Results 81-100 of 204 for speaker:Lisa McDonald

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2009: Second Stage (29 Apr 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Unfortunately, I have run out of time. I also welcome the cut in the jobseeker's allowance for 18 to 20 year olds. There was a generous welfare system over the Celtic tiger years and we need to look at system reform in general in order to provide incentives for training and work. The Minister is moving in the right direction. This was, we must remember, an emergency budget. I look...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 May 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I support the comments of Senator Wilson. If we are to have a debate in respect of people who are under pressure financially we should stick to the area of families and those who are under pressure from institutions as opposed to the wider concerns of people such as developers, those who own hotels etc. Let us stick to the small and medium-sized businesses and the people who have smaller...

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (7 Oct 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I welcome the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I wish to speak to this motion on the rural transport programme, which was introduced by the Government in 2001 and has developed from a pilot project carrying 151,000 passengers to a scheme that carried 1.2 million people in 2008, as stated by Senator Cannon. The scheme was introduced mainly to address the problem of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I ask for a debate on the issue of domestic violence. While we need to discuss yesterday's crime figures, I ask the Leader for a separate debate on the issue of domestic violence. I asked for this before and we have not had it yet. Given the media profile it is getting and the fact that crimes against women, in particular, are growing rapidly, we need to consider it. On clarification of...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Níl.

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Excuse me but I said "Níl".

Seanad: Education and Training Responses to the Economic Downturn: Statements (5 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I also welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish to signal my support for the Bill. As the Minister of State noted, courts Acts in general are quite technical and do not contain anything exciting. At the same time, however, when the Courts Service or courts offices do not work or, as Senator Regan mentioned, business does not flow, it can cause a great deal of angst, strife and...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Thirteen or 14 months ago we passed the legislation on the bank guarantees. I suppose we would have taken the NAMA option then if we could have done so, rather than go through the year we have just gone through. The Minister should be commended on the speed and clarity with which he is dealing with the issue. His position is not an easy one. He cannot just come into the House and say, "I...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I join others in welcoming the release of Fr. Michael Sinnott who is from the neighbouring parish of mine in County Wexford. No doubt his family are rejoicing this morning, as are the parishioners of Barntown and the Columban Fathers. I also wish to join in the request for a debate on the work of Irish missionary priests and volunteers overseas. I have been asking since I became a Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I join her in calling for that debate to be put on the agenda some day soon so we can air our views. On the day of the debate, perhaps some of our male colleagues will join us and not leave it to the female Members. When the issue is put to the parties and when we seek candidate quotas, as suggested in the report, some, but not all, of the men will say they cannot find the women and do not...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Looking at the issue simply, there is a definition in section 6 of the people who are to be held in temporary custody. These fall into two categories. The prison rules govern the prisoners and those in lawful custody of the Garda are governed by the custody regulations. Therefore, these are the standards set, but the overriding standard is the Constitution. I do not see the need for the...

Seanad: Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009: Committee Stage (12 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Now.

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (12 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I propose that the sitting be suspended until 5 p.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2009)

Lisa McDonald: Will the Deputy Leader arrange a debate on the upcoming carbon tax and how it will affect those towns not on the natural gas grid? Industry in such towns will be put at a disadvantage if such a tax is introduced. There are pros and cons to the proposal, but it highlights the lack of joined-up thinking between Departments. I note my colleagues raised the issue of domestic violence yesterday...

Seanad: Report by Commission of Investigation into Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin: Statements (Resumed) (9 Dec 2009)

Lisa McDonald: As Senator Bradford said, this report portrays an appalling vista. I join colleagues who have complimented the Minister on the compassion he has shown in his office. If there is any method by which the recommendations in this and the Ryan reports can be implemented, the Minister could go down in history as one of the people who put this State on the right track. I had a conversation with a...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Dec 2009)

Lisa McDonald: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. It is not easy to discuss cuts that must be introduced through financial necessity, especially given that some of the increases were only introduced two years earlier. Having said that, I congratulate the Minister on the way she has balanced the portfolio in a fair way. When one considers there are 400,000 on the live register, 1.1 million...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2010)

Lisa McDonald: I also support the call for a debate on the report of the Garda Síochána inspectorate. Many of the challenges that are faced by the Garda include issues of seniority. There is a different standard applying to well run sections of the force than to those sections that are not so well run. Across the different stations we find a different standard of garda, sergeant and inspector. That is...

Seanad: Arbitration Bill 2008: Second Stage (11 Feb 2010)

Lisa McDonald: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for his lengthy speech on this important matter. We are singing from the same hymn sheet. As Senator Regan pointed out, this is a very important Bill which is timely in making changes to the law on arbitration in Ireland. In particular, it makes improvements to the Arbitration Acts of 1954, 1980 and 1988, the last of which introduced the...

Seanad: Arbitration Bill 2008: Second Stage (11 Feb 2010)

Lisa McDonald: On Tuesday, 16 February 2010.

Seanad: Arbitration Bill 2008: Second Stage (11 Feb 2010)

Lisa McDonald: Ag 2.30 p.m. Dé Máirt seo chugainn.