Results 741-760 of 1,979 for speaker:Nicky McFadden

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Every day is a new beginning.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: It is happening all over the country.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: This section deals with cuts to the working age payments, including payments to carers, the disabled, the blind and widows. Fine Gael is completely opposed to it.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his speech. He is probably the most in touch Minister with responsibility for social welfare there has been. It is regrettable he has not been in his position long enough to put in place the changes he wishes, as he stated in his speech. Fianna Fáil has been in Government for the past 12, however, years and successive Ministers for social welfare...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I did not interrupt the Minister.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: The Government has failed to reach its annual fraud savings targets. In 2009 it saved only €484 million of a €616 million target. The Government's track record on fraud savings is appalling and must not continue. I appreciate that Fianna Fáil has taken on board our "smart identity system" to help combat social welfare fraud. How many years has this taken? The system ensures that a...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I will forward the Minister the e-mail.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I have checked with the Revenue Commissioners and they say one will not be exempt from paying the universal social charge.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2010: Second Stage (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I will forward the Minister the details. Lip service is paid regarding certain issues. The Minister is speaking out of both sides of his mouth in saying he does not want to hurt the most vulnerable while at the same time imposing these drastic cuts. I would like people, including Members, to be honest. Inclusion Ireland has called for this. Henceforth, one must be straight and honest with...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Last week I issued a press release on my local radio station about the €40 million bank bonus. At the time, the Minister for Finance was absolutely emphatic there was a legal agreement, people were in for the long haul and it was not possible to overturn the situation. As Senator Fitzgerald did, I find it extraordinary that yesterday this situation could be overturned. This is disgusting...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: -----of mismanagement of our country. I echo what Senator Fitzgerald said about the "Prime Time Investigates" programme about the elderly but it is strange we are all so shocked. This underegulation of care of the most vulnerable in our society is ongoing. In 2008 HIQA drew up a programme of standards that were to be adhered to in regard to people with disabilities, both adults and...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Go on.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: My question is associated with the same theme and relates to what I said on this section with regard to cherry-picking and remote areas. I believe the relevant amendment was amendment No. 16. This is about social issues and whether they will be included. Will the Minister comment on the matter?

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I have raised the issue of a nursing home in Athlone several times before, but this is not just about Athlone, but about care of the elderly across the nation. If we do not care and respect the elderly in their final years, we are at nothing. I am talking about Loughloe House in Athlone. It is a nursing home that was purpose built in the 1970s in the most ideal situation on the banks of...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Yes.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I echo the sentiments of my colleagues on what the commission might consider to be appropriate. This is what I spoke about previously with regard to areas that would be difficult to get to and in a which a service would not be cost-effective, leading to the cherry-picking of urban areas. Like other speakers, particularly Senator O'Toole who spoke about the NRA, the HSE and other such bodies...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Postal Services) Bill 2010: Committee Stage (1 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: Better than the Senator's party.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Dec 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I would like clarification on a point. I wanted to raise an issue on domestic violence and women, and on the fact that today is international AIDS day. A correlation of this is the minimum price of alcohol and the amount of destruction and the number of public offences caused by very cheap alcohol. I also want to discuss the desecration of women and the number of women abused when they are...

Seanad: Vocational Education Committees (25 Nov 2010)

Nicky McFadden: I raise this as a matter of grave concern which is affecting many people employed in the VEC and reducing its efficiency. There are 25 staff members based in Mullingar who give an amazing service. I was a member of County Westmeath VEC from 1999 and I am aware of the fantastic work it does. The country-wide configuration with which the Minister has provided us is daft. County Westmeath...