Results 301-320 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (22 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Members on both sides of the House have raised issues of serious concern but the Minister will not be able to address them in the time available. It is clear that the policy pursued by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in the past ten years has failed to deliver adequate health services. I would like to say more about this but there is no time to do so. What action has the Minister...

Seanad: Patient Safety: Statements (Resumed) (22 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Is the Minister saying there are no cutbacks?

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yesterday, a Senator was cast out from this House on the reputation and integrity of members of the Judiciary. Senator Jim Walsh yesterday stated that the Chairman of the Mahon tribunal was acting as an effective shop steward for the tribunal. His exact words were and, I quote, "we must recognise that the chairmen of some of the tribunals in fact use their position in order to act more or...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Will the Cathaoirleach clarify why he cannot accept it?

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I give the Cathaoirleach notice now that I wish to move this motion on the Order of Business.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I can submit it in writing to the Cathaoirleach now.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: In view of the seriousness of the situation, it is imperative the House shows its upset and displeasure at what happened here yesterday.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I ask that the Cathaoirleach accept the motion in view of the exceptional circumstances and the slur cast on the reputation of the work of this House.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: Very impressive.

Seanad: Dublin Transport Authority Bill 2008: Second Stage (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I represent an area where traffic gridlock and lack of transport infrastructure has serious consequences for commuters every day, whether people are stuck in gridlock in Lucan village, held up on the M50 motorway, or there is no space available on the new trains arriving at Adamstown station. Transport gridlock is a serious issue for the...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects: Motion (23 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this motion and I congratulate the Independent Senators on tabling it. What is clear from comments from all Senators is that the secrecy and mystery around the school building programme must go. It causes endless upset to teachers, boards of management, parents and children. We need more transparency and this motion says it all regarding the...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am glad the matter to which Senator Walsh referred has been resolved by his statement here today. I want to raise two issues on the Order of Business. The first concerns the social partnership talks which are commencing. They will take place at a challenging time for our country and economy and the outcome of them is important for each and everyone of us. The social partnership talks...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I believe the comments of the Minister, Deputy Cowen, about pay restraint would be heard better by all involved if he took leadership on his own pay rise and led by example——

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: ——in the call for pay restraint. I ask the Leader of the House to invite the next Minister for Finance to the House to enable us to have a voice on these important matters that will come before the social partners in the next few weeks and months. The outcome of these talks is critical for everyone in this country given the soaring unemployment rates and high inflation. I wish to raise...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement and Lisbon Treaty: Statements (24 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the Taoiseach to the House and thank him for the honour he is bestowing on the Seanad in delivering his last Oireachtas address as Taoiseach in this Chamber. It is an important occasion on which we put attack politics to one side. There will be no arguments and nothing grudging. Observers of our political system are more used to adversarial politics, the politics of debate and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: This side of the House does not agree to the Order of Business. We will oppose it on the grounds that the Health Service Executive is once again implementing a regime of dangerous and cruel cutbacks across the health service. We have the very serious situation where the trade union IMPACT and its 28,000 health workers have sanctioned industrial action. They say that they are doing this...

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: What about the Minister? How about some political accountability?

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is a very serious issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (30 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: It is important to state that they are lies.

Seanad: Hospital-Acquired Infections (30 Apr 2008)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Cathaoirleach for facilitating me to raise in the Senate the need for the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney, to outline what action she intends to take following the deaths of 16 people in St. Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, County Dublin, as a result of hospital-acquired infections and whether the Government intends to order an investigation into this...