Results 341-360 of 519 for speaker:Mary Ann O'Brien

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Services for People with Disabilities (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: It is not just the little girl but also the entire family. Her mother, father and four siblings are distraught; their lives have been destroyed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report 2013: National Milk Agency (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I have a supplementary question related to Deputy Deering's comments. I hope Deputy Penrose is wrong about industrial farms, as that is an unpleasant thought. As the chief executive of Bord Bia has often pointed out, if a person Googles the word "Ireland", it will show an image of a green island. We are a green nation, so for any of us who have read about industrial milk farms in the US...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Annual Report 2013: National Milk Agency (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Is it just because of the volume in Northern Ireland that they are able to do it so efficiently, given the 20% Sterling disadvantage inherent in selling to us?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund Regulations 2014: Motion (25 Nov 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the Minister for attending. Like the previous speakers, I would like to support the legislation for the fund of €68 million. This summer, we were fortunate enough to have most of the bodies concerned with racing, such as the Turf Club and HRI, in to talk to this committee about the new legislation. Dermot Weld gave the very good example, which the two previous speakers might...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Nov 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I endorse earlier comments by Senators in welcoming the publication yesterday of the report by the Department of Health on medical cards. The Jack & Jill Children's Foundation has not read the publication fully and is treating it with cautious optimism. I would welcome it if the Minister for Health came to the House to engage in dialogue and a debate to clarify the finer points....

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I wish to continue paying respects to John Corrie and I also empathise and sympathise with his family. I am speaking after all the other Senators that have spoken today. As Senator O'Donnell just said to me, we have invested millions of euro in dealing with the homeless and thousands of people work in the sector. We can debate the matter all we like tomorrow but something must radically...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: John Corrie is somebody's son, John Corrie is probably somebody's father, John Corrie is somebody's brother and John Corrie has a sister who is now crying. He was a real human being who died beside us with no dignity and no respect. I shall move on to another issue. Earlier Senator Moran spoke of the "Prime Time" debate and said there is a need to hold a debate on people with a severe...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I will be brief because Senator Moran has said what I wished to say. I urge all the Senators to watch "Prime Time" this evening on the Áras Attracta Care Centre. They should prepare themselves to see how older people with intellectual disabilities are treated; I am sure they have all seen the trailers. Senator Moran and I sought a debate last week. I have a case on hand involving a...

Seanad: Sustainable Agriculture and Dairy Price Outlook: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the Minister for attending. I apologise as I have to leave to go to another meeting shortly. In regard to the Minister's excellent presentation and his vision for Ireland as a future global leader in sustainable food production, I have a question for him on fluoridation. As he knows, 98% of Europe has rejected fluoridation and Ireland is the only nation that is still fluoridating...

Seanad: Standards of Care in Residential Care Homes: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad she is here although I wish the debate could be a lot longer than half an hour. I have not slept very much since 24 November last since I visited a young lady called Cliona McCallion in her bungalow, which is not in Mayo but in Kildare. Cliona was born with an extreme form of epilepsy and has severe intellectual disabilities. She is...

Seanad: Standards of Care in Residential Care Homes: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: She cannot defend herself because she cannot speak. Her family, however, can speak and have spoken at length to me. She cannot talk and is totally dependent on her carers. She is doubly incontinent and her seizures are life threatening. Her blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels and she needs to be near a hospital. However, the bungalow, which is in Nurney, is 45 minutes away...

Seanad: Standards of Care in Residential Care Homes: Statements (10 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Already been there.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Áras Attracta: HSE (16 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: To my eyes, the "Prime Time" programme unveiled a desperately cruel and unsafe culture. I will focus on the word "culture" because an organisation should have shared values from the very top management all the way down through the management levels below right down to the front-line staff. Culture is a very difficult word and is an invisible thing in companies and in health services. While...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Áras Attracta: HSE (16 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Moreover, it is not just the HSE services as there also are the private nursing care companies the HSE uses. As the leader of the organisation, does Mr. O'Brien conduct a culture survey each year among the entirety of the HSE, such as the world-renowned Denison culture survey? Does Mr. O'Brien ask the direct provision providers or the private nursing providers to conduct culture surveys?...

Seanad: Tributes to Member of Staff (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: On behalf of all the Independents, Andy, I can state the best has yet to come. Twenty-seven years have gone by and Andy has given his utmost. He has worked diligently and, as Senator Bacik said, so much could be learned just by observing him, his calmness and kindness to us all. As I stated, the best has yet to come. Every good wish from us all.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Irish Water exists and, sadly, it is not going anywhere. This good Minister is stuck holding this poisoned chalice that was handed to him. Have we not all learned a great deal about water over the past year? I believe in paying for a world class water structure and I would still like to see a carefully planned spending strategy for the next ten to 15 years on such a structure to treat and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Will the Minister explain to the House what is the downside to a referendum? I cannot accept the complexities as outlined in his opening speech as an explanation.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: The reason I and other Senators want to move beyond the plebiscite to constitutional protection is that legislation can be changed, and we certainly know from experience what could come from Europe. Everyone in the Chamber should cast their minds back to the famous letter of December 2010, which I read today, from Mr. Jean-Claude Trichet to the then Minister for Finance, the late Deputy...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: My question again to the Minister is, if he is dedicated to the water supply never being privatised, and if the plebiscite does not provide the guarantee that is required, could he please explain what the downside is to a referendum? I am asking all the Senators today to reject the plebiscite proposal in this Bill and send it back to the Dáil.