Results 541-560 of 866 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I have raised my first matter previously in the House and it is deeply connected to the lack of supply in the housing market, which I also speak of on a consistent basis in the House. There is a crisis in the construction sector now because of a lack of skilled construction workers. This stems from the fact that in recent years we have completely neglected the operation of apprenticeship...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I welcome the Government's move to take in 25 migrants from the Lifeline, the ship that is stranded off the coast of Malta. However, we should be taking in more. It is time for the House to have an open and honest debate about our immigration policies and our implementation of same. This is one of the greatest issues facing not just Ireland, but Europe, so it is incumbent on us to be...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Fine Gael has been in power since 2011.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Today I would like to raise the very worrying reports that the HSE may record a deficit of €200 million or €300 million for the first half of the year without any plan or intimation of a plan in place to reverse that. In 2017, the HSE recorded a net operating deficit of €140 million, yet last week, which was the anniversary of the Taoiseach, Deputy Leo Varadker's, first...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Today I wish to raise two items. The first relates to the commentary that homeless families may be moved out of emergency accommodation given the increased volume of tourists in Dublin city during the papal visit in August. This report is very worrying. Despite reports to the contrary, Fr. Peter McVerry commented today that this will affect families currently living in hotels. He...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Well done.

Seanad: Death of Shane O'Farrell: Statements (14 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, and on my own behalf, I send my condolences to the O'Farrell family, especially to Lucia who I met earlier and to her daughter Gemma, who I know personally in a work capacity. I have been aware of the case for a long time and I had never had the honour of meeting Lucia until today. We met in LH 2000 in a small room where she was able to give us a...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I join in the expressions of sympathy to the family of the late Rory Kiely. He was a former Cathaoirleach of the Seanad and a long-standing Fianna Fáil Senator. Rory had a great association with and friends within the Fianna Fáil group. It is a very sad day for the Fianna Fáil Party and we would like to join the Cathaoirleach in passing on our condolences to his family. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Today, I wish to raise two issues. The first relates to the cervical smear interim report. I am very disappointed to learn that we are not being presented with a final report at this stage or in the very near future. I wish to ask the Minister whether Dr. Scally was given adequate resources to complete the report on time and if there is a particular reason we will not have a final report...

Seanad: Local Property Tax: Motion (30 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: As my colleagues have pointed out, the essence of the motion is that local property tax bills will not increase when properties are revalued in 2020, with revaluation due in 2020 as matters stand. Many people are asset rich and cash poor. We have seen increases of up to 100% in house prices, especially in the cities. I work as a solicitor and in cases where the value of a house has...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: The first item I wish to raise is related to the referendum on Friday. The people of Ireland spoke loudly and clearly on Friday when they voted overwhelmingly to repeal the eighth amendment. This ultimately means that the women of Ireland will now have equal access to healthcare in this jurisdiction. I am very grateful to the Members of the Oireachtas who campaigned for this issue, both...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I am alarmed and saddened today to learn of the rise in suicide rates among young women living in Dublin South-Central.We learned that there were 37 deaths by suicide in Dublin South-Central in 2017, 50% of whom were women. The numbers are equal, but this is a very new departure. Unfortunately, young men are more likely to take their lives by suicide. There has been a rise in the number of...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: This month is mental health awareness month and we should all undertake to shine a light on mental health. Fianna Fáil's Mental Health (Amendment) Bill is going through its Final Stages today and I hope everyone in this House will support it. I am concerned by the fact that the number of children waiting for CAMHS services continues to rise in this city. The latest figures, for March,...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (16 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank Deputy James Browne and the representatives of mental health groups who are in the Gallery today. This is the second Fianna Fáil Bill that has gone through this Seanad and I know the Deputy has been working very hard with the different mental health organisations to ensure we have a robust and complete mental health service in the country. I thank the Deputy for that, as well...

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (16 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I would like to express my outrage, and that of the Fianna Fáil group, and condemn the actions of Israel and its use of force against unarmed Palestinian protestors, including unarmed children. An eight month old child was among the victims.The killing of 59 Palestinians can only be described as a massacre and must be condemned by the Government in the strongest possible terms. We call...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I will raise two issues. This morning I was absolutely shocked and horrified after learning that more than 500 people in Dublin have been warned by gardaí that their lives are in danger. Unfortunately, many of these people are involved in the drugs trade and many of the threats are gang related. There seems to be no end in sight or plan put in place by the Government to counter the...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: I too wish Senator McDowell well.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Yesterday afternoon I raised the cervical cancer issue in this House and yesterday evening, the Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, informed the Dáil that there were over 1,500 more women with cervical cancer whose cases had not to date been audited. This means there are 1,500 women with cervical cancer who may or may not have had a false negative smear test result through the CervicalCheck...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 May 2018)

Catherine Ardagh: Strangely, Vicky Phelan told us that the Taoiseach invited her to meet him but she politely and kindly refused his invitation.