Results 581-600 of 5,821 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan. I extend a warm welcome to our guests in Visitors Gallery. We hope you find this session informative. It is always wonderful to see people coming in and having the opportunity to watch the engagement in the Seanad.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Transport (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome our guests in the Public Gallery. I am not sure which school they are from but we will find out and mention it on the record. They are very welcome. We are pleased to have them here to see the engagement in the Seanad. The Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, is welcome back to the Chamber.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is always an honour to share the Chamber with Senator Norris. I want to start by supporting the Order of Business as outlined. I also welcome the more than €400 million funding announced for the new Athy food drinks and skills innovation hub, which will located in the old model school in Athy. It will be a start-of-the-art hub in which to base food and innovation collaborations....

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Curragh of Kildare Act 1961 to make provision for the management and use of the Curragh whereby the Minister may grant a licence to persons for continuous occupation of any part of the Curragh for a specified period of time, and to provide for related matters.

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Can I speak on the First Stage?

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is okay.

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (10 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is but my understanding was that I had five minutes to introduce the Bill.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the students from Tullamore. I am from Rathangan which is just down the Kildare-Offaly border. They are very welcome. I keep up to date with events around Tullamore also. I have just come from a really interesting exhibition in the visitor centre in the Phoenix Park. It is a national exhibition with a Kildare slant called "As Life Goes On". It is a collaboration between the...

Seanad: Safe to Create Programme: Statements (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Senator Kyne is next. He wishes to speak for five minutes and give the remaining three minutes to Senator Emer Currie. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Safe to Create Programme: Statements (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I will take the opportunity to welcome our guests to the Seanad this afternoon. We hope they find this interesting. I now move on to Senator Black, who has eight minutes.

Seanad: Safe to Create Programme: Statements (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister. We do not doubt her commitment and appreciate her work in the area very much, as doubtless do the artists to whom we are referring. I ask the Acting Leader to propose the suspension of the House until 2.30 p.m.

Seanad: Safe to Create Programme: Statements (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I move: That Seanad Éireann: agrees that: - there is a need to deliver a fairer, more efficient, and more reliable public transport system for all; - it is necessary to incentivise greater use of public transport in order to meet climate targets as set out in the climate action plan; - it is important to make our public transport more affordable for everyone and not just for...

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for returning to the Seanad. She has had a long afternoon in the Chamber but we are always pleased to see her. I am pleased my Fianna Fáil colleagues in the Seanad agreed to use our Private Members' time for this important debate on public transport and on extending the short-hop zone to 50 km, which...

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach.

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: If we are to meet our climate targets, we need to make public transport more reliable and useable but, crucially, more affordable. With the cost of living gone up so much, people need to see that it is considerably cheaper to use public transport than to drive, if we want to take cars off the road. The NTA will soon introduce a fairer fares initiative and in a meeting I had with its...

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank my colleagues for their support for the motion. That support seems to be pretty much cross-party in nature. Other issues were raised during the debate, but, in framing this motion, I felt it was important to stick to one matter because public transport is so complex and there is so much we need to do, particularly in the context of connecting rural communities. I really believe...

Seanad: Transport: Motion (9 Nov 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to speak on this. I thank the Minister of State for joining us in the Seanad. I commend my colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne, who has worked tirelessly in this area. He is very passionate about extending the franchise for the Seanad vote. Discussion on the need to reform the Seanad is not new. We could stack reports on Seanad reform a mile...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Fiona O'Loughlin: We should acknowledge the fact that the British Prime Minister has gone-----