Results 181-200 of 431 for speaker:Lorraine Higgins

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: I would like to call for the Minister for Justice and Equality to come to the House to debate the need for treatment or rehabilitation centres that specialise in addiction to be regulated. I do not know if other Members watched the recent "Prime Time" special report on a charity, Victory Outreach, that uses pretty appalling practices when dealing with addicts who are attempting recovery with...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: I ask that the Leader invite the Minister for Finance to the House to discuss and debate a quarterly report which was furnished to all Members of the Oireachtas by NAMA in recent days. We all know that NAMA is the largest property company in Europe and, perhaps, in the world. It is important, therefore, that we scrutinise any information put before us by that agency. It is important that...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to debate the issue of flooding in south Galway and along the Shannon Callows. The recent storms and associated floods have caused huge difficulty and hardship for many people residing in these areas. I spoke to a number of affected people who expressed to me they cannot remember any storm as significant as the one experienced in the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Flood Relief Schemes Funding (16 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister of State for her response. It is a pity the Minister of State responsible, Deputy Brian Hayes, is not here to address the issue I have raised. The reply tells me action is being bogged down in bureaucracy when it comes to dealing with the issue and helping the people of east and south Galway. I find that regrettable. His speech mentioned funding for repair of flood...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Operations (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response. The decision to bring NAMA representatives before the Committee of Public Accounts tomorrow is welcome. It is regrettable, however, that they did not make a full public statement earlier this week regarding the issues that have emerged. I take this opportunity to confirm that I have given evidence of wrongdoing to the Garda Síochána. In...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Operations (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his attendance to discuss and debate the very serious revelations which have emerged over the past number of days about the activities at NAMA. The allegations of unsavoury practices engaged in by some servants and-or agents of the agency is most worrying to the taxpayers of Ireland. Last May and June I raised issues pertaining to NAMA and employment contracts and...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Operations (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: This man nearly earns the same salary as the Taoiseach and yet there is no oversight when it comes to his activities. It is recorded on public record in a national newspaper.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Operations (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: What is happening here is very worrying.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: NAMA Operations (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: NAMA has a critical role to play in Ireland's economic recovery and we urgently need to restore confidence in the agency. We need to start by reviewing the draconian powers of the agency and to consider amending the NAMA Act to make it more accountable and transparent, so that what happened this week will not be repeated. We cannot allow unsavoury practices to continue and we must strive...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: This is a democracy.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: We introduced legislation on whistleblowers. We should listen to them.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: That is a cynical view. There is a real threat to the taxpayer.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: On foot of the revelations in recent days with regard to NAMA's activities-----

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: -----it is clear that much of what has happened was facilitated by the veil of secrecy surrounding the agency's operations. It must be remembered that the previous Fianna Fáil Government created NAMA at a cost of billions to Irish taxpayers and yet did not require any transparency or accountability from it.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: These are the facts.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: The National Asset Management Agency Act, which governs the activities of the agency, is severely limited in scope and has helped to create this monster which is being run in a way that is contrary to the public interest. We do not know what deals are being done and nor do we know the identities of those who are buying properties from the agency. It is not right to vest control over private...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: If we fail to do as I have outlined, we will have learnt nothing.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I raised this matter last week and no one in Fianna Fáil supported me at that stage.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Dec 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: Given what has evolved in the past two days in respect of the National Asset Management Agency, I am surprised the Minister for Finance has not been brought into the House to explain what precisely is going on. We have to remember that-----