Results 961-980 of 987 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Yesterday Sinn Féin had free rein in attacking Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to raise two matters, the first of which relates to the Government's commitment in the confidence and supply agreement to reinvest in the National Treatment Purchase Fund, NTPF, in order that patients who have been waiting too long for hospital treatment will have a chance to come off the waiting list. Will the Leader confirm whether this measure is being progressed and the NTPF will...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I extend my deepest sympathy and that of the Fianna Fáil group to the people of Iraq, whom I understand are holding three days of mourning for the 215 people tragically killed and the hundreds injured in the latest spate of suicide bombings during the holy month of Ramadan in the name of Islamic State.It is difficult to imagine the grief and the fear these families and communities are...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I will withdraw it on the basis that the Minister will attend the House today.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Leader. That is perfect.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Leader for allowing statements on Ibrahim Halawa later today. The entire House and the Fianna Fáil group are very grateful to him. I raise comments made yesterday by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross, at the Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport. The Leas-Chathaoirleach will recall that I raised concerns last week regarding the...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I raise the issue of charities regulation and, in particular, the case of corporate governance irregularities and mismanagement within the organisation Console, which has been the subject matter of a "Prime Time" investigation lately. The Health Service Executive, HSE, started an audit last April and the findings of this audit are now with the senior management of the HSE. Console is a...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I will share time with Senator Clifford-Lee, who wishes to raise a few points.

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: She wishes to clarify a few points.

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: First, I thank Senator Norris for introducing the Bill. This issue is close to my heart. I am a solicitor and an immigration practitioner. Last year, in Dublin City Council, I proposed a motion, which received cross-party support, calling on the chief executive to ask the Minister to put an end to long-term direct provision for asylum seekers and to review the consequences for children...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Direct provision is inhumane and amounts to State-sponsored poverty and exclusion, particularly for children. People are forced to live in substandard accommodation and often have to share it with strangers. The eminent retired judge, Mrs. Justice Catherine McGuinness, said that direct provision centres will be the subject of redress boards in the future unless something is done. It is a...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Direct provision appears to be run like a business rather than an institution that is caring for people.

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Ireland, unlike other EU countries, opted out of the two EU directives which would grant asylum seekers the right to work and study, so people are left idle and without the opportunity to make a contribution to the society in which they live. When their children finish school they are unable to go on to third level education, as we have seen in a number of high profile cases where children...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for attending. I raised this matter previously in the House. In 2012, the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government made an announcement about the provision of 35 primary care centres. By way of written response received in December 2015 on one primary care centre in the heart of my constituency in Dublin South-Central, the answer received by the Minister was that the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres Provision (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I would appreciate if perhaps the Minister of State could ask the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, to outline how he would go about including the Crumlin-Drimnagh project in the 2017 capital review plan.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: As leader of the Fianna Fáil group, I welcome the Government's decision to increase the rent supplement in line with the confidence and support agreement with Fianna Fáil. It must be noted that it is just one of a suite of measures designed to tackle the housing and homeless crisis. Many families are at risk of losing their homes due to rapidly rising rents and that is the reason...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Can I comment, please?

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I have a point of clarification to make. I ask Senator Ó Clochartaigh to immediately withdraw his remark that Fianna Fáil was complicit in misleading the Seanad last week.

Seanad: United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements (28 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: Last Thursday, more than 33.5 million people turned out to vote and took the remarkable decision for Britain to leave the EU. Although their decision has shocked and disappointed me, I entirely respect their democratic right to make that decision. When the Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron, put the question to the British people, they were absolutely entitled to give him and other "Remain"...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2016)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish the boys in green the very best of luck against Italy this evening. The entire nation will be cheering them on and we are all hoping for success. We are all familiar with the phrase "your health is your wealth" and the importance that those in need of medical assistance receive it in an appropriate and convenient environment. I raise in that context the issue of primary care...