Results 181-200 of 459 for speaker:Phil Prendergast

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I would like to ask the Leader-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I ask-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Nov 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I wish to raise a very serious issue, namely, the fact there is an exclusion from the Health Research Board which is the database which covers research and disability services in Ireland. It is independent and there are details of 25,600 people on the national intellectual disability database and 29,500 people on the national physical and sensory disability database, which was established in...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Nov 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I ask the Leader how he got on with the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, yesterday in regard to the vaccination programme and the volunteers who wished to be involved in the programme. I also point out that it would be no harm if Members in this House trained as first responders in the event of somebody suffering a cardiac arrest. It should be noted that the defibrillator is...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Nov 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I am concerned about the Department which appears to block graduates from claiming social welfare payments. We have had the benefit of having interns in this House from DIT over several years. They provide a terrific service in helping us in our functions and duties by conducting research and doing other various vital work that allows us do our business in a clear and concise way....

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

Phil Prendergast: That too.

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

Phil Prendergast: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Pat Carey. We have never had such important legislation in the House in my short time here. One can ask whether there is any reason to be suspicious of the term "long-term economic value". Why do we not refer to long-term market value, which would be a more appropriate term? Does "economic" imply some other value is involved in assessing the value of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I join Senator Fitzgerald who spoke about children such as Joy and the other 100 children that are waiting for vital heart surgery in Crumlin and elsewhere around the country. Priority should be given to freeing up beds to allow that vital surgery to take place. It is well recognised that surgery that is elective or planned has to happen at a certain point in a child's life to improve his...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I second the amendment for the reasons outlined by Senator Fitzgerald. She made a valid point on the need to ensure that public health is put centre stage in this respect. I cannot restate often enough the importance of preventing people from smoking in the first place. When I decided to start to smoke, I did so because of peer pressure. I and my colleagues were training together and it...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, after line 33, to insert the following: "(2) The period of time for which registration of a person is suspended under this section in respect of any one offence shall not be less than 7 days.". This amendment was submitted by my colleague in the Dáil.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I welcome the Minister of State. What I am about to say is not shocking in and of itself, but only inasmuch as it relates to the context. I am referring to the supposedly off-putting pictures on packets of cigarettes. I recall working with Dr. Neasy while I was a student nurse. He was a consultant from Galway who used to come to our hospital once a month to perform surgery on patients...

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I welcome the Minister of State. Because I agree with all the points made, particularly those made by Senator Coffey, I will not restate them as I do not see the point in doing so. I welcome the inclusion in the Bill of amendment No. 1 which covers the particular concerns I had.

Seanad: Local Government (Charges) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I, too, thank the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, and her officials for the time allocated for debate on the Bill. I had a good input into the debate and I followed it with great interest. I support the calls for the chairs of the SPCs on housing and local policy to provide feedback to us on how the legislation is implemented, the take-up and the positive effect it will have as an...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: We should see them.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: How is it intended to fund the management of the swine flu pandemic in the State? I attended a briefing yesterday at which Dr. Tony Houlihan informed us that it is expected that up to 1 million people, or 25% of the population, may succumb to the virus in the coming autumn and winter. Up to 1,000 people may require life support in the hospital system. In the past, budgets were set aside to...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: In a situation where a hospital has been visited by the Mental Health Commission and found to be unsuitable for the purpose of modern psychiatry and caring for patients, how would this legislation apply? If the patients are kept in a place that is not fit for purpose and nurses are operating in almost medieval conditions, what effect will the legislation have? I agree with Senator Twomey...

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: Yes.

Seanad: Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (8 Jul 2009)

Phil Prendergast: I ask the Minister to clarify one point. At the moment, if admissions are required to go into a unit that has been deemed substandard and not fit for modern-day psychiatry, there is no option. The staff are not doing anything wrong because there is nothing else in place.