Results 13,161-13,180 of 14,090 for speaker:Marc MacSharry
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Members should think of that level of democratic subversion because this is what is taking place today and there is no excuse for it. I do not hold Senator Cummins responsible as Leader of the House, because I acknowledge he shares many of my views. However, what has sickened me in my ten years as a Member is the manner in which the political hierarchies of Fine Gael, of Fianna Fáil in its...
- Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (20 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Why are the active Members who have often spoken about Seanad reform and the need for the constitutional convention to include this issue not present today to participate in this debate? It was because they were told to stay away. Moreover, Senator Bacik would have Members believe the Government sent in the poor, honourable Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, who is not briefed on the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Following on from the comments of others I call for a debate on the constitutional convention that the Government plans to establish. I have concerns as to the superficiality of the issues to be discussed, including the reduction of the age for voting and the reduction of the term of the President. It is not that these are not important issues but if we are to go to the trouble, cost,...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome, as always, the Minister of State to the House and acknowledge she is well aware of this important issue. A number of issues arise from my perspective and I am not satisfied the Minister of State's office has been briefed adequately on the facts relevant to this case. I do not seek to cause an issue to arise between the Minister of State and me. She is focused on her brief and I...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I know but I ask the Acting Chairman to indulge me slightly because I have a couple of brief points to make. As the Minister of State has made the effort to be present in the Chamber, the least I can do is to make the points outlining my rationale for raising this matter. The aforementioned notes stated Wisdom Services has received 38% of the funding and have 23% of the people with...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: ----- simply was not present. The Minister of State should correct the record in this regard because an audio version of her contribution was disgraceful, in respect of the complexion it created regarding the facts, which include the brilliance and expertise that was delivered by the people operating under the auspices of Wisdom Services over the years. At this late stage, I ask the...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: ----- and to continue to deliver the aforementioned services. Moreover, if it is necessary to deflect a portion of the national budget to that particular HSE area, it should be done. I believe it is in the best interests of the State from a value-for-money perspective and more important-----
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: ----- it is in the best interests of those who use those services. I thank the Acting Chairman for his indulgence.
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I accept the response of the Minister of State but I do not like it. It is worth remembering it was at the invitation of the State that these people provided the services. Applying the basic business common sense I may have, I do not see how we expected Wisdom Services to run a deficit they would subsidise from the religious order and at the same time, in spite of the fact that they did...
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Surely then, we should wait until we see that review before we allow Wisdom Services to disengage.
- Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities (19 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Are we potentially downscaling the service?
- Seanad: Seanad Report on the Rights of Older People: Statements (13 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I welcome the Minister of State, who is the most regular visitor to the House, and commend her on her efforts. It was a retrograde step on the part of the Government not to appoint a Minister with specific responsibility for older people, as we did on the previous occasion. In fairness to the Minister of State, she is almost a Minister for everything in the areas of mental health and older...
- Seanad: Seanad Report on the Rights of Older People: Statements (13 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I am not sure it is fair to her or them to expect her to comprehensively cover all these areas, despite her valiant efforts to do it well. I am glad to have the opportunity to make a few points. I commend the work of Senator Zappone, Senator O'Keeffe and the various other people. I commend also Senator Mary White on the substantial document she produced in the context of care for the...
- Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I join others in highlighting the fact that this the inaugural Yeats Day. As I am sure others have done, it is important to mention the commitment of Senator Susan O'Keeffe to this project and the committee which put it together. We have seen another great example during the years in the case of Senator David Norris and Bloomsday. Yeats Day, like other international events we host such as...
- Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I join other Senators in mentioning some high profile cases of illegal moneylending that have come to the fore in recent days. I raised this issue some years ago as a problem in Sligo, while a "Prime Time" programme was made about it in the past 12 months. It is a serious problem that touches every community in Ireland, yet nothing is being done about it. Some draconian measures need to be...
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that the Minister for Health attend the House immediately to make a statement on and discuss the urgent measures that are clearly required to deal with the 218,000 people waiting for a hospital outpatient appointment. Following referral from a GP, 218,000 people are waiting for a simple outpatient appointment to see a consultant in a hospital....
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: It is an analogy, not an answer.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: What if one needs orthopaedic treatment in Waterford? What is the Government doing for those people?
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: There is a large number of people waiting for treatment for four years.
- Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jun 2012)
Marc MacSharry: Yes.