Results 261-280 of 1,214 for speaker:Ann Ormonde

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Fairness must be part of any presentation of the facts, but that is lacking across the board. Fairness is something we should all be mindful of in the future. I support the point made by Senator Hannigan about overseas aid. I understand it must be cut back due to domestic problems, but I hope that by 2012 we will reach the United Nations target of 0.7% of GNI. I would push for that and I...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I wish to reinforce a number of points which have been made. I welcome the opening of discussions with the trade unions and I hope we will be able to divert the strikes of next Monday. This would show leadership. We need to discuss third-level fees and how best to move forward on this matter. Many good suggestions are being made inside and outside this House. It would be great to have a...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I see that Senator White has arrived in the Chamber. Does he wish to contribute? Others wish to contribute in the five minutes that remain.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: There will be time for a reply.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am delighted to be here to make another contribution on how best to reform the Seanad. This matter has been raised several times since I first came to this House in 1993. Several debates have been held on the subject of how best to reform the Seanad for the 21st century. I have read the report and I have scanned it again and again, and there are two...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: ——who to me have been elected by the public, and they elect us. Are we suggesting that people who have been elected are not good enough to elect us to the Seanad? That, to me, is democracy. For somebody to say to me that there should be a list system——

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: ——is undemocratic, because I, having worked very hard could find at the end of the campaign, if a list system is imposed, that no matter what I have done to earn my Seanad seat, that people who are prominent in Ireland are selected above me. It could be that prominent people who have failed to hold their Dáil seats may be selected, and not I. Is that a fair system?

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I believe that to be undemocratic, so let us have fair play. Every election I have contested I have won, myself.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I have always said that I like fair play. That is the democracy end of it, we are elected and we are doing a good job. As regards the university procedure, I agree totally with all the Senators who said the franchise should be extended to all graduates. It is most unfair to graduates from the University of Limerick and Dublin Institute of Technology who possess worthwhile degrees as well...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I am making a contribution at the moment and I have listened to the Senator and what he had to say.

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: In relation to the proposal for a regionalised way of doing things I believe the jury is out in that regard and it should be discussed further. I am not sure it would work, but it is a good idea and would remove much hardship as regards having to travel all over the country. I do not really have the answer, however, as regards that and we need further discussion on it. I have just touched...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: It must not come from somewhere out there. We know how to run this Seanad. We are good at our job, let there be no doubt about that. I can tell the Minister we can make this work if given half a chance to reform the Seanad. I welcome the debate today, although I cannot agree with the motion. There are very good points in it, however. I thank Senator O'Toole for bringing it forward for...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed). (11 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: Ba mhaith liom an Ghaeilge a labhairt, ach níl mórán focail agam. Tá suim agam mo chuid Gaeilge a fheabhsú. Tá mé ag freastal ar rang Gaeilge chun é sin a dhéanamh. I welcome this afternoon's debate on Irish, to which I will listen. I do not have enough confidence to make a contribution, but I hope to be able to do so in future. The House discussed social partnership and whether...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I agree with my colleagues in condemning the brutal murders in the North. I extend my sympathy to the families of those murdered and injured. The exercise is purely to derail the political process and put down a trap to lure the British troops back on to the streets. As many have said, there is no going back. As Senator Harris said, if the names are known, and they are known, they should...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: I endorse some of the points raised by Senator Bradford. It is important that we all work together. All heads must work on this serious issue, the fact that we must increase taxation and cut expenditure. Nobody knows what will come at us next week. I would welcome an all-party debate in this House to put all our heads together. I am sure many ideas would come from the other side that I...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2009)

Ann Ormonde: We have to work together to do this. There is no other way.