Results 101-120 of 312 for long speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (15 Jul 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...families and business owners. We all want to see our loved ones receiving the highest quality of care that they can. We want to see them enjoying the highest quality of life possible for as long as possible. This Bill absolutely supports that. Nursing homes are not the right setting for everyone. Many people want to stay in their own homes for as long as they can and if they are...

Seanad: Report of Independent Review Group Jadotville: Statements (15 Jul 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...which a significant number of Irish soldiers took part. It is only right that we should recall and honour the contribution of all who served in the various Irish contingents over the course of the long, difficult and complex mission. Of course, we recognise those who have participated in all missions since 1958. There is huge emotion attached to the Jadotville case and rightly so. The...

Seanad: Companies (Rescue Process for Small and Micro Companies) Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 Jul 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...with the local enterprise office, LEO, and County Kildare Chamber, published its economic strategy last week for attracting new investment and sustaining industry and enterprise and ensuring long-term sustainable goals. When we look at the statistics in that strategy, we can see that small businesses make up 92% of the active businesses in Kildare. That is incredible. Some 92% of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...retinal disease would be able to access the gene therapy Luxturna, as Mr. Ciáran Joyce from Kildare town has informed me. Sadly, his mum Betty passed away last year from this disease. This Bill is a long overdue but credible solution to the ongoing crisis and it is very much needed. I was shocked to see in this morning's Irish Examinera piece by Ms Aoife Moore in which she wrote...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Ratification of Optional Protocol: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jun 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...in the first place. It really should have been part of the whole agreement. There is so much confusion around it and also delay. I understand from what Dr. Lynch said that it may not be as long as we had originally thought which is good news. In 2015, the Department of Justice published a roadmap for the legislative measures that were needed to meet the requirements of the UNCRPD. An...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Bullying in Educational Institutions (31 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...lives', etc. Many good programmes are in place in different schools, which have been rolled out by different patron bodies. If we had a roadmap to different types of strategies, we would go a long way. We need to take a number of steps. Any approach to bullying has to include the voice of students. It is also important that parents are very actively involved. We need an online safety...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (25 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...respecting the time limit. Witnesses are probably aware that the committee will publish the opening statements on its website following the meeting. Before beginning, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official, either by name or in such a way as...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...our counties. We also cannot have houses and apartments being built without due regard for safety. We cannot have a quick fix solution. Everything has to be considered and there has to be a long-term view in terms of the answers the Minister brings forward. I will refer briefly to the situation in Newbridge, where there was a dreadful fire at apartments in Millfield. Thankfully, there...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015: Decision Support Service (20 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: .... What other changes does Ms Flynn think are required to ensure compliance because part of our raison d’êtreis to ensure compliance with the CRPD. I share the sense that others have expressed in how long it has taken to implement this convention and the fact that the Act was passed in 2015. I am aware that Ms Flynn said that this is a priority for legislation this year and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Bord na Móna (11 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...centre, where we had our first Seanad meeting of this mandate. I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this Commencement matter, which is important to the people of Kildare, Offaly, Roscommon, Longford and Westmeath and all those impacted by job losses because of Bord na Móna. I cannot overstate the importance of Bord na Móna and the employment it gave in my county of Kildare....

Seanad: Carer's Allowance: Motion (10 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...provide a core basket of services to carers across the country, regardless of where they live. This was a key plank of our general election manifesto and is now securely in the programme for Government along with our programme partners. We are helping to progress a highly ambitious plan to greatly increase home care. Home support is vital to enable older people to remain in their own...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: .... Seamus Heaney in "The Cure at Troy" wrote: Human beings suffer They torture one another [...] History says, Don’t hope On this side of the grave... But then, once in a lifetime The longed-for tidal wave Of justice can rise up, And hope and history rhyme. That is what the shared unit for the island of Ireland is all about.

Seanad: Education (Leaving Certificate Examinations) (Accredited Grades) Bill 2021: Second Stage (7 May 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...normal times. There is additional stress this year. We are all concerned about the impact on young people's mental health, in particular those sitting State examinations. This provision goes a long way towards alleviating that stress for them. The statutory indemnity for teachers is also important, as is the section dealing with canvassing. I acknowledge the proposed engagement with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined. A week is a long time in politics and since the House last met, Arlene Foster has signalled that she will be standing down as First Minister and as leader of the DUP. I pay tribute to Arlene Foster. Politics is a difficult game for all of us and nowhere is it more difficult than in Northern Ireland. I wish her well and acknowledge her work on...

Seanad: Future of Gambling Regulation: Statements (23 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...or stealing from employers. Apparently, approximately one in five of those with gambling problems attempt to steal from employers. As the Minister of State is aware, Fianna Fáil has a long-standing commitment to implementing regulations for socially responsible gambling. He is bringing that commitment to reality and I thank him for that. He is setting out clear regulations to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...the witnesses to respond. As the witnesses are probably aware, the committee will publish the opening statements on its website following the meeting. Before we begin, I remind members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the Houses or an official either by name or in such a way as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Provision of Special Needs Education: Discussion (20 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...must do our best in terms of ensuring that every young person with an intellectual disability has the opportunity to have an education plan that is suited to them. It is going to take us a long time to get to that point. I have a number of general questions on the particular topic we are discussing for whosoever of the witnesses wishes to respond to them. It is good that the Minister...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nursing Homes Support Scheme (19 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...been treated very harshly under the current conditions of the scheme. As we know, under the scheme an annual levy of 7.5% on farmland applies to all elderly farmers for every year they avail of long-term nursing care. For most people, this 7.5% per annum levy is limited to the first three years of the nursing home care but farmers and business owners face indefinite contributions on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Special Needs Education: Discussion (13 Apr 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...is very important. There are significant delays between assessment and provision of support services for children diagnosed with autism. Does the Department have up-to-date information on how long the delays are at this time? Anecdotally, I have heard they are very long. What do our guests consider an acceptable delay? I know of a number of parents whose children have been diagnosed...

Seanad: Family Leave Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 Mar 2021)

Fiona O'Loughlin: ...many existing inequalities in society, including inequality that disadvantages women. The assumption that the majority of the childcare burden falls on the mother has held women back for far too long. We are facing a situation, although it has been rectified at this moment, where our Minister for Justice had no legal access to maternity leave. However, we spent last Monday telling women...