Results 14,981-15,000 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I detected a note of sarcasm in the Taoiseach’s utterances about the Seanad, but perhaps I am wrong.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Seanad Reform (4 Feb 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It strikes me that the Taoiseach, after the people administered a wallop to him, is walloping back. Perhaps the Taoiseach is telling them they wanted the Seanad and they have the Seanad. It is beyond lame for the Taoiseach to state that 35 years later, the great new dawn for the Seanad will be an extension of the franchise to include all third level graduates or graduates of higher...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed): Freedom of Information Requests (4 Feb 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The new freedom of information legislation is very welcome. It is a pity that the Taoiseach has decided to stick with a charge for requests. He remarked on multiple requests. Very often they are a consequence of the fact that the State charges for information, which is a great pity. When questions were asked of Irish Water, the Taoiseach made the case that it had not been fully...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Health Services Provision (4 Feb 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: 534. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when he will introduce legislation to provide enhanced medical services to eligible women similar to that available to holders of the Health (Amendment) Act 1996 [53978/13]

Order of Business (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: In respect of the health (amendment) (No. 2) Bill, is this the legislation the Tánaiste envisages will deal with the health service provisions for the survivors of the Magdalen Laundries, including those survivors who live outside the State. There has been toing and froing between the Departments of Health and Justice and Equality on this issue and we are no clearer as to how that will...

Order of Business (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I also object to this proceeding without debate. As Deputy Kelleher has acknowledged, the committees have individually scrutinised their respective Estimates. However, it is important that the Dáil as a full body should have space to consider each and every one of them. In many cases the Tánaiste's commitment to accountability could be drawn into question. Certainly this is one...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Not alone should Louise O'Keeffe not have suffered abuse at the tender age of eight in what should have been a very safe environment of her primary school, she should not have been harangued, bullied and threatened by the State. I am sure the Tánaiste will agree with me on that point but that is precisely what happened through the High Court, the Supreme Court and as far as the European...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Let it be said that all of the protections which now exist and are contemplated are a direct result of brave people like Louise O'Keeffe stepping forward. Can the Tánaiste answer my question? I asked him whether the Taoiseach's apology and his apology extends to all victims of abuse in primary schools. I would like to hear him say clearly that his Government and the State now fully...

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: We can all agree on Louise's bravery-----

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----and on the significance of this judgment but what we need to hear from the Government now are clear words and the actions it intends to take-----

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----and an apology to one and all.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: And in the courts.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The Tánaiste did not answer my questions.

Leaders' Questions (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: By any standards, Louise O'Keeffe is an extremely courageous woman. Abused as a young child and, no doubt, deeply traumatised as a result, blocked, bullied, browbeaten and threatened by the State, she never lay down. She took her case to the European Court of Human Rights and that court ruled this week that the Irish State is directly liable for the inhuman and degrading treatment of an...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: I do not know if we are dancing on the head of a pin. The issue is whether a record is kept of the meeting. If it is held in audio form, one can just as easily argue that the witness will expose himself to some kind of legal problem as would be the case if it was held in written form. It would do no harm to get the opinion of the witness presenting, but I hear what the clerk is saying...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is an Oireachtas document. Would it have the status of a committee document?

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: The clerk knows of a precedent in which a Member of the Oireachtas sought to hear an audio recording and was refused.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: That is problematic.

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: This is reasonable and we need all the information in front of us. The HSE and the Department of Justice and Equality were quite prompt in responding to us but I notice in the correspondence from the Department that it observed responses to the audit report which had been sought have not been received from Rehab. I presume it is pursuing the matter with Rehab and should the additional...

Public Accounts Committee: Business of Committee (30 Jan 2014)

Mary Lou McDonald: Am I right in thinking that they are, however, not permitted to attend the private session this afternoon?