Results 21-40 of 2,504 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Hospital Services (18 Oct 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the Minister of State for her response and I look forward to hearing updates on this issue. I realise that repairing and reforming our health services at this time of economic austerity will take serious hard work, innovation and flexibility. I am confident the staff at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, have the determination to provide a high quality service, even if further...

Health Services Delivery: Motion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity discuss the crisis that has arisen due to overcrowding in accident and emergency department of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. The debate on this motion is opportune as a delegation of the HSE visited the hospital last week. Its remit was to assess the situation with regard to the overcrowding at the accident and emergency department. The planned visit...

Report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Mortgage Arrears: Statements (Resumed) (26 Oct 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I would like to talk about negative equity. Is it that the homeowners cannot afford to pay or is that they are declining to do so because their homes are now worth less than their mortgages, which is known as negative equity? Economists are divided on the relative importance. One school thinks that even in cases of negative equity, most homeowners will not default if they can afford their...

Competition (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Nov 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Competition (Amendment) Bill marks the completion of the requirements set out in the terms of the EU-IMF programme of financial support for Ireland. This Government, and particularly Ireland, has again lived up to its commitment; in this instance, to strengthen the enforcement of competition law. The Bill provides for new and increased sanctions for anyone who engages in...

Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I am sharing time with Deputy Buttimer.

Health (Provision of General Practitioner Services) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: One of the results of the programme introduced by the EU-IMF is the provision to remove restrictions to trade and competition in sheltered sectors by the end of September 2011. This encapsulates restrictions on general practitioners wishing to treat public patients. It is with this in mind that the Bill provides for the elimination of restrictions on GPs wishing to treat public patients...

Review of Serious Incidents including Deaths of Children in Care: Statements (17 Nov 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to comment on the annual report of the National Review Panel for Serious Incidents and Child Deaths. The panel was established in June last year to review deaths and serious incidents experienced by children in State care or known to the Health Service Executive's children and family services. To put this report and the role of the national review panel in context,...

Road Transport Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Nov 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Road Transport Bill 2011. This Bill not only supports the previous legislation but also enhances it with three new additional provisions. It is these new stronger measures, allied to the maintenance of selected previous provisions, that I feel make this excellent legislation. A strong and competitive road transport sector is important for the...

Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 Dec 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to speak about the Health Insurance (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011. The four principles of private health insurance in Ireland are community rating, open enrolment, lifetime cover and minimum benefit. The Health Insurance Act 2009 introduced, on an interim basis, a system to deliver on the policy position supporting community rating, which is achieved by risk...

Financial Resolution No. 1: (Tobacco Products Tax) (6 Dec 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Coming from a sporting background, 25 cent is not enough. The number of young people who suffer from ill health as a result of smoking is a disgrace and I give my full support to the Government.

Social Welfare Bill 2011: Second Stage (8 Dec 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the social welfare aspects of the recent budget. Now that the dust has settled, at least partially, it is possible to analyse the budget more objectively. This is of particular relevance in respect of some of the overzealous and knee-jerk comments Members have heard in recent days. That said, I acknowledge the objective and constructive critique...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2011)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Local Government (Household Charges) Bill 2011. It has received much discussion time and some of the debates among the national media have been anything but objective. There are a number of issues worth noting, foremost being the hitherto unconsidered EU-IMF programme. The EU-IMF programme of financial support for Ireland commits the Government to...

Industrial Relations (Amendment) (No.3) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jan 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I will be sharing time with Deputy Buttimer, if that is agreeable.

Industrial Relations (Amendment) (No.3) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jan 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Industrial Relations (No. 3) Bill 2011 has been introduced to fully reform and modernise the JLC system. By achieving this, it will fully reflect the challenges of a modem economy and also ensure the system is constitutionally robust. These are notable and commendable aspirations. The Bill, when enacted, will implement the programme of reform to the statutory wage setting mechanisms...

Order of Business (26 Jan 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Another fuel laundering plant, capable of turning over 12 million litres of diesel a year, at a cost to the State of €6 million in revenue, was discovered in County Louth last night. There is also toxic waste that would be dumped, causing damage to the environment. In the past 12 months, we have paid over €1 million to remove toxic waste in Louth. The punishment for this type of crime-----

Order of Business (26 Jan 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Punishment for this type of crime is €5,000 but does the penalty suit the crime? What can be done to stop this type of activity?

Inter-Country Adoption: Statements (26 Jan 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Hague Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption, or Hague Adoption Convention, protects children and their families against the risks of illegal, irregular, premature or ill-prepared adoptions abroad. This convention, which also operates through a scheme of national central authorities, reinforced the United Nations...

Health Service Plan 2012: Statements (Resumed) (1 Feb 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I propose to share time with Deputy Mulherin. The budget provision for 2012 will be a major challenge for the HSE and comes at a time of significant reform of the public health system. The total cost reduction in 2012 will be €750 million. At the end of 2011, the employment control framework target for the HSE is 105,300. The HSE estimates that the actual number employed at the end will...

National Disability Strategy: Statements (9 Feb 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The World Health Organization has an interesting and revealing definition of the term "disability". The word "disabilities" is an umbrella term covering impairments, activity limitations and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a...

Finance Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (15 Feb 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is a hugely significant and influential Bill that determines the economic affairs of our nation, not just for the upcoming year but for years to follow. It is this far-sighted and strategic approach, in conjunction with other proactive measures introduced by this Government, which will stimulate economic recovery and...