Results 681-700 of 875 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, has failed to progress the legislation required to allow for the construction of a second runway at Dublin Airport. The issue has been raised by my colleague, Deputy Robert Troy, in the Dáil by way of parliamentary question in the past 13 months but no progress has been made. Deputy Robert Troy has been told consistently...

Seanad: Independent Reporting Commission Bill 2017: Second Stage (19 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House again today. I believe he will be here later on as well.Fianna Fáil supports this legislation, which is one of the key outcomes of the Fresh Start agreement of November 2015. The Bill creates a new monitoring body to review and report on any paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland. It is a damning indictment of Sinn Féin and the DUP...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I welcome the new drug and alcohol strategy launched by the Government, but Fianna Fáil has some concerns the strategy does not go far enough. The most obvious gap in the strategy is that many of the initiatives are aspirational, with a lack of tangible deadlines and commitments. The report is not costed and will require significant investment. Many charities, such as the Simon...

Seanad: Mediation Bill 2017: Second Stage (18 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for Justice and Equality for coming to the House to give an outline of the Mediation Bill 2017. I am a solicitor and am an accredited mediator with Mediation Forum Ireland, however I have never practised. I welcome the Bill. The Minister has gone into the technical detail of the Bill and I will not repeat it. Fianna Fáil welcomes this overdue Bill. I am really...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I ask the Government to be cognisant in the forthcoming budget of the financial struggles that will be placed on hard-pressed families come September. They will be hit with a three-pronged attack of massive price hikes to basic services. There will be higher electricity charges, higher waste charges for those unable to recycle, and back to school expenses. The hike in electricity costs...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Before I commence, I would like to express my sympathies and those of the Fianna Fáil group in regard to what we learned last night about the fatal stabbing of a three year old boy in Poddle Park, Kimmage, and the injuries sustained by his mother, a 40 year old doctor.No child or woman should suffer violence like this, and my heart goes out to the mother and her family. I hope that when...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: If the Cathaoirleach will indulge me, I will raise four short items. On behalf of the Fianna Fáil group, I congratulate the Leader on his recent engagement to Conchobhar Ó Laoghaire. On behalf of our group we wish him the best happiness into the future and wish him the best of luck with his wedding preparation. The second issue I will raise is the cath lab for the south east. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I raise an issue that I raised in this House before and that is the dangers of cycling on our roads. So far this year five cyclists have died on our roads, including the much loved principal of St. Louis Senior Primary School, Mr. Pádraic Carney. Last week he died on his way to work at the age of 53. Earlier this month the international consultancy firm, Copenhagenize, removed Dublin...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I start by congratulating Senator Norris on bringing this Bill before the Seanad. I also commend my colleague, Deputy John McGuinness of Fianna Fáil, who has been promoting this cause since before 2011. I do not think a month or a week goes by that he does not bring this cause to the fore. I also echo the sentiments of many of my colleagues that the spirit of the Bill cannot be...

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I move:That Seanad Éireann: noting that:  the Department of Health contends that home care can be a cost-effective alternative to long-term residential care for some older people;  despite significant increases between 2008 and 2015 in those aged 65 years and over and those aged 85 years and over, there was a decrease in the number of people receiving home help and home care...

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and I thank all of my colleagues who have contributed. It is not personal, but the fact Senator Conway-Walsh gave Fianna Fáil a lecture was quite disingenuous when all we have to do is look up North at the shambolic home care services package provided there.

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: People are getting home care packages in 15 minute segments and Sinn Féin is giving us lectures. It is outrageous.

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: If newspaper reports are to be believed-----

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I understand a long-standing member of Sinn Féin is being bullied so the Senators should really start-----

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Sinn Féin does not have a monopoly of being the fairest and most humane party. We are all on the same page. We are all ad idemthat home care packages are the way forward. Any cuts to services are regrettable.

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Any cuts to services are regrettable. That is a reasonable statement. Senator Devine should look at her own party and recent media reports that there have been allegations of bullying against long-standing members of that party.

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: Those in glass houses should not-----

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State and I look forward to the support we might receive for the Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: It was very sad yesterday listening to Michael and Kathleen Devereaux's son on Joe Duffy's "Liveline" radio show. Their son gave us a detailed narrative of how his parents, who are 63 years married, were separated by the HSE. His father was permitted a bed in a nursing home while his mother was not. This couple have been together for 63 years and, on the back of the State, were being...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2017)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to address the issue of health insurance and the revelation that many people over the age of 60 are paying more than €1,000 more than they ought to be for health cover. The report compiled by TotalHealthCover.ieconcluded that at least two out of every five people are on outdated and overpriced plans. A lady who came to my office was paying nearly €4,000. When she rang...