Results 1,001-1,020 of 1,214 for speaker:Ann Ormonde

Seanad: Address by Mr. John Hume, MEP. (3 Mar 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I will pay a brief tribute to John Hume. Long before I entered politics, I knew about him. I came from a background where Northern Ireland was the subject of constant discussion and John Hume's name kept coming up at the dinner table. I understood his vision from an early age and I am delighted, having listened to his contribution, that his vision still exists. This was empathy and a desire...

Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister and acknowledge the work he is doing to improve society. I will not go into the nitty gritty of the legislation because that will be teased out on Committee Stage but the Bill, which is long overdue, is welcome. It will attempt to improve the management structures, functions and objectives of the Garda. The ombudsman's commission will be set up and that will provide a...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I spoke at length on this issue on Second Stage. I agree with many of the points being made regarding those who will enter politics. As I said some nights ago, politicians will be affected unless they have plenty of money or a business to which they can return. If they enter politics at the age of 25 and find themselves no longer in politics at 35 — perhaps they never had a career before...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I am joining this debate without having done much reading on this issue. Senator Browne stated that he does not know of anybody who entered training college and qualified with a B.Ed. who did not go into teaching. The area is wide open. Many people make different choices. At 18 years of age a person may enter training college but at 21 the person may have a different philosophy regarding the...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: Is that the message? My understanding of what the Senator said is that those who leave training college automatically go into teaching. Is that what the Senator said?

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I accept that two thirds of the graduates would enter the teaching profession after graduation. However, it is possible for many——

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: May I finish? I listened——

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: It is not. How dare the Senator presume——

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: My point is that it is possible for people who have completed a course, whatever course it is, be it teacher training or whatever, to decide to enter other professions after they qualify. I do not see anything stupid in that statement. If the Senator does, I might revert his comment to him, but I will not do that.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage. (26 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I reiterate the point that when a student enters a training college, there is no contract guaranteeing a job on graduation. Students sometimes undertake a Higher Diploma in Education simply to do a module in an area that interests them. While a majority of students that undertake the higher diploma in education may teach when they graduate, the principle is that a BA or B.Ed. provides a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I support the call for a debate on higher education, particularly regarding the OECD report. I include in that the post-leaving certificate courses, the rationalisation of courses and how access can be encouraged through the PLC system. That would be very worthy of debate.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (24 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister. I will be making many of the same points raised by Senator O'Toole. Of course, I must congratulate the Government on bringing this Bill forward. It is planning for the future regarding pension reforms for the public service; one could not deny that. There can be no smirking or otherwise in that regard. However, the first of the two points we must address is raising the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (24 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, to come to the House for a debate on Saturday's horrific accident. There should be a co-ordinated plan for traffic management incorporating South Dublin County Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council and including input from the Minister. This is a serious matter which has...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I endorse the call for a debate on sentencing. I also endorse what Senator Henry said about the statement by the Minister for Health and Children on the Medical Defence Union and how it intends to operate insurance for consultants in future. This is becoming a very serious issue and I would welcome a debate. Illegal trafficking is becoming a major issue throughout the country and needs to be...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, to the House. I endorse the motion before the House. I am happy to outline why I feel that the proposed programme of decentralisation is the best way forward. I live in Dublin. I travelled to Bray at 8 a.m. the other day, but the return journey, at 8.45 a.m., nearly did my head in. I had time to do a great deal of thinking, because the journey...

Seanad: Regional Development: Motion. (11 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: No, that is not true.

Seanad: Third Interim Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (4 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I also welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am delighted to see her looking so well again. I will try to speak positively because I have heard a litany of negative opinion in the past half hour. I have examined the statements on this report and I accept that there were difficulties. The Government was the first to make a commitment to look into cases of sexual abuse and to try to...

Seanad: Third Interim Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse: Statements. (4 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: What more could the Department of the Taoiseach do on this issue than the Department of Education and Science? I find this recommendation difficult to understand. The same work has to be put in no matter what Department is involved. The Minister for Education and Science made a commitment. He is the sponsor of the commission and he is responding to the difficulties that have arisen. He has...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Feb 2004)

Ann Ormonde: Thank you.

Seanad: European Presidency: Statements. (29 Jan 2004)

Ann Ormonde: I wish to share my time with the Leader, Senator O'Rourke. I welcome the Taoiseach and thank him for taking time from his busy schedule to address the House. The Taoiseach has described the operational programme for the next year. The theme of the Irish Presidency is Europeans working together. The Taoiseach's goal will be to finalise the draft constitutional treaty, EU enlargement and the...