Results 181-200 of 519 for speaker:Mary Ann O'Brien

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: The lottery.

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I can assure the Minister that Senator Marie Louise O’Donnell and I are here passionately to assist him. He has claimed he is a social democrat, that he does not think "business" is a dirty word and that he is all for profit. I am all for profit, too. However, in this case, it is profit for citizens. We want to give the licence to a professional company. There is a professional...

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I would like to support Senator Reilly's proposal regarding this section. The Minister will recall that seven or eight months ago when we were speaking on Senator O'Donnell's motion on the lottery, I spoke about the retailers of Ireland. We must remember that the lottery was born in our little post offices, in small and rural retailers and in our corner shops. Thank God, many of those...

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: If a new operator -----

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: This would put a charge on the lottery, not on the Exchequer.

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: To me, it seems it would be a charge on Camelot.

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I am just trying to rule it back into order.

Seanad: National Lottery Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Apr 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Let me make just one point. I suggest to the Minister that we pretend Camelot is at our door and that it be written into the licence that we try to protect the margin of the small retailers.

Seanad: Charities Regulation: Motion (1 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I move: That Seanad Éireann:- commends and expresses thanks for the tremendous work being done by the many thousands of Charities operating in Ireland at present; - recalls that the Charities Act 2009 was enacted with the aim of supporting and enhancing public trust and confidence in charities, to provide for the statutory registration and regulation of charities operating in Ireland,...

Seanad: Charities Regulation: Motion (1 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Will she pass on my thanks to the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, for his extremely positive speech, his comments and his intention to move along speedily? As some of my fellow Senators referred to me as a slightly crazed entrepreneur, I have done my best to behave and be realistic.

Seanad: Charities Regulation: Motion (1 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: We will soon welcome news from the Minister about his plans, his critical path and his timeline to roll this out in stages. Nirvana cannot be achieved in one month. So many Senators made good contributions that I will take a few points from them. Senator Zappone has had to go to another meeting. If I may be excused for my appalling manners, I never welcomed those in the Visitors' Gallery,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of Coillte's Harvesting Rights: Discussion with Society of Irish Foresters (7 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: May I comment?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of Coillte's Harvesting Rights: Discussion with Society of Irish Foresters (7 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I apologise. I thank Mr. Magner for his presentation. I apologise for not reading the two major comprehensive reports that state that there are no economic benefits to be gained from privatisation. Please inform me where I can find them. I ask the delegation to outline its turnover and profitability. I hope that all goes well, that the society keeps the rights and we do not sell our...

Seanad: Overseas Development Issues: Statements (9 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State. I also welcome his recent White Paper publication and applaud his worthy and excellent new goals of reduced hunger and stronger resilience, sustainable development and inclusive economic growth, and better governance, human rights and accountability. I will put aside my speech because the three previous speakers have covered many of my points and we do not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Groceries Sector: Discussion with Lidl Ireland (9 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome the executives from Lidl and congratulate them on the announcement the week before last of Lidl's recent increase in market share, which is an amazing achievement. I will be brief because I will simply echo the labelling conversation. Given Lidl's size, the amazing resources it has available to it in Europe and how powerful and successful it is, it is really good to hear its...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Sale of Coillte's Harvesting Rights: Discussion (Resumed) with IMPACT (14 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome Mr. Staunton and Mr. Fox to the joint committee and acknowledge how pleased I am that they attended. I am very impressed by their hard-hitting, pointed report. While I had already stated publicly that I am strongly in favour of the Government not selling the State asset, any doubts I might have had have been completely obliterated by the excellent presentation this afternoon....

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2013: Second Stage (15 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome the Minister to the House. All political power will be concentrated in the hands of the Government, which Senator Quinn has told us will be the one and only party in the Oireachtas, and in a non-reformed Dáil that will be a gloomy prospect for the future of our country. As we heard other Senators discuss, if the Dáil is reformed, it will be at the beck and call of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Groceries Sector: Discussion (Resumed) with Fresh Milk Producers (21 May 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I will be brief. I thank all the four gentlemen who have spoken and look forward to hearing from the three who have not spoken. Most of the questions have been posed very articulately by previous speakers. I have never been a dairy farmer and know very little about the industry. I am like an alien who has arrived in from Mars looking down on this beautiful green country. All the aliens...

Seanad: Hospital Services: Statements (13 Jun 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the Minister for coming in to talk to us. The Minister made the point that we have the best doctors and nurses and I believe we do. However, I want to hear him comment on his move last October to reduce the salaries of consultants by 30% and the JobBridge-type programme he has produced for nurses. Speaking to a few consultants who are friends of mine, they are very worried about...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Management of Upland Habitats in County Wicklow: Discussion with Wicklow Uplands Council (18 Jun 2013)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I will be brief because the previous three speakers have done an extremely good job of summing up and posing some questions. Well done to the delegates on their collaboration, which was impressive. It is not easy to collaborate different points of view and they all come from different areas. Along the lines of what Senator O'Keeffe said, I do not come from a hill farming area; rather, I...