Results 1,341-1,360 of 2,017 for speaker:Paul Bradford

Seanad: Economic and Recovery Authority: Motion (1 Apr 2009)

Paul Bradford: He lost that election.

Seanad: Economic and Recovery Authority: Motion (1 Apr 2009)

Paul Bradford: I support the motion proposed by my colleague, Senator John Paul Phelan. I thank him for bringing it forward for debate. I also thank and congratulate my Cork colleague, Deputy Coveney, on putting so much work into this Fine Gael policy, which was launched last week and is a major step forward in the sense of an Opposition party presenting a series of options that are well thought out,...

Seanad: Community Development. (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I am grateful that the Minister of State has come into the House to respond to my representation on behalf of the Castlelyons Community Council in Cork, which has made an application for grant aid under the voluntary housing scheme. To assist the elderly in the area, Castlelyons Community Council, which is a long established and very effective community council in east Cork, decided some...

Seanad: Community Development. (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am somewhat consoled by his statement that the project has not been refused. Let us suppose the negotiations between the Department and the housing body involved, namely Castlelyons Community Council, result in the ability of the community council to respond favourably to the new procurement contract system. If the documentation is resupplied...

Seanad: Forthcoming Budget: Statements (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I am glad to have an opportunity to say a few words on this important issue. I appreciate that the other House dealt with the pre-budget statements yesterday, but very valid debate on economic matters takes place in this particular political arena. I am sure the Minister of State will find some ideas of interest. I concur with some of the concluding remarks of Senator Butler. His comments...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: While I note the concerns of Senator Ellis about the telecommunications strategy, I remind him that only last night in the House the Government side proposed a motion congratulating the Government on its strategy.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: Will the Leader arrange an urgent debate, no later than next week, on the collapsing state of the dairy industry? My party leader, Senator Fitzgerald, spoke about job losses and the need for job creation and protection. It has been the tradition of rural Ireland that thousands of people have been employed, directly or indirectly, in the dairy industry. As we speak, people purchasing milk...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I wish to raise a matter relating to carers, which I have raised in the House on many previous occasions. I would like the Leader to organise at the earliest opportunity with the appropriate Minister a debate on carers, the rules governing carer's allowance and what possible further assistance we can give to the people providing full-time care and attention to elderly persons in our...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: As a society, we must aspire to allowing the maximum number of people remain in their own homes and communities. They are not second-class citizens and that is not a second-class system of care.

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: It can only come about through changes to schemes such as the carer's allowance. I hope that even in these hard-pressed financial times we will respond to groups such as the Carers Association because the way we respond to our elderly and to the people providing full-time care in the home and the community speaks volumes as to where we are and more important where we are going as a society.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: Senators speaking about outsourcing could be rather dangerous at the moment as we could be outsourced ourselves. I was interested in what was said by Senator Mary White. When all this legislation goes through this House and the other House we should aspire to have a process in place of the highest standards that would be expedited in an appropriate fashion. People should not see an endless...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I take on board what the Minister of State said. He spoke of delays and the burden on social workers to do almost two projects simultaneously. What is his assessment of the reason for the two and half to three year waiting period? Is it due to a staffing issue, the thoroughness of the work involved in the assessments or an administrative blockage? Within the remit of the existing...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: It is not that the HSE is understaffed, although there may be a lack of personnel in other fields of responsibility. Is the lack of social workers the official answer for the current delays?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I am pleased the Minister of State has confirmed that much or all the delay is due to a lack of resources. At least it is a problem we can identify and to which we can hopefully respond. I am at one with the Minister of State on what he said about the very effective, sensitive, professional and thorough manner social workers carry out their tasks and they have all our support. What can we...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I am not an expert on procedure, but will it be possible to revisit this matter on Report Stage?

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I do not want, for various reasons, to speak——

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: ——on Senator Fitzgerald's part——

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I referred to a time limit earlier. I innocently proposed a time limit or an aspiration in that regard. I take the Minister of State's comment as being genuine in the sense that he does not want to set a very precise limit or demand. Is there some space in between to allow us to aspire to progress? To say that it will be done as soon as practicable sounds fine, but we need to reflect upon...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I acknowledge and respect the Minister of State's response to my query, which was not particularly well researched or thought out. I was interested that the Minister of State said he would be concerned about the danger of drawing staff away from the work of child protection and welfare towards the assessment side of their duties. Therein lies the difficulty from a work and staff point of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (11 Mar 2009)

Paul Bradford: I move amendment No. 37: In page 34, subsection (1)(b), line 21, to delete "12 months" and substitute "24 months". Senator Fitzgerald advises me that the amendment arises from suggestions by the IAA. The argument is made that the waiting times for referrals increase partly in line with increased regulation and the growth of compliance with The Hague Convention. We should be mindful that...