Results 4,461-4,480 of 4,931 for speaker:Mary White

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: One can look at the international economy and at that of the United States. The latter thought the economy was turbo-charged at the end of 2003. US productivity has risen, but the employment level has not. I follow the American economy closely on a daily basis. I read The New York Times on the Internet every day. America is in economic disarray and fear because despite all the tax cuts, no...

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: The Senator should stay the way he is. It is a good way to be. There is no point in disagreeing and finding fault just for the sake of it. The items in the budget which are most significant to me are the personal income tax changes. Since 1977, average tax rates have fallen for all categories of taxpayers, including those on lower incomes. We all recall when we were paying high tax, and how...

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: That is true.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: That is totally wrong. The Senator has not been listening.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: The Senator should inform himself.

Seanad: Finance Bill (Certified Money Bill) 2004: Second Stage. (23 Mar 2004)

Mary White: A different project is being built.

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (11 Mar 2004)

Mary White: I welcome the Minister and his officials to the House. This is one of the most important Bills, if not the most important, to come before the Houses of the Oireachtas this year. It is recognised internationally that the Garda Síochána was established in 1924 with an efficiency and comprehensiveness which was remarkable. The fact that our police force remains unarmed is considered a major...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: I welcome the Minister. I will speak from my own personal experience having been a member of State boards and a chairwoman of a board. I am not boasting but I was appointed to six boards by——

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: Yes, six boards. I was appointed originally by former Taoiseach, Charles Haughey, then by former Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, then the current Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, and the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Deputy Walsh. I have done my best. I have done better on some than others.

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: I was on the Higher Education Authority, the boards of the National Museum of Ireland and the National College of Art and Design, Bord Bia and chairwoman of Gaisce, the President's Award.

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: My proudest achievement is as chairwomen of Gaisce, the President's Award, for which, Senator Ross should be pleased to know, I received no stipend for three years, no travelling expenses and no gift of any kind. I was asked by President McAleese to try to get Gaisce, the President's Award, into Northern Ireland. I achieved this, not on my own, but shoulder to shoulder with the Departments of...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: It was a pleasure to do so. I apologise for saying that as I do not like to boast. I was brought up to be humble. As we know the workforce currently comprises nearly 49% of women. In the early 1990s, the Government decided there should be a 40-60 ratio of women to men on State boards. The Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy O'Dea, is vigilant as...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: I am talking about private sector companies. When those boards with no women directors were asked whether they intended to appoint any women in the future a fascinating 30% gave a straight "No".

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: In this survey-——

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: ——the divergence of views between male CEOs and women directors is remarkable. Some 42% of the male bosses believe too few women are qualified to sit on boards while only 21% of the women directors agree with them. We have to face facts. The private sector was pretty wobbly on its feet for many years. As Senator Ross has inferred, one of the main drivers of the Celtic tiger was the inward...

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: He got an honorary doctorate. The bottom line is that appointments to private companies in Ireland are made on the golf course, where the male bastion——

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: It is in the golf network where they know one another——

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: Snobbery.

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: The Senator should apologise.

Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)

Mary White: It was very rude.