Results 881-900 of 1,158 for speaker:Fiona O'Malley
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I concur with the sentiments expressed by Deputy Devins and I welcome the debate that Fine Gael has set out. The last time I spoke on this issue was just after the "Prime Time" report. I echoed the sentiments expressed at that time by many Deputies that "Prime Time" had performed a great public service by highlighting the patient safety issue. It rightly focused us, for a change, on the...
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: The parties were given the opportunity to help draft legislation.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: Not one submission was received from the Opposition. Does the public realise this was the case? I doubt it. Opposition parties did not make one suggestion on what should be included in the Bill, nor indeed were any views on the proposals offered.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: This was a poor performance and a test of the Opposition's sincerity on the issue. They have been found wanting.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed) (15 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: On the substantive point, what the Opposition did muster was a call for a new so-called patient safety authority. This is strange given the Health Information and Quality Authority is already in place, albeit on an interim basis. The call for a patient safety authority seems quite restrictive, timid and unambitious given that the Minister's Bill provides for inspection of all nursing homes,...
- Transport 21: Statements (Resumed) (9 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I welcome the announcement by the Minister of the establishment of a Dublin transport authority. That is great news for Dublin's public transport users because the authority will consolidate the functions of various agencies in providing services and, more importantly, will deliver new licences. An additional 100 bus licences will be delivered to private operators, who will also be subject...
- Transport 21: Statements (Resumed) (9 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I will move the adjournment, but does that mean I cannot even finish my sentence?
- Energy Resources: Motion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this energy policy. No public representative can remain unconcerned about the rate of increase in the price of electricity and gas recently granted by the energy regulator. The cost of energy is increasingly an issue of significant concern to manufacturing industries here. As a minute and isolated energy market, Ireland was never going to enjoy the...
- Climate Change. (1 Nov 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, published yesterday, marks a significant milestone in global co-operation. The report should be compulsory reading for every Government in the world. The threat of climate change is global and the response must be on a global scale. The comprehensive research conducted by Mr. Nicholas Stern is of such international significance and...
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I am pleased to have an opportunity to speak about this motion. It is important to be guided by an ideology in politics, but we need to ensure we do not become slaves to our ideologies. The Minister for Health and Children is always criticised, unfortunately, by those who accuse her of being a slave to, or guided by, a particular ideology.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I suggest that the Opposition is completely enslaved by its ideology. The initiative of the Minister for Health and Children in increasing the number of public beds in this country has been completely misinterpreted. I prefer to call it a "reclamation project" because it involves the reclamation of 1,000 public beds, exclusively for the public health service, and needs to be recognised as...
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I cannot believe that the Labour Party wants to perpetuate a system that provides for reserved and subsidised private beds in the publicly funded system.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: The Labour Party should think about what it is looking for. I am not sure it has really thought through its position.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: It has given a knee-jerk reaction to a policy initiative that is demonstrably delivering treatment to and shorter waiting times for the public. That is an example of ideology getting in the way of the perception of service delivery. The Minister's National Treatment Purchase Fund initiative has proven that services can be bought privately in certain circumstances. Why not buy them in such...
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: They do not care who is delivering the service as long as they are getting it. That is what is important. The duty of the Minister for Health and Children, the Government and the Parliament is to improve the provision of services to all the citizens of this country and to ensure they get the best value and the best service available. That is what the Minister, Deputy Harney, has proven...
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: If anybody else is in charge of the health care service following the next general election, we will wait and see whether they will halt the progress that is well under way.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I noticed when I wasââ
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: ââlistening to the radio this afternoon that Deputy Twomey was in conversation with the Minister.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I thank the Chair. When Deputy Twomey was in conversation with the Minister, he declined to take the opportunity to indicate that he would halt the progress that is under way.
- Health Services: Motion (Resumed). (25 Oct 2006)
Fiona O'Malley: I suppose part of the reason he declined to take that opportunity is that he has not yet cut a deal with his putative partners in government.