Results 141-160 of 5,820 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Public Transport (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I accept that it is complex to integrate new stations, configure ticketing systems and make necessary software changes. Obviously, there are different fares because people use annual, weekly or monthly tickets or just pay for single journeys. The FOI requests I mentioned showed that the revisions made in the NTA requirements mid-project, such...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I also welcome our distinguished guests. I look forward to having the opportunity to say "Hello" to them properly later. We heard the sad and tragic news this morning of the death of a young man in Carlow. Our deepest sympathies are with his family. We cannot draw any conclusions about how he died but we know a young woman has been arrested. We often speak about domestic violence but we...

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will note the time I start and will leave some time for the seconder. I thank the Cathaoirleach and Leader of the Seanad for affording this time in the Chamber to debate my Private Members' Bill, the Curragh of Kildare (Amendment Bill) 2022. The Bill seeks to amend the Curragh of Kildare Act 1961 to make provision for the management and...

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for his response. To be honest, I am very heartened by it. While he indicated the Government may seek amendments to the Bill, I am only happy for that to happen because at the end of the day, the resources I have are very limited in terms of drafting a Bill. I am only too happy to have resources the Department and the Government can bring to strengthen a Bill....

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: He was a good Limerick man, who talked about going from Kerry on a train to matches just to see what the journey was like and talking about passing the Curragh and what that meant. I know from being in different parts of the world, be it Europe or further beyond, when you are trying to explain where you are from in Ireland and you say I am from the Curragh, people know it straight away....

Seanad: Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am happy to second this Bill. I commend Senator Chambers on her work on this. This follows on from her excellent Bill on stalking, which has now become legislation. It is important, as she said, that it is not merely seen as harassment but it is a specific type of behaviour and should be a specific type of offence. When we see the specifics are there, that is what makes good...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Children with Disabilities - UNCRPD Article 7: Discussion (16 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Mr. Harris, Ms Mellerick, Ms Mullock, Ms Soraghan and Ms Ward for all the work they are doing. It is important work and it is worthwhile. To consider some of the work they have been doing on this, it is incredible that in education the number of second level special classes increased by 714% between 2010 and 2022, primarily due to a 905% increase in classes for autism. That is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Children with Disabilities - UNCRPD Article 7: Discussion (16 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Hopefully I will be a Deputy by then.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I was devastated to learn yesterday that a seven-year-old girl in Dublin lost the sight in her right eye because, it is suspected, a vape exploded from a bonfire. It brought me back to many years ago when a young seven-year-old boy in Newbridge lost his hand from something escaping from a bonfire. We are approaching bonfire and banger season. I raised this issue in the Chamber recently and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I join the Leas-Chathaoirleach in welcoming all our guests, particularly Councillor Padraig Fitzsimons. I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for accepting this Commencement matter. It concerns fire defects and the need to ensure housing estates such as Millfield in Newbridge are included in the Department's remediation scheme. Nine years ago, in March 2015, a blaze occurred in Newbridge that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Fire Safety (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I will make a few points. I am disappointed with the thrust of what the Minister of State said, that houses would not be included. I fail to understand why. The Minister of State made the point that the House Agency has no record of any application from the owners’ management company of this development. I will certainly check into that. He made the point that there is the pyrite...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Human Rights (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I am used to seeing Senator Gavan to the right, so he will forgive me for not seeing him right in front of me.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Human Rights (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for staying with us for three Commencement matters. I understand the Minister of State, Deputy Colm Burke, is on his way in for the final matter.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The Senator has a minute to respond.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Senator. The Minister of State has the final word.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Emergency Departments (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The House now stands suspended until 2 p.m.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business, as outlined. As we all know, at 2 p.m. there is going to be a protest outside Leinster House by the hospitality industry. This is an industry that provides important services and good jobs, in particular to younger people, for example students, which helps them through college. They are the essence of what makes the streets in communities, villages and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Needs of Visually Impaired Students: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is completely fine. My apologies. I had the opportunity to listen to the opening statements. I was quite surprised when I saw the figure of 38,055 Irish young people under the age of 19 who have some type of visual impairment. That is significant. It is quite high. Obviously, we need to do all we can to try to ensure that they can reach their potential in education, socialisation...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Needs of Visually Impaired Students: Discussion (15 Oct 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Could the witnesses comment on the geographical disparity?