Results 1,141-1,160 of 5,823 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Natural Heritage Areas (12 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Acting Chairperson and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for being here to discuss the Curragh of Kildare, which is a unique and special place, both to those of us from Kildare who live close to the Curragh and people throughout the country. Many people pass it on a daily and a weekly basis and have the opportunity to see our lovely lands. The Curragh needs very...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Natural Heritage Areas (12 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am glad to hear that there is a little bit of lily white in the Minister of State. I look forward to bringing him down and giving him a full tour of the Curragh when the Covid pandemic is over. I had thought that the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW would be here today, but I accept that this matter crosses over between the Minister of State's Department, the OPW and the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Leader. I have to start today's proceedings by talking about education and some of the statistics that have emerged. When we see that calls to Childline went up by 26% during this lockdown, there are 20% fewer referrals to our social workers, and top paediatricians are saying children are at risk of suffering in terms of physical health and lack of...

Seanad: Mental Health and Covid-19: Statements (12 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I acknowledge her hard work in this area and on older people. I commend her on it. There is no doubt but that we are bombarded with news about Covid from early morning until we go to bed at night. There is a constant stream of information about death tolls, infection rates and the R number. We need to know what is happening so this is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I raise the matter of how we reimagine how we will live post Covid. We have all learned many lessons over the last 12 months about how we live our lives, including within our own 5 km. Our priorities have changed. The closeness of family is acutely important. There is an ongoing process in many of our counties, not least my own county, Kildare, regarding county development plans. We are...

Seanad: Special Education Provision: Statements (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: We are discussing 18,552 students with complex needs who attend 124 special schools. I know two of these schools, St. Anne's School in the Curragh and St. Mark's School in Newbridge, very well. We are also discussing 1,836 special classes in 964 schools across the country.When we refer to that number of students, we are talking about individuals, families, parents and siblings. Those tight...

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am very proud and honoured to second the Bill brought forward by my colleague, Senator Clifford-Lee. I thank her for all of the work and consultation that she has undertaken to bring the Bill before us tonight. I say that both as a Fianna Fáil colleague and as chair of the women's caucus. It is almost two years since the women's caucus decided to put a cross-party motion on period...

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his kind words. I call Senator Boylan to speak.

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I call Senator Dolan.

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Committee Stage ordered for Monday, 15 February 2021.

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (1 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank my colleague, Senator Ardagh, for introducing this matter and we intend to work together on a Bill to address the present failings. I wish everybody a very happy St. Brigid's Day. It is very fitting that today is her day because she was the saint of fertility. In her time she helped women who could not conceive and that is almost 1,500 years ago. The World Health Organization is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services Provision (1 Feb 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am really pleased that this is a priority for the Government and have no doubt that many others are as well. I agree with the Minister 100%, this is about equality and equity of access to the support which some need to start their own families. Money should not dictate whether people have access to this treatment or not, as it currently does. We all know many who have remortgaged homes...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Equine Industry (26 Jan 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to respond to this particularly difficult and challenging issue. The equine industry, as we all know, is synonymous with County Kildare. It has incredibly positive socioeconomic benefits for our county, which is known as a thoroughbred county not just in Ireland but throughout the world. There are three racetracks, Goffs, Horse Racing...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Equine Industry (26 Jan 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: It is important that Horse Sport Ireland be ambitious and we certainly want it to be. It is important to note that it does need to move from its present premises, but I have no confidence, from what the Minister of State has said, that he is going to fight for it to be retained in Kildare for all the reasons I and Senator Martin have outlined. We had a good Fianna Fáil Minister in...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (26 Jan 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (26 Jan 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: May I add my words to yours, Acting Chairperson, in your very dignified and emotive response last week to this report? I know it was deeply personal. We all learned from your dignity, so thank you, Senator Boyhan. When we talk about the mother and baby homes, we are talking about our mothers, our aunts, our cousins, our sisters and our neighbours. We are talking about people within our...

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

Fiona O'Loughlin: I wish the Cathaoirleach, Members and the entire staff of the House a happy and peaceful 2021. This year has already had a very rocky start internationally and nationally.It was a difficult start but it was also an emotional one considering the mother and baby homes report that was published last week, about which we will hear more later in our debate. Since we last met, which was only a...