Results 14,281-14,300 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I see merit in Oireachtas approval for the disclosures recipient. Given the stature of the type of person envisaged in the legislation, one would hope his or her appointment to the role would not be a matter of controversy, but laying the matter before the Oireachtas would probably be good practice and do no harm. Regarding Deputy Sean Fleming's second amendment, I have grave reservations...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I will happily withdraw amendment No. 45 in favour of amendment No. 44. I was going to point out that there was a typographical error in my amendment, but it is hardly worth saying this now. I am concerned about the issue of volunteers. I have no wish to labour the point or rehearse the argument, but I am pleased to hear that provision will be made in the guidelines. I accept absolutely...

Order of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will time be set aside for the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, to make a statement to the Dáil on the resignation last night of the chairman of the West and North-West Hospitals Group, Mr. Noel Daly, and the serious conflict of interest arising from the Minister's original appointment of Mr. Daly as chairman of the group? In respect of the commission of investigation...

Order of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will the Government publish the interdepartmental group's report?

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: And broke them.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: So legislate for it.

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: This morning people are reading in the newspaper that the HSE is backing down on the issue of excessive salary top-ups for senior managers of voluntary hospitals and section 35 organisations, as they are called. The Tánaiste will recall that people were shocked in the recent past when they learned about the scale of the top-ups received by some of these individuals. They were even more...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: This is not just an issue for the Minister for Health but particularly for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Brendan Howlin. It is also one for the Tánaiste and the Government. I am sure the Tánaiste is no different from me in that public servants still write to him and recount the level of difficulty they are experiencing following a series of very...

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Will the Government legislate?

Leaders' Questions (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The facts are established.

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 30:In page 15, to delete lines 2 to 4 and substitute the following:“(a) the person to whom the protected disclosure was made or referred has ascertained, by way of express permission by the person making the protected disclosure, that she or he does not object, in particular if the person to whom such disclosure is made reasonably believes that this is necessary...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 31:In page 15, to delete line 7.

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It would be a little farcical and render the legislation null and void if provisions within it were to set out to paralyse the recipient of a disclosure. We all recognise this. That is not what my amendments are intended to do. This is not only about the investigation of an allegation or complaint but also about the revelation of the identity, or the protection of the identity, of the...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I am satisfied that as stated by the Minister this is the correct balance to strike. However, in the context of public exposition of this legislation in terms of official publications and so on it is important for workers that the appropriate channels are set out in plain language. Given not everyone has access to the wisdom of the Attorney General's Office it is essential the appropriate...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Yes. I move amendment No. 23:In page 10, to delete line 36, and in page 11, to delete line 1.

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 14:In page 10, lines 9 to 11, to delete all words from and including “, and” in line 9 down to and including “true” in line 11.I am concerned about this stepped approach, as the Minister described it, between reasonable belief and then that a concern or allegation might be substantially true. In explaining this stepped approach the Minister...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Minister is consistent but he is arguing a consistent contradiction because on the one hand he seems to be suggesting that reasonable belief in a substantial truth is almost a play on words-----

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----and on the other hand he is recognising that it is a second and higher threshold in terms of availing of the protections. I accept that we are not going to agree on this matter but in terms of lay persons who finds themselves in circumstances where it might be necessary or they might consider coming forward with an allegation or revelation, to ask for reasonable belief is one thing but...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I move amendment No. 10:In page 9, between lines 2 and 3, to insert the following:"(c) that a person has failed, is failing or is likely to fail to comply with a nonstatutory obligation, such as that arising from a professional code or workplace code of practice or recognised international standard, where such obligation is intended to uphold human rights, or other rights of citizens,".The...

Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Report Stage (12 Jun 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is on page 9. Section 5(4) of Part 2 reads: "For the purposes of subsection (3) it is immaterial whether a relevant wrongdoing occurred, occurs or would occur in the State or elsewhere and whether the law applying to it is that of the State or that of any other country or territory." This does not cover exactly what I am seeking to remedy, but the Minister might comment on it. On...