Results 1,601-1,620 of 2,569 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: We shared the time.

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I would like the Government to manage their allotted time in order that Members could hear more from the Minister of State, Deputy English, and also the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State, Deputy Phelan, as to what is happening.

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the budget. Fine Gael has listened to the people and has invested in areas that need it the most. We made a step in the right direction to tackle the homeless crisis. There will be a total investment of €1.83 billion for housing in 2018 with 3,800 new social houses to be built next year by local authorities and approved housing bodies. The social housing current...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Crisis Pregnancy and Primary Care: Irish College of General Practitioners (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank Drs. O'Shea and Hanley for their attendance. It is extraordinary that there has been no mention of women who regret having an abortion in any of the evidence presented to the committee. There is no doubt that some women who travelled for an abortion regret their decision and that should be central to this debate. Groups such as Women Hurt, which comprises women who regret having an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Crisis Pregnancy and Primary Care: Irish College of General Practitioners (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The story the witness told about Sandra is only one of many. I am seeking balance. Many women regret having had an abortion. I do not know if the witnesses are familiar with the work of Dr. David Fergusson, who published a paper in the British Journal of Psychiatry. His paper tells the stories of many women who had abortions. Dr. O'Shea mentioned the website positiveoptions.ie. Women...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Crisis Pregnancy and Primary Care: Irish College of General Practitioners (12 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The reason I keep emphasising this is that the witnesses mentioned one person's story. Women are having abortions and they have a voice and, in the interest of balance, I would like that voice to be expressed, especially if the stories come from those in positions of respect such as the witnesses.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: International Developments in the Provision of Health Care Services in the Area of Termination of Pregnancies: Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and World Health Organization (11 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank all of the delegates for coming. I do respect them. I have listened and learned. The focus, however, was on abortion and how to introduce it in Ireland. Dr. Johnson has said that if we reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, we can reduce the number of abortions. Dr. Aiken has said that when women leave clinics, they are helped with contraceptives. I believe in life and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Health Care Issues Arising from the Citizens' Assembly Recommendations: Masters of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street and the Rotunda Hospital (11 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the witnesses. I note that, in his submission, Professor Malone advocates neither a pro-choice nor pro-life agenda but he wants very strongly to call for abortion to be made available where babies have a disability. I note that he stated very clearly that no specific disabilities should be excluded from that list. He called for the decriminalisation of abortion where babies have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Health Care Issues Arising from the Citizens' Assembly Recommendations: Masters of the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street and the Rotunda Hospital (11 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Is it true that the witness is describing the abortion procedure as care? At what point is it decided that the baby is no longer the patient? I have some questions for Dr. Mahony about abortion on health grounds. If abortion is introduced on health grounds, even very restricted health grounds, there is definitely no way back. It is not a case of not trusting women. I trust women and so...

Financial Resolution No. 2: Stamp Duties (10 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I know that the stamp duty on commercial property transactions was 9% between 2002 and 2008. I have concerns about small businesses. I wonder what kind of damage increasing the stamp duty from 2% to 6% will do. As a former businessman, I remember buying a business years ago. The good thing about a small businessperson buying his or her own property is that it means that he or she is not...

Financial Resolutions 2018 - Financial Resolution No. 1: Tobacco Products Tax (10 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the 50 cent increase in the price of a packet of cigarettes. I speak to many people who smoke and the majority of them do not want to smoke. We must do something to tackle the issue, for example, providing nicotine patches. Every family has been affected by cancer. My father died from the disease and every second smoker will die as a result of smoking. Deputies will have seen a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the witnesses for their submissions. There is no doubt that this is an emotive topic which divides opinion in all areas of society. Indeed, opinion is divided in many households. Both sides of the debate have very different views and it is important to listen to all views before we make a decision. Not only that, we must respect each other's views and opinions. Personally, I am...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I have reservations. I am afraid that if we go the way we are going, abortion will be available on demand. I would not like people to use it as a contraceptive and I would not like to think that it would facilitate a person who discovered from a scan that baby was a boy, but they wanted a girl, or vice versa. That is my biggest fear of all. I am conscious of it and I have set out my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the witnesses for coming in this afternoon. My question is for Ms Zampas. When she criticises Ireland for not having wider access to abortion, she seems to paint the picture that Ireland routinely puts women's lives at risk because of our laws. It is only fair that the true position be stated and acknowledged more often, namely, that Ireland has consistently been one of the safest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I did not say that; I said Ireland is one of the safest countries in the world for pregnant women. What happened to Savita was an awful tragedy. I know of people outside Ireland who think Ireland is not a safe place for women to be pregnant. It is one of the safest places in the world for pregnant women and has been over the past 30 years. The picture the witness is painting is that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: There are 100,000 people alive in this country because of the introduction of the eighth amendment. That is how I look at it. I want people to realise that Ireland is one of the safest countries in the world for pregnant women.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The UK and America do not have restrictive laws. As far as they are concerned, they have abortion on demand. As I said, Ireland is much safer for pregnant women than the UK and America.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Eighth Amendment of the Constitution: Constitutional Issues Arising from the Citizens Assembly Recommendations (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: We differ.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: European Travel Information and Authorisation System: Motions (4 Oct 2017)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I convey my sympathies to the victims in Las Vegas. The world is shocked by what happened there. It was wrong. I agree with Deputy O'Callaghan that we should opt in. It is very important that Ireland contributes to combatting terrorism and crime in Europe. Europol has played a very important role over the past number of decades. I wish the Minister the best going forward and I hope...