Results 121-140 of 468 for speaker:Liam Fitzgerald

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire, agus cuirim fáilte freisin roimh an mBille atá os ár gcomhair inniu. Tabharfaidh an Bille tacaíocht dhlíthiúil don chúigiú tosaíocht den phlean straitéiseach atá á chur i bhfeidhm ag Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh, i láthair na huaire. Is é sin plean straitéiseach do na cúig bliana idir 2003 agus 2008. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil gach ball den...

Seanad: University College Galway (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (14 Dec 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: The Senator can.

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: Given his track record, it is surprising to hear Senator Quinn sounding many negative notes, on which I will comment in a few minutes. I welcome the fact that the Minister for Finance was here today and introduced these statements on the Estimates. I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy de Valera. It was remiss of me during a previous Adjournment...

Seanad: Estimates for Public Services 2006: Statements (Resumed). (24 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I apologise.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (23 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: As regards the issue of the redress board, it has also come to my attention in the past 12 months that people who attended the orthopaedic hospital in Clontarf are experiencing difficulties because this institution was not included. I support the call for a debate on this issue. As regards education, there are three or four other issues that are current. One of these is the drive by some...

Seanad: School Accommodation. (17 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: When will the Department's plans for the future use of the school premises and site become available and could the Minister of State give me an assurance that she will provide the local community and myself with this plan when it becomes available?

Seanad: School Accommodation. (17 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: Rationalising the provision of secondary education is a demographic imperative. Despite the rapid increase in our population, demand for secondary education is considerably lower than it was in the late 1990s. This is attributable to the sharply declining birth rate from 1983 to 1994. The number of births in 1983 was approximately 75,000, while the number was less than 48,000 by 1994 after...

Seanad: Ferns Report: Statements (Resumed). (17 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: Exactly.

Seanad: Ferns Report: Statements (Resumed). (17 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I welcome the Minister of State and compliment him on the time he has given to this debate both here and in the Lower House. I note that he has attended this House since the debate began. I agree with a number of matters raised by my Opposition colleagues. This is not the first time references have been made in a report to child sex abuse by members of the clergy. We have already seen the...

Seanad: Ferns Report: Statements (Resumed). (17 Nov 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: They brought education to us and to many similar communities. We owe them a debt of gratitude, irrespective of the terrible, inexcusable, heinous crimes committed by some of their colleagues. It is hard to accept that balance, fair-mindedness and a sense of proportion and context do not prevail in much of the public debate on this crime. It is all too easy to go over the top and incriminate...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for outlining developments, improvements and the establishment of structures at departmental and sub-departmental level over the past seven or eight years to address the crucial issue of the welfare and education of children. While I found I came close to agreeing with Senator Ulick Burke on some of the last sentiments he expressed, I...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I accept and acknowledge that some of the pre-school pilot projects were set up by Senator Ulick Burke's party when in Government.

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: They were very limited and have made a limited contribution.

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: There was a failure to acknowledge that the need existed and was growing. The demand became spectacular with the turn of the new century. There have been a number of Government initiatives in this area over the past seven or eight years to target the phenomenal growth and to acknowledge that the problem exists and is growing. First, there was the establishment of a Cabinet committee on...

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I am telling you.

Seanad: Early Childhood Education: Statements. (28 Sep 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I do not.

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: The Senators have a point. We are fortunate that Deputy Hanafin is the Minister piloting this Bill because of the detailed knowledge she has of the DIT. She has a broad outlook and depth of experience and knowledge of its workings. Conversely, however, while we all expressed the wish today that this Minister would retain her portfolio in perpetuity, if she chose no longer to be Minister for...

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: It is fitting and appropriate that Deputy Mary Hanafin should be the Minister to bring this Bill before the Houses of the Oireachtas. Perhaps I might indulge in some brief reminiscences. I was honoured to serve on the VEC-DIT with Deputy Mary Hanafin. I do not know if I am allowed to talk about someone not present, but perhaps Senator Tuffy might give me permission through the Chair to...

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I apologise to the House for being remiss in not acknowledging the phenomenal amount of work done by the Minister's staff in dealing with the significant challenge that is before us in regard to this legislation.

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Liam Fitzgerald: I would like to respond to the last point made by Senator Tuffy. Members are engaging in a degree of wild speculation about the ulterior motives which may inform the actions of a future Minister. They have suggested that such a Minister might use ill health as an excuse to remove a member of the proposed agency. Senator Brady put it cogently when he said that a Minister could not declare in a...