Results 81-100 of 2,504 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Oct 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Bill 2012. There was a time when senior company executives travelled exclusively in first class, but no longer. Shareholders are seeking better use of their company funds. Airlines are reducing the space allocated to the first-class brigade, as these sections of the aeroplane are not filling as they once...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Children and Youth Issues: Discussion with Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (18 Oct 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the Minister and her staff. I have been canvassing in County Louth in recent weeks and the response has been great. One question keeps coming up and I promised the citizens of Louth that if I got a chance, I would put it to the Minister. People want to know if this referendum will make it easier for children to be taken from their parents in exceptional cases, and also when...

Prospects for Irish Economy: Statements (Resumed) (25 Oct 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Government's economic policy. As Deputies will be aware, economics is defined as a social science which analyses the production, distribution and consumption of goods and services. In the context of Ireland and the benefits that are accruing as a result of the Government's policy, it is easy to identify numerous national successes. Each night, as I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Health Insurance Sector: Discussion (25 Oct 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the chairman and chief executive of the Health Insurance Authority. It has mentioned that two of the main supports of health insurance are open enrolment and lifetime cover. That is fine if health insurance is affordable. It was also mentioned that every year since 2008, 50,000 people cannot afford health insurance and leave the system. Health insurance costs are on the rise and...

Pensions and Retirement Lump Sums: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (7 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Private Members' motion proposed by the Technical Group. I found it quite remarkable that for such a short proposal it took me a long time to read it and even longer to understand it. In my youth in Louth and in particular Dundalk, I never had many occasions to encounter the word "exhortations". Since my youth I have had even fewer occasions to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion with Community and Voluntary Groups (8 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the witnesses. The presentations were excellent. I am a Government backbencher and none of us wishes to impose any cuts on anybody. If there are cuts, it is important they are minimised. I have been talking to the Minister, and I am trying to do my best for all the groups. Mr. Chris Macey gave me a shock, and it is not because I am a non-smoker. A total of 79% of the price of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion with Community and Voluntary Groups (8 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: On 9 October the committee issued a letter asking the Minister to reverse his cuts and so forth. Cuts of 14% from 2008 to 2011 is a lot. Mr. Dillon has a fantastic organisation and we will all try to help him. People think the Government is imposing these cuts purposely, but that is not the case. The bottom line is that the country is bankrupt and we are trying to do our best. Health is...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, before section 3, to insert the following new section: 3.--Section 4(1) of the Principal Act is amended by inserting the following paragraph after paragraph (l):“(m) psychological therapist.”.”.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Health and Social Care Professionals (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I thank Deputy Neville for attending this meeting and for his contribution. I will withdraw the amendment.

Order of Business (13 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: When will the civil partnership Bill be before the House?

Health Insurance (Amendment) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (15 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Health Insurance Bill. Health insurance is a topic that is gaining ever more discussion time and when one considers the nation's demographics it comes ever more alarmingly into focus. While much of Europe is already experiencing the phenomenon of an aging population, Ireland will have to wait until after 2025. None the less, Ireland's population is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Prohibition of Smoking on Leinster House Campus: Motion (15 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: First of all, I am a non-smoker. I have never smoked. I do not have a clue about the taste of tobacco, but I am 100% behind Senator Crown’s proposal. I keep away from the four locations in which I see people smoking because of the danger of passive smoking. There is no point in dancing around the situation; if we do not make a decision then the practice will go on. It is important...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Prohibition of Smoking on Leinster House Campus: Motion (15 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Yes, and staff.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Prohibition of Smoking on Leinster House Campus: Motion (15 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: If patients and staff of hospitals can do it, I do not see any reason we cannot do it. I am in favour of Senator Crown’s motion.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Prohibition of Smoking on Leinster House Campus: Motion (15 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I hope members are aware that Senator Crown is considering the health and safety of the Members and the staff. He is a very experienced person but this is a black or white issue. If Senator Crown had not come in here and tabled this motion from his experience as a professor he would not be doing his job. Members might be of the view that he is too strong on the issue but, in fairness,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion with Minister for Health (20 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I wish to express my sympathy to the husband, family and friends of Savita Halappanavar. In 2013, savings on generic drugs will be in the region of €15 million. I expected it to be much more. I am delighted that private health insurers have agreed to make a one-off and up-front payment of €125 million. What will be done about the amount of money that remains outstanding? ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Health Issues: Discussion with Minister for Health (20 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Almost 70% of those with diabetes are obese. There is a diabetes clinic in Dundalk so anyone who would like to study obesity should come to Dundalk.

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this Bill. It was published in July and will amend certain provisions of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2009 which govern the private rental sector as well as the Private Residential Tenancies Board, PRTB. One of the PRTB's most important functions is the provision of a dispute resolution service which mediates disagreements between landlords...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: World Prematurity Day 2012: Discussion with Irish Premature Babies Organisation (22 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I ask for more information on the 24 hour transport service. What is involved in such a service?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: World Prematurity Day 2012: Discussion with Irish Premature Babies Organisation (22 Nov 2012)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Senator and his colleagues did nothing about the matter for the past 14 years.