Results 981-1,000 of 1,401 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Seanad: Sláintecare Implementation: Statements (19 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to speak about Sláintecare. It is a most important initiative, and one that has been talked about for a long time. We all support the concept of universal healthcare being provided to people based on their medical need and not just on their ability to pay for that medical care. For our party, it is intrinsic and a priority. We...

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

Mary Fitzpatrick: I wish to raise the issue of the student accommodation crisis in Dublin and in our towns and cities. A month ago, many Members of this House and the Dáil went out in support of the Union of Students in Ireland when it held a demonstration to highlight the issue of housing poverty in the student population, the unaffordability of student accommodation and concerns about a the conversion...

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

Mary Fitzpatrick: I apologise, as I was at a meeting. I will continue the theme of the budget. We should recognise that this is the first post-pandemic budget. We have all come through a difficult 18 months and we are all grateful to everyone who helped us do that. This budget is designed to help those who need help most and tries to improve everyone's quality of life. Most importantly, it is targeted at...

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

Mary Fitzpatrick: -----and put out disinformation. Today, it has its slick social media blasting out on people's phones that there is zero in this budget to support renters in terms of paying their rents, stopping rent increases or improving standards, all of which is a lie.All of which is a lie. There is €600 million to support renters, €11 million to enforce the rent caps for which we have...

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

Mary Fitzpatrick: It is very important this House corrects that false narrative being promoted and pushed by the Opposition. It is dishonest and disingenuous.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: With the permission of the House and the Chair, I will share time with Senator Gallagher.

Seanad: Peat Harvesting: Statements (13 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. This is a very important debate. The Minister of State brought great clarity on his role and the planning process. It was important he clarified that he understood the issue, supports peat extraction and the horticultural sector and understands the threat the current situation poses to a sector worth close to €500 million to us. It...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending today. I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Ó Cuív, who is Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community. I also acknowledge and thank the stakeholders who have engaged with the Minister of State’s Department on issues affecting Traveller accommodation. We have discussed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Accommodation: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (12 Oct 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State and his officials for attending today. I acknowledge the presence of Deputy Ó Cuív, who is Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community. I also acknowledge and thank the stakeholders who have engaged with the Minister of State’s Department on issues affecting Traveller accommodation. We have discussed...

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

Mary Fitzpatrick: I want to bring up a very important issue that is undermining and corroding my community and communities all over the country. I refer to the issue of antisocial behaviour. I define antisocial behaviour as behaviour that is unfriendly in any way. It can be anything from being rude online to gratuitous random attacks of physical violence. These have been documented in the media but...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I return to a subject which I have raised previously, which is the proposed multi-billion euro, 19 km, high frequency, high capacity rail link from beyond the airport to the south side of our city, called MetroLink. It has been talked about since 2001. As a project, it will potentially reduce the congestion on city streets, reduce the number of cars and help us all to achieve our carbon...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for coming in to discuss this very important new housing policy. In election 2020, voters went out to vote and the vast majority of them voted for change. They voted for change on a number of issues but on one issue in particular, namely, housing. The Minister and I heard it, as did members of my party and members in all parties in government, and they understood the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Water Services Separation Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (28 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank all the witnesses for the work they have done in moving forward with this legislation. I was a critic back in 2013 and we have moved on quite a bit. I suppose we hope this legislation will deliver on the commitment that has been in place since 2018 to set up Irish Water as an independent and publicly owned nationally regulated water service utility. I am clearly very supportive of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Water Quality and Infrastructure and Small Town and Villages Growth Programme: Discussion (23 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the witnesses for their presentations and for attending today. My colleague, Senator Malcolm Byrne, will talk about the specific localised contamination issues and Deputy Cathal Crowe is also here. I wish to talk about Irish Water in a broader context. While recognising the significant improvements and progress that have been made and also recognising the challenges, we need to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (22 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for coming in to respond to my Commencement matter which concerns the national childcare scheme. This scheme has a stated objective of improving children's outcomes, supporting lifelong learning, making work pay, reducing child poverty and tangibly reducing the cost of quality childcare for thousands of families throughout Ireland. They are very noble objectives and I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Childcare Services (22 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister for his response. It is certainly encouraging, especially his personal commitment to the early years childcare sector. I welcome his broader review of the sector. The NCS resulted in a funding cut of more than 30% for them. I know this will be captured in the review and report, and I acknowledge the funding that has been put in place during Covid. It is critical. We...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I too offer my condolences to Senator Hoey and her family at the very sad time of the passing of her dad. May he rest in peace. Transport has featured in the contributions of many speakers today but I must return to the subject. Investment in public transportation is of great importance to us as a society and as an economy, and in achieving our climate action targets. We all want to...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Stalking) Bill 2021: Second Stage (22 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for coming in for this debate. I am proud to second this reading of the Bill by Senator Lisa Chambers. I start by paying tribute to Una Ring and Eve McDowell. I had the pleasure of meeting them personally today. I have heard them give such brave testimony in the media. Their courage, strength and generosity are incredible. They have endured terrible ordeals...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: It is great to be back. Comhghairdeas to Senators Moynihan and Ward. Romance is clearly in the air. I wish them a lifetime of happiness with their life partners. It is great to be back - largely because of the vaccination programme. More than 7 million doses have been administered. We have led the way in Europe, it is a huge success story and I thank everybody involved in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Planning and Development (Amendment) (LSRD) Bill 2021: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (7 Sep 2021)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Mr. Hogan and everybody in the Department for the work they have done on the new large-scale residential development Bill. It is very welcome. When I was a public representative at local level I complained loudly about the strategic housing development process. I hope this new Bill will address many of the issues that created great concern for communities. I was concerned with the...