Results 1-20 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Jobs Initiative and Competitiveness: Statements (Resumed) (22 Jun 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I wish to share time with Senator Kelly.

Seanad: Jobs Initiative and Competitiveness: Statements (Resumed) (22 Jun 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the House. This is my maiden speech and before I make my statement on the jobs initiative may I state how honoured I am to have been selected as one of the Taoiseach's 11 nominees to the 24th Seanad? I am a native of Athenry, County Galway and have lived there all my life. I am delighted to be joined in Seanad Éireann by Senators Rónán...

Seanad: Housing Market: Motion (22 Jun 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I endorse the views of my party colleagues, who have all presented fair and reasonable arguments for addressing the current crisis affecting up to 200,000 homeowners. As we are all very aware in this House, people are under enormous pressure owing to their mortgages, unemployment and, in many cases, the Revenue Commissioners. However, people in financial difficulty with their homes usually...

Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage (29 Jun 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important legislation. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Howlin, to the House. I commend him and the departmental officials for expediting the drafting of this legislation and its subsequent introduction in the Oireachtas. We should not doubt that this Bill puts flesh on the bones of our pre-election commitment to reform. The Government is...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I call on the Minister for Health to come to the House to provide answers regarding a case that has arisen in Galway. Newborns are leaving hospitals in the city without proper immunisation and, in particular, the BCG vaccination. Babies born in hospitals elsewhere in the country are immunised prior to leaving hospital but in Galway they have to wait up to eight months for the vaccination....

Seanad: Public Policy and Planning: Statements (13 Oct 2011)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for his great contribution at the outset of this debate. It was most enlightening and Members are delighted to have him here. I wish him the best of luck in his role as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and as Government Chief Whip and I look forward to seeing him in the Chamber again in the coming years. I also...

Seanad: Suicide Prevention: Statements (12 Jan 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for the hard work she has done in the area of mental health. In particular I commend her on her commitment to addressing the issue of suicide, which has blighted communities throughout Ireland in recent years. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this emotive debate. My own community has been affected many times by the issue in recent years and it would...

Seanad: Priorities in Foreign Affairs: Statements (2 Feb 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: First and foremost, I welcome the Tánaiste to the House and commend him on all the work he has done in the spheres of foreign affairs and trade since he took over that portfolio. In particular, he has been to the forefront of restoring Ireland's international reputation. This has been proven by recent international commentary and I commend him most sincerely. I also commend him on his...

Seanad: Wind Turbines Bill 2012: Second Stage (22 Feb 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I believe there is a slot for me towards the end of the debate. Can the Acting Chairman check that out?

Seanad: Wind Turbines Bill 2012: Second Stage (22 Feb 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I do not mind.

Seanad: Wind Turbines Bill 2012: Second Stage (22 Feb 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House to hear our views on the proposed introduction of legislation for wind turbines. This is an issue which has concerned both my Labour colleagues and I to the extent that we felt strongly about rectifying the current situation. I commend them on showing unequivocal foresight and unanimity on progressing the matter. As we are all aware, the erection of wind...

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2012: Statements, Questions and Answers (6 Mar 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister to the House and commend the Government's swift and decisive action on tackling the jobs crisis. A number of essential practical measures will help businesses to create jobs in this and subsequent years. I particularly welcome measures to help the SME sector to get better access to credit, which has been a major problem. Last year, 1,900 companies went to the wall or...

Seanad: Action Plan for Jobs 2012: Statements, Questions and Answers (6 Mar 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: It is imperative that we fast-track this because these kind of companies are very labour intensive.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate on the Treaty on Stability, Co-ordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union. This is the most important treaty to come before Irish people for their consideration and has been the subject of much scaremongering. This has been addressed by the Tánaiste recently in the Dáil and will continue to be addressed by the Government...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Statements, Questions and Answers (28 Mar 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and compliment her on her work in the Department since she took over the portfolio. In particular, I commend her for the recent announcement of €3 million in grants for the adaptation of homes for the elderly and those with a disability in County Galway and a further €4 million for the improvement of the existing housing supply in the county. While these...

Seanad: Small Business: Motion (28 Mar 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State and the members of the business community who are in the Chamber for this debate on the proposed introduction of supports for small businesses and the self-employed. I thank the Minister of State for his responses to the issues raised by colleagues. I intend to refer to some of the specific challenges facing the business community. Prior to my nomination to...

Seanad: Sale of State Assets: Statements, Questions and Answers (19 Apr 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: Following the sale of State assets, there is a general pattern of job losses as a result of investors seeking to acquire the best possible return on their investment when such a programme is undertaken by any government. We do not want a situation in which we are introducing a job creation fund with some of the moneys we will acquire from the sale of some of the non-strategic assets while at...

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Second Stage (23 Apr 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and congratulate him on his recent appointment as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and wish him the very best in his portfolio. I welcome the opportunity to speak today on the Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012....

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: I will address some of the point made by Senator Cullinane in particular. Nowhere in the title of this treaty does the word "austerity" appear, and the Senator should be very careful in using the word. The well-being and future of the country is at stake and the Senators should get that into their heads.

Seanad: Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union) Bill 2012: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Apr 2012)

Lorraine Higgins: This treaty is about transparency and accountability, which Sinn Féin seems to be against. It is also about precluding Governments from engaging in the reckless type of behaviour and spending policies of the past. That is why I urge the Minister of State to ensure what the treaty stands for is outlined in clear, concise, layman's terms in the information leaflet being sent to every...