Results 841-860 of 935 for speaker:Mary Moran

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I echo Senator James Heffernan's sentiments. The thought ran through my mind last weekend. I agree the walls of this great building should only be adorned with portraits of people who have shown excellent example and been great role models for the country. I welcome the High Court decision and settlement in the case of Ms Olivia Kearney, the lady from County Louth who was subjected to an...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Costello, back to the House. Senator O'Keeffe suggested that the Government is "arrogant" and "disconnected". I must say that was my reaction when I read-----

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: Not at all. I beg the Senator's pardon. The first time I read the Fianna Fáil motion I felt disconnected. I wish to address some of the education issues. In regard to the student registration fees at third level, it is worth noting that under the Fianna Fáil Administration the student registration fee increased by 950% between 1996 and 2011. The era of free fees ended under the last...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: It was protected.

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: If one looks at the €13 million enhanced capitation we have got €2 million worth of schoolbooks funding for DEIS schools and the €26 million investment in the home-school community liaison will be continued for 2012. The five existing scholarship schemes for higher education are being replaced with a single bursary style merit based scheme with awards set at €2,000 per student. The...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: It is as if Fianna Fáil was not in government or that it is not facing up to its responsibilities when it was in government. I cannot sit here and take a lecture from Sinn Féin either. A classical example of that party trying to have it both ways, is that it opposed the changes to small schools south of the Border while north of the Border it is seeking to close the small schools. One...

Seanad: Programme for Government: Motion (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: When you were in government-----

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: Today marks the seventh anniversary of world Down's syndrome day and for the first time, the United Nations will officially observe this day. In December 2011, the United Nations General Assembly declared this day and every future 21 March world Down's syndrome day, which I welcome. Each year the voices of people with Down's syndrome and those who care for, and work with, them grow...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I wish everybody a happy St. Patrick's Day. As I walked to Leinster House this morning it was truly heartening to see so many foreign visitors in the city. I hope we will have a good weekend of festivities, that everybody will be safe and that people will celebrate wisely. Last night we were briefed on a topic I had raised previously, symphysiotomy. It is welcome that there are to be...

Seanad: Cycle Lanes (15 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Alan Kelly, and call on him to comment on the newly installed double cycle lane at Stapleton Place in Dundalk which has badly affected the safety of residents and road users in general. The road is one of the widest and most picturesque in the town and of high aesthetic value. It was completely rearranged in recent months to facilitate the...

Seanad: Cycle Lanes (15 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I thank the Minister of State and welcome his statement that he will visit the area affected when he comes to Dundalk. I look forward to showing it to him on that day and to consultations with Dundalk Town Council to resolve the matter locally.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I wish to support the efforts of the Irish Network Against Racism, members of which are in the House this morning to launch European Week Against Racism ahead of the International Day Against Racism on Tuesday, 21 March. The Europe-wide message for this year is that people should speak out against racism. The Irish Network Against Racism comprises a national network of organisations that...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I hope I can fire on all four cylinders today.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I wish everybody here a happy international women's day. I offer my congratulations to Mr. Ron Cooney and those involved in the excellent showing of the programme, "Ballymun Lullaby" on television. The programme is an excellent example and it was proposed for an award. I refer to the teaching of music in disadvantaged areas and I commend the good this man has done in Ballymun. I wish to...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I have a question for the Leader. There is a question about the insurance policy. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on private health insurance. Companies selling health insurance should ensure that one gets what it says on the tin, so to speak, that one gets what one has paid for.

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome the Minister and I echo the sentiments expressed by Senator Moloney. As the Senator pointed out, large numbers of people have lost their domiciliary care allowance this year. It is difficult for the parents of children with special needs to complete and return a form which requires the provision of extremely detailed information in just 21 days. Most of these parents' days are...

Seanad: Early Intervention and Family Support Services: Statements (7 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome the national early years strategy which, she announced, went to Cabinet yesterday. I commend the ongoing work the Minister is doing in the area. I wish to ask the Minister specifically about early intervention in services for children with disability. The multidisciplinary teams are vital in this area. Physiotherapy, occupational therapy,...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome this morning's Cabinet agreement to roll out broadband to all secondary schools. All 650 secondary schools will have high-speed by 2014 - 200 this year, 200 next year and the final 250 in 2014. Having high-speed broadband will have a major impact on how teachers use ICT in their teaching and I must commend the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, and the Government on this very welcome...

Seanad: Child Abuse: Motion (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Moran: I welcome the Minister. I congratulate the Independent Senators, led by Senator Jillian van Turnout, for tabling what is an excellent motion. I also thank them for organising the wonderful briefing session in the AV room last week. Like some of my colleagues, I, too, was unaware of the scale of the problem. As a mother of young children and one who has been involved in the education of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Feb 2012)

Mary Moran: Recent courses organised by SafeTALK highlight the need for more help to encourage men to speak about depression and to seek help for their condition. It is widely recognised that men are more reluctant to speak about being depressed. This was highlighted at a course I recently attended through the use of video. A recent newspaper article revealed that a study undertaken by the National...