Results 841-860 of 5,755 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is absolutely the great county of Kildare. I am glad the Acting Chairman said that. I welcome the Minister of State, and I hope he will take on board the comments and points I will make. I certainly welcome any answers he has. "Water is the lifeblood of our bodies, our economy, our nation and our well-being." That is a quote from Mr. Stephen Johnson, a former head of the American...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Water Services (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that it has been acknowledged that there were clear communication failures in what happened with the Ballymore Eustace and Gorey supplies. We have to ensure that does not happen again. I appreciate the plants are now stable and operating normally, are producing clean and wholesome water and the refresher training has been put in place for all staff. That is very important....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil party, I join the Cathaoirleach in sending sympathies to the family and, indeed, to the Westminster family of Sir David Amess. He was a very fine and distinguished parliamentarian. I also send condolences to the families of Máire Mhac An tSaoi and Brendan Kennelly, At a time when coarse language is something that is used all too often, we had two...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I accept that but sentencing should reflect the crime. We have to take into account the impact on children. I raise also the issue of derelict sites. I have become aware of a number of derelict sites within my town of Newbridge and around south County Kildare that are owned by investment funds. They are a blight on the estates on which they are situated. Dumping is going on and young...

Seanad: Sláintecare Implementation: Statements (19 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome this opportunity to discuss the Sláintecare plan. I thank the Minister for his time. One of the first things he did in his opening remarks was to talk about our incredible healthcare workers doing extraordinary work every day. We can never forget that. We have seen that day in and day out over the last 18 months and we must never lose an opportunity to pay tribute to all...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined. Today is international e-waste day, the purpose of which is to raise awareness and to call on households and businesses to get behind efforts in recycling waste electrical products. I was shocked to learn this morning that we had 60 million electrical devices in Ireland in 2020. That includes all household devices, phones and all types of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by my colleague, Senator Chambers. Today, as we gather here, for the second day a dig is taking place on the Kildare-Wicklow border. All our thoughts and prayers are with the Jacob family in the hope that they will find some type of resolution to what happened. Their beautiful daughter Deirdre disappeared when she was 18. If she was alive, she...

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is a year since I had a Commencement matter on this topic. Part of the problem is that there was a different Minister from a different Department. That cuts to the heart of this issue, namely, that it cuts across too many Departments and one person is not taking charge of the industry and what needs to be done. I met Kieran Dunne and Larry Doran from County Kildare Growers and was...

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I commend Senator Currie on tabling this motion. I am pleased to be a co-signatory, along with all my party colleagues. While I welcome this debate, it is sad that we must have it. We were all shocked on 14 July when we saw the proposals published by the British Government for a statute of limitations, which would effectively end criminal investigations and prosecutions in the case of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Cathaoirleach for affording me the opportunity to speak on the streetscape enhancement scheme in the Chamber. I thank the Minister of State for his attendance. I was pleased to see in September that Kildare County Council had been successful in securing funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development through the 2021 streetscape enhancement measure. I was...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome the extension. I noticed a press release an hour before I came in here announcing its granting. It is welcome, but the constant changing of the goalposts is not acceptable. My concern is that there were seven applicants from four vibrant areas. There should have been many more, and several people to whom I spoke did not submit an application because they knew that they would not...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. I compliment the Leader on her leadership and work around the March for Maternity, which is to take place at 1 p.m. today. It is a really important matter that affects so many young mums and dads. We absolutely want to see a position where maternity treatment and care is the same as it was before Covid-19. We have spoken about it...

Seanad: Registration of Wills Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I echo the Cathaoirleach's words in regard to Senator Boyhan's passion and eloquence in terms of the issue at hand. There is no doubting the principle of what he is promoting and proposing. What Senator Boyhan has proposed is in the best interests of the people of Ireland. It is only right that we remember the work of the former Senator, Terry Leyden, in regard to this issue. I appreciate...

Seanad: Dyslexia Awareness Week: Statements (6 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for attending. I listened carefully to what she said. The key elements that stuck out for me were the focus on inclusion, full participation, having no barriers and additional supports. They are all incredibly important in helping young people achieve their full potential and ensuring they are able to go on and have a full life within their own community and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Work Permits (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am here today to speak for the owners of many small and medium sized businesses, particularly in Kildare. We all acknowledge that they have faced great adversity over the last 18 months and many of them are fighting for the survival of their businesses at present. I must acknowledge that government subsidies have been forthcoming and have stopped the financial bleeding for many...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Work Permits (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State. I have confidence that he recognises the extent of the problem and I recognise that some measures have been put in place. Any of the companies that I had contact with tried Pathways to Work, but it just did not work for various reasons. They took on people and those people left. We have to recognise the reality of what is there. Maybe we can have a separate...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I compliment the Cathaoirleach on his pink tie. Many of us are wearing pink today because it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is important that we commemorate those who sadly died with cancer, celebrate with those who survived and thrived, support those undergoing treatment and, most important, encourage women and men to get checked, including through BreastCheck when they are called...

Seanad: Child and Family Agency (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I would like to thank the Minister and his Department for their work on this Bill. The whole school completion programme and the home school community liaison scheme are essential components of the education system through the work that is done throughout the country on those programmes. A lot of work is done with the whole school community in an integrated way, within all of the community,...

Seanad: Situation in Belarus: Statements (5 Oct 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister for being here to listen to our deliberations and to discuss them with us. I welcome the opportunity to discuss the situation in Belarus on the record of the House because as we all acknowledge, the situation in Belarus challenges the democratic fabric that our societies and our Continent are built on. We have to show true solidarity with the Belarusian people in their...