Results 4,101-4,120 of 4,168 for speaker:Susan O'Keeffe

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: On this election day, I would like to believe that in the lifetime of the Government we will find a way of including friends, colleagues and family members who have gone abroad so that they can vote in Irish elections. The Leader should ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to attend the House for a debate on how, not if, we are going to do this. We should...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I request the Leader to ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Phil Hogan, to consider extending again the period during which slurry may be spread. It was originally extended from September to the end of October owing to the high rainfall that month. I need not point out that the rainfall has been even higher in October. Farmers are struggling to get...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I had the pleasure this morning of having breakfast with Science Foundation Ireland. Those of us who were lucky enough to attend heard about a treasure trove of activity that is almost like a parallel universe. People are working to try to improve weather forecasting, rebuild bone, identify the fastest racehorses in the world and to cure seizures in tiny babies. It is cause for great...

Seanad: Army Barracks Closures: Motion (19 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: What is the source of Senator Wilson's information?

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I support the call by my colleague, Senator Healy Eames, for a debate on the Keane report. I understand we are due to have a debate next week. In light of Senator Quinn's comments about the future of the Seanad and how we conduct our business, would it be possible to structure that debate in such a way that there is a commitment that the contributions will be very precise and will actually...

Seanad: Public Policy and Planning: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I join colleagues in welcoming the Minister of State to the House. I echo Senator Barrett's sentiments about the model of excellence that is the CSO. For years it has worked tirelessly and without enormous recognition for what it does. In many ways statistics are like the glue and we do not think of that; if we did not have statistics we would rapidly fall apart. I will concentrate on...

Seanad: Public Policy and Planning: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I apologise. I did not realise that. The visual impact of a map helps us to understand that when we have such information it is our duty to convert it into policy. There were good statistical outcomes from surgery for cancer patients in Sligo General Hospital, yet as we all know, and I will not revisit the argument, the policy ended up with there not being cancer services available in that...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I support Senator Ivana Bacik and others in calling for a debate on the Keane report. The Government has made it clear that this is a work in progress. It expects various people to make suggestions on how the report and its findings may be improved and is keen to hear from them. Perhaps the excitable Members on the Opposition benches might direct some of their energy towards making...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I would like-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: For very good reasons.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: Please, let us not-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: In recent days there has been much criticism of the media. I take a moment to congratulate the BBC for its programme "All Roads Lead Home", broadcast last night, which celebrated natural navigation but in fact was a wonderful showpiece for County Mayo. It was absolutely delightful and was an hour long advertisement for that beautiful county. I praise the BBC for that. It shows the media...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: There is €70 million outstanding to Irish farmers for payments under the various schemes such as disadvantaged area scheme, AEOS and REPS. That is not just money sitting there; it is the livelihood of thousands of people. I would like the Leader to seek an assurance from the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that all these payments will be cleared by his deadline of November....

Seanad: Investment in Science, Technology and Innovation: Statements (11 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: There is much to be encouraged by in the Minister of State's comments. When I meet somebody who has a great idea, who has won awards and has a large company to back him but is nevertheless on his knees looking for money, I wonder what is going on. Will the Minister of State give us some insight on why it seems that the only real access to finance seems to be through venture capital funds,...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: Further to Senator Jillian van Turnhout's comments on the Referendum Commission and the lateness of the campaign on the forthcoming referendums, I express my concern about the advertisement which sets out a long explanation for the referendums followed by something about two ice creams with syrup on one and sprinkles on the other. While I have a sense of humour, this is not in order in...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I have asked the question. I ask that these questions be put to the Ministers. I also ask that the Ministers co-operate with the Minister for Foreign Affairs to release any details his Department has which relate to the requests for passports made by nuns in mother and baby homes for the sale of babies and children to the United States between the 1940s and the 1970s. I also ask the...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I see a fine example of the new kind of politics from the other side.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I am tired of listening to the promises of new politics when all we get are the same old shouting matches.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Oct 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I had the pleasure last night in Sligo of listening to young people who are on the cusp of leaving school, at a public speaking competition I organised. Some of them described the concept of sitting for ten hours a day every day cramming in order to secure a third level place. They also raised the prospect of studying philosophy in primary school. Above all, what these young people - Katie...

Seanad: Company Closures: Motion (Resumed) (28 Sep 2011)

Susan O'Keeffe: I thank the Minister for being here. Let us face it, the way in which workers are treated nowadays is increasingly shabby, which, I think, was the word used by Senator Cullinane. When I turned on the television last night, I saw British Aerospace workers who had learned about the pending redundancies in the media. We have heard this story over and over again. That is the concern, that in...