,040 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Oct 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 148: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school place in respect of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29871/11]

Patents (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Oct 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I think so. I was told that I have one minute, so I will be brief.

Patents (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (6 Oct 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this debate. This legislation is the outcome of a pro-business and pro-enterprise approach on the part of the Government. I wish to raise a specific question with the Minister. Is he aware of the new patent box regime due to come into effect in the UK in April 2013? The Government needs to pay close attention to this initiative,...

Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (5 Oct 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I fully support the measures in this Bill to reduce the legal blood-alcohol limit while driving from 80 mg to 50 mg per 100 ml of blood and to provide for a reduced rate of 20 mg per 100 ml of blood for learner and professional drivers. These measures had cross-party support when they were introduced in the Road Traffic Act 2010. For too long drink driving was the scourge of our society and...

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am glad of the opportunity to contribute to this debate on tourism, an industry that is essential to the recovery of our economy. I welcome the contribution by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Michael Ring, on the Bill last weekend and commend the approach of the Department on this issue. I am aware the Bill is merely technical in nature but I...

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: However, the Government can only do so much and each of us is beholden to be an ambassador for our country. We cannot accept a rip-off culture. Hotels and restaurants must offer good value and high standards of food and accommodation I hope you will forgive me, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and give me one extra minute so I can extol the virtues and tourism potential of my area, Dún Laoghaire....

National Tourism Development Authority (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Thank you for your patience, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

Employment and National Internship Scheme: Motion (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am disappointed by the negativity of this motion. There is nothing positive in it with no concrete solutions offered. My disappointment is compounded by the fact the members of the Technical Group who tabled this motion were conspicuous by their absence in the Chamber last night. What we, and our young people who are thinking of emigrating, need is a bit of positivity. We have a...

Written Answers — Health Action Plan: Health Action Plan (27 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 527: To ask the Minister for Health if he will consider introducing a tax on so-called junk food to help combat the increasing obesity figures here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25846/11]

Written Answers — Health Action Plan: Health Action Plan (27 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 528: To ask the Minister for Health the concept of including calorie counts on restaurant menus; if he has discussed with a company (details supplied) the reasons for their failure to introduce calorie menus here alongside the planned introduction of same in their UK branches, particularly considering the high levels of obesity here; and if he will make a statement on the matter....

Written Answers — Health Action Plan: Health Action Plan (27 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 529: To ask the Minister for Health the progress made of the special action group on obesity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25848/11]

Written Answers — Garda Vetting of Personnel: Garda Vetting of Personnel (14 Sep 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 609: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his views on a proposal to speed up the Garda vetting process by introducing a system that allows a person who receives Garda clearance to benefit from that clearance for the lifetime of the relevant position of employment, and it would be valid for one full year if that person wishes to apply for a voluntary position or another job...

Written Answers — Local Authority Housing: Local Authority Housing (21 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 493: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend the Housing Act to specifically name domestic violence as anti-social behaviour in order that local authorities can exclude and evict perpetrators when they present a risk to their immediate family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22544/11]

Written Answers — Homeless Persons: Homeless Persons (21 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 494: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will include domestic violence as one of the factors used to assess a person as homeless under the Housing Act, in view of the fact that the current situation disadvantages victims of domestic violence who are forced to flee their homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22545/11]

Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (14 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which deals with the winding up of the Residential Institutions Redress Board. Section 8 of the Act allowed the board to take late applications for redress and implied it was wholly appropriate that this be the case. There was, no doubt, hesitancy on the part of some victims to come forward to discuss the unspeakable and evil abuse they...

Special Educational Needs: Motion (Resumed) (13 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am a qualified primary teacher and a former primary school principal. Outside the Oireachtas today, some of my colleagues and I and the Minister of State, Deputy Ciarán Cannon, met a group formed in 2010 which represents parents of children with special needs. I would like to reiterate here what some of those parents said to us today. They marched on the streets and then came to meet...

Written Answers — Tax Code: Tax Code (12 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 96: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update regarding the amount of revenue realised since the exemption from benefit-in-kind tax for employer-provided child care was abolished by the last Government; if he will consider overturning the decision to abolish the exemption in view of the fact that attempts are being made to encourage persons back into the...

Written Answers — Financial Services Regulation: Financial Services Regulation (7 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 69: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will increase the length of time in which the offence of mismanagement of a credit union can be investigated, which currently stands at two years from the date on which the offence was committed. [19337/11]

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (7 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 101: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider the withdrawal of a special needs assistant in respect of a child (details supplied) in view of the exceptional circumstances of the case. [19271/11]

Written Answers — Food Safety Standards: Food Safety Standards (7 Jul 2011)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Question 221: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to ban unpasteurised milk; if he will consider the option of regulating the industry in place of an outright ban and if he will consider holding a public consultation on the matter. [19240/11]