Results 841-860 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: When they went to the schools, they did not look at anything else. They only asked: "what are the qualifications?" I agree that it is an issue-----

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: I agree fully agree that it is an important issue, but it is not the only one. Everybody knows that the education system is broader and that one cannot merely look at one symptom and assume that it is the outcome of a particular issue. One needs to look at all of the symptoms and diagnose the problem properly, particularly when it is so acute. Because it is important to do so, I draw the...

Seanad: Address by President of the Irish Human Rights Commission (28 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: I thank Dr. Manning for his address. It has been a good opportunity for Senators to raise a wide range of different human rights issues. I would like to hear his view on an important issue in the education system, namely, the role education has in promoting understanding and respect between children of different faiths and cultures. Over the past ten to 15 years an increasing number of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: Fianna Fáil supports this Bill. In fact, it is delivering on a commitment we set out in Government to amalgamate the various qualifications and quality assurance bodies. It has the potential to be a hugely positive development for many of the reasons the Minister set out in his opening address and it will make it possible to pool the experiences and expertise the various bodies have built...

Seanad: Health Facilities (14 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: The statistics on eating disorders in Ireland are alarming. According to the mental health strategy, A Vision for Change, up to 200,000 people may be affected by eating disorders and an estimated 400 new cases emerge each year. There are, however, fewer than 20 beds available to treat patients with eating disorders between St. John of God Hospital, St. Patrick's Hospital and St. Vincent's...

Seanad: Health Facilities (14 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State for his genuine and honest comments and for the work he has been doing on this issue. Ms Teresa Moorhead told me that the Minister of State has been supporting this facility for a long time. I hope he can convince his colleagues that it needs assistance. Ms Moorhead has told me that it could be closed by Christmas. I hope he can convince his colleagues to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Sep 2011)

Averil Power: Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for Education and Skills to come to the House to discuss the outrageous proposals to increase class sizes for primary school pupils? I ask Members on this side of House to object to the idea that such a proposal would even be contemplated. Such proposals were put by officials to the previous Government and rejected outright when our four year plan...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: The amendments propose to change the size of constituencies. Senator Cullinane spoke in general about proportionality and stated the effort to achieve a greater balance is assisted by having larger constituencies. I want to approach the issue from a different angle, namely, with a view to improving female representation in the Dáil. As Members are aware, Ireland has one of the worst...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: Returning to an issue on which Senator Mooney touched in terms of the difficulty of getting women involved, particularly the double burden for women who are working hard at a career, be it politics or business, and also having a family, there is quite interesting work being done on that in the corporate field. McKinsey & Company conducted a study on women and men who had achieved...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: To respond to the comments of the Minister of State, one of the country's foremost and well-respected experts on electoral systems, Professor David Farrell of UCD, made the point that an increase in district magnitude would lead to improvements in women's representation. Fiona Buckley of UCC, who specialises in women in politics, has made similar arguments. A report was also published in...

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I wish to draw attention to the fact that we are due to conclude our deliberations in 17 minutes. Three parties in the House have tabled important amendments in respect of constituency sizes. In such circumstances, I encourage Senators to be brief in order that we might reach those amendments.

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I thank Senator Cummins.

Seanad: Electoral Amendment Bill 2011: Committee Stage (21 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I was Fianna Fáil spokesperson on political reform during the general election campaign. I noted on the doorsteps and in national debates that there was much focus on political reform with all parties publishing proposals. Like never before, people actually engaged with this topic with calls for real change. Many people said to me the problems over the past several years came down to the...

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber for the second time in two days. We are very privileged and we hope we will see him frequently in the future. I thank the Independent Senators for tabling such an important motion. Last week, the Minister published a consultation report on young people's views of the junior certificate programme. In that report the social personal and health education,...

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: There were many embarrassed teenagers in recent days.

Seanad: Residential Institutions (Redress) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister for his opening remarks. Fianna Fáil acknowledges the need for a deadline to be set. The board has been working for nearly nine years. We welcome the fact that advertisements will be placed for six weeks prior to the closing date. I wish to record thanks to the members of the board, particularly Mr. Justice Smyth, for the work carried out. I thank the victims...

Seanad: Residential Institutions (Redress) Bill 2011: Second Stage (19 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I welcome that because the report I read quoted only two of them as stating they would attend and that the others had not replied. I welcome that because there is no doubt that society in general, and also people who are religious, believe it is a disgrace that it has taken so long for the institutions to put up their hands, so to speak. The Government published reports on their assets and,...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Report Stage and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2011)

Averil Power: I, too, support Senator Zappone's amendment and hope the Minister will take it on board. The recently enacted Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 provided the general foundation in this regard. The tax rights and responsibilities in this regard are dealt within in the Finance (No. 3) Bill 2011. The issue of immigration is the one area remaining to...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (30 Jun 2011)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister. Like other speakers, I welcome the proposed changes concerning the provision of legal advice for victims of human trafficking but agree the provisions do not go nearly far enough. We will be giving legal advice to victims but will not be providing them with legal representation in court. As Senators Jillian van Turnhout and Ivana Bacik pointed out, the legislation...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (28 Jun 2011)

Averil Power: I propose to share time with Senator Paschal Mooney.