Results 141-160 of 519 for speaker:Mary Ann O'Brien

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Driver Safety (5 Feb 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the Minister of State and I thank the officials in the Department for taking the trouble to put together a very good reply. I have read the RSA's detailed set of guidelines. However, I ask the Minister of State to convey my concerns to the Minister. Even though I agree with the response, the reality is that a person could this morning drive a modified car. I suggest that instead...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector: Irish Dairy Board (15 Jan 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank Mr. Forde for a very informative presentation. My question concerns Fonterra and the view of Mr. Forde and his board on it and what it has achieved over the years. New Zealand is quite similar in population size to Ireland, albeit in the middle of nowhere, but it has commandeered the Chinese market. It now has 30% of the world's dairy. Is the IDB collaborating with it? Has the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Dairy Sector: Irish Dairy Board (15 Jan 2015)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I have one last supplementary question. Regarding Bord Bia, which I know has nothing to do with the IDB - I am sure there is some communication between them - are there any plans to collaborate and perhaps take on a little of the Origin Green blanket? Again, in regard to New Zealand, I believe we are better placed than anybody in the world with our provenance and heritage to own this space...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I wish to comment on the amendment. I again say to the Minister that I recognise that this matter is the Minister for Health's responsibility. The Minister for Health did not bother his barney to come in here on 1 February but sent in his Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, who is responsible for mental health issues.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I thank the Minister. As the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government now owns water, and will charge citizens for water, we should join the dots in government, join silos and come together. A Senator said she would welcome the formation of an expert group. We formed an expert group in 2002, but 25% of its members were dentists.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: Since the beginning of the group, the chairman has been a dentist.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I ask the Minister to consider Sinn Féin's amendment to allow the forum to express an opinion, and carry out some research and considerations. The expert group has not done the job for us because 25% of its members are dentists.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: The Minister is now charging citizens for water.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: We do not drink it.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I would like to support Sinn Féin's very reasonable amendment on fluoride. In our debate on 1 October, I remember Sinn Féin saying something which made me smile, namely, if people want fluoride, they can buy a tube of toothpaste and wash their teeth because there is enough fluoride in a pea-sized amount of toothpaste to do a person for the entire day. I want to give Senator Whelan...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: What did Dr. Hans Moolenburgh of the Netherlands know? He took a medically-based, scientifically-based legal case against the state and won in order to ban fluoridation forever in the Netherlands. What does the rest of Europe know? I want to list the position in the rest of Europe. The Czech Republic has had no fluoridation since 1993 because it is uneconomic, not ecological, unethical and...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: That is correct.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: The Minister will not be here.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: The Minister would rather be here.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I spoke on the plebiscite on Second Stage to demonstrate how weak that provision is. I echo what Senator Cullinane said and ask the Minister to give us a clear answer to the two black and white questions. Senator Bradford has outlined how an amending Bill can be introduced and within two days the word "plebiscite" would be gone. Senator Bradford also spoke about George Orwell and 1984. I...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: This is 2050.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I hope you are all here anyway.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Mary Ann O'Brien: I would like to quote the Minister, Deputy Coveney, on 2050. He stated: The global population is forecasted to grow by 2 billion people by 2050 resulting in substantial increased demand for food, while at the same time there will be ever increasing pressure on natural resources such as water and biodiversity. Ireland is fully committed to playing its part in addressing these global...

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...