Results 1,681-1,700 of 1,827 for speaker:Jillian van Turnhout

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: My question to the Leader today relates to the growing levels of child poverty here. Ireland is near the top of the table for OECD countries as regards percentage of children living in poverty. Figures for 2011 show that 19% of children live in poverty and 9% of children experience consistent poverty. The OECD has clearly identified that child poverty rates are significantly higher for...

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (7 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: Group spokespersons will now make contributions of five minutes each. This will be followed by a contribution from a Sinn Féin Senator for two minutes and questions from Members, which will be confined to one minute each. I call Senator Leyden.

Seanad: EU Fiscal Compact Treaty: Statements, Questions and Answers (7 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank the Senator for keeping to time. We are moving to questions, each of which should not be longer than a minute. I have an extremely long list of Senators and we must try to keep within our time constraints.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I would like to begin by wishing the very best to my colleague, Senator Eamonn Coghlan, with his endeavours in his new career with Fine Gael. I look forward to continuing to work with him and all my colleagues in this House. It is a great shame that the Internet service providers of Ireland have chosen today - Safer Internet Day - to criticise the decision of their UK counterparts to require...

Seanad: Priorities in Foreign Affairs: Statements (2 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: We could all say a great deal but I will limit myself to one specific point. I welcome the Tánaiste's commitment to Internet freedom through his work as chair of the OSCE. It is on this note that I draw his attention to the recent arrest of a 31 year old Indonesian civil servant, whose name I will supply to the Tánaiste separately, for having questioned the existence of God on his...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: Yes. In the spirit of equality and the subject matter in question, Senator Fiach Mac Conghail and I have agreed to share our time equally.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Second Stage (2 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I very much welcome former Senator, Dr. Mary Henry, to the House. I acknowledge the work of many people to get us to where we are in our consideration of this Bill today. Senator Mac Conghail's statement will focus on the transparency and disclosure aspects of the Bill. I wholeheartedly share his views on this. My statement will focus on the gender quota dimension of the Bill. I commend...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank the Leader for promising to bring the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs to the House next week to discuss the treaty on stability, co-ordination and governance. Like most of us I am in the process of studying it and will form my own view. I look forward to the upcoming discussion. I will address two matters, the first of which is the universal periodic...

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: That concludes the first round. Does the Minister wish to respond now? That will be followed by another round of questions.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: To clarify, there will be further questions after this round.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: The next speakers will have one minute each.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: As there are no further speakers I invite the Minister to reply.

Seanad: Local Government Reform: Statements, Questions and Answers (1 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: The Minister, without interruption.

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (25 Jan 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I welcome John Dolan from the Disability Federation of Ireland, who is joining us tonight, as well as the aforementioned people. I would like to focus in my statement on what I believe are three fundamental failings in the provision of disability support services. One is that there are currently no independent inspections; the second is that the €1.5 billion of health budget that is spent...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Jan 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I encourage my colleagues to participate in the Private Members' debate on the motion proposed by the Independent group on disability support and services. I appeal to Members to support the motion as proposed. This is an important debate and I hope the House will support the very clear action points in the motion. It will be led by my colleague, Senator Mary Ann O'Brien. I recall the...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Jan 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I join in the sympathies expressed by colleagues. Will the Leader call on the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to come to the House to address several issues of concern to Members? There is agreement in regard to child protection and adoption, but several outstanding issues are of great concern to me. The first of these relates to the promised referendum...

Seanad: Recent Developments in Eurozone and European Council: Statements (16 Dec 2011)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House and for her regular communications with us. She has been here before and, as a regular tweeter, her tweets have been keeping us informed, even during the European Council. She shows great initiative. I also wish to note the signing of the accession treaty with Croatia. It is a long time coming for the people of Croatia and is highly...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Dec 2011)

Jillian van Turnhout: This is obviously a day of unity in the Seanad and I wholeheartedly endorse the sentiments expressed by Senators Cummins, Mooney and Bacik. On 20 May last, I received an unexpected telephone call. When watching the proceedings of the Seanad last year, I could never have imagined that I would be in this Chamber with my colleagues today. I thank everyone for assisting newer Members and for...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank Senator Mooney. I am of the view that the Minister's presence in the Chamber may be influencing the true gentleman's approach. This is one of the two sections to which Senator Zappone and I are opposed. As an Independent Senator, it is difficult to deal with the Social Welfare Bill because one's heart must be ruled by one's head. I want to oppose all cuts but I feel I must...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2011)

Jillian van Turnhout: I finish on Tuesday.