Results 41-60 of 519 for speaker:Mary Ann O'Brien

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing Industry Development Needs: Discussion (10 Nov 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the witnesses for providing us with such a fantastic information pack and presentation. I never thought of trotting happening on grass tracks. Does it only take place on dirt tracks or can it take place on grass tracks? With regard to it taking place on grass tracks, I was the marketing manager of a racecourse for ten years and I ran a grass track and protecting the turf for all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing Industry Development Needs: Discussion (10 Nov 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: That Bill will be introduced into the Dáil this evening.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Harness Racing Industry Development Needs: Discussion (10 Nov 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Could I get an answer to the question I asked please?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Industry: Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (3 Nov 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Almost everything has been said but I have a slightly left of field question, if I can be excused because I am sure it is way off the mark. I have been listening today. The quota has gone and we have too much supply and are now deep in commodity land globally. It is very ugly because the commodity price has dropped. I hate to hear remarks to the effect that we will get out of this and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Industry: Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association and Macra na Feirme (3 Nov 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: With regard to TTIP, I would like further commentary on the concern that a fear of upsetting multinationals is weakening our national position on this. I am very pleased to hear the witnesses' opinion on genetically modified crops. I join with them on it because we would be certifiable if we did not stand strong on this. As I said earlier this afternoon, we are small and special. We are...

Seanad: United Nations Principles for Older Persons: Motion (21 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I say "well done" to Senator O'Donnell for bringing this excellent and relevant motion before the House this evening. It starts by stating "That Seanad Éireann notes the ratification by Ireland in 1999 of the United Nations Principles for Older Persons". While listening to the other speakers, I calculated that by the time I am 75 years old, there possibly will be in excess of 1 million...

Seanad: United Nations Principles for Older Persons: Motion (21 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: -----dial 3 for ALONE or dial 4 for credit card information. If one dials 4, one must enter one's account number and PIN and then wait and hope to goodness a human being may come on the line, and they rarely do for another 35 or 40 minutes. Members who have not seen the film "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel", it is worth a look. After the death of her husband, Dame Judi Dench is on the...

Seanad: United Nations Principles for Older Persons: Motion (21 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: It is somewhere to "age in place" for older people who might not be able to manage a three or four-bedroom house or garden but could easily manage a one-bedroom apartment, were it located in the heart of a town. It is an alternative to institutional residential care for older persons and a model that creates a society for all ages. This development is within walking distance, not for an...

Seanad: United Nations Principles for Older Persons: Motion (21 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Only 10% of us have an enduring power of attorney, which shows there is a lot to be done. If it is legal by 2035, I would like to give a living care directive to my medical and legal team, which would mean that I do not have to take antibiotics to combat a chest infection when I am 85 years old and feel that I am no good to anyone and am a burden to myself and my family. In such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank all the representatives for coming in and making a presentation and for taking a day off because I would say they can afford to take a day off like the can afford to have a hole in the head. I also thank Deputy Thomas Pringle who invited the representatives to appear before the committee. Is it possible in a timely fashion to invite in the management of the organic certification...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: He is involved with organic people in Kildare.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: We have been appalled by what we have heard about the payment but we have hit on something here with land use and commonages. Let us imagine if that could be done. We must remember that the prize is the export potential of a €22 billion market in Europe. In Lidl, organic vegetables are very affordable for people but none of them is Irish. Lidl loves buying Irish-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: -----but with the mess in this sector, what hope do farmers have of supplying Lidl? What country in the EU has best practice in terms of state incentives and administration for organic for us to aspire to? What country is the one?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: It sounds like we are in an appalling mess here and it would be great if we could look at best practice and decide to do better than that. Our positioning in Europe on the edge of the Atlantic allows us to have a good go at this.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Are they charities, registered companies, limited companies or what?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: They are making a fortune.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Salaries?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Some 1,100 farmers, and factories and shops.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Chairman, we surely do not need five bodies.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Organic Farming Scheme: Organic Farmers Representative Body (8 Oct 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: If we were looking for value for money, what we have just been hearing is laughable. Five bodies for the whole of Ireland? One streamlined body is all we need.