Results 101-120 of 775 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (7 Dec 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I welcome the Minister to the House. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports this Bill, which is designed to give legislative effect to a range of social welfare measures that were announced in September. The cost-of-living budget helps families to cope with the ultimate impact of huge rising prices and inflation across Europe. There is no trickle-down side to this budget; it is direct and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Outcomes of COP27: Dóchas (6 Dec 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank everyone for coming in. I thank Ms McKenna; I think it is her third or fourth time to come here. I welcome Ms Ramadhani and Ms Meriwas. All of the speakers touched on how climate change affects women, for which I thank Ms Ramadhani, Ms Meriwas, Mr. Sadlier and Ms McKenna. Ms Meriwas touched on the idea of having female representation at a higher level in government to reflect...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Outcomes of COP27: Dóchas (6 Dec 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: What fund does the €225 million go into? Is it mitigation and adaptation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Outcomes of COP27: Dóchas (6 Dec 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: On the loss and damage fund, Maurice gave a vivid example today of someone he met and how urgent it is to have funding. Will the funding go to individuals or capital projects? Has allocation of the fund been decided?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Outcomes of COP27: Dóchas (6 Dec 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: On education, Ms Meriwas said 95% of people do not have access to smartphones or broadband. Would that correlate to broadband as well as smartphones? Would more than 5% of people have access to the Internet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy in Education: Discussion (Resumed) (22 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I apologise for being late. We have had many people come to our committee who are dealing with early learning and the early years, when a family finds out their child has autism. It was very aspirational of us to want to get to a stage where we are now discussing with and meeting people who are contributing to the lives of adults with autism. It is amazing and their work is inspirational....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to discuss the Probate Office. Each year, €50 million is held up in probate. That is a great deal of money that could be in the economy. The delay is due to there only being two official probate officers administering estates. The Probate Office is doing its best, but it just does not have the resources. There is no customer service whatsoever and there is no means of...

Seanad: Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (17 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming, for coming to the House. I thank everyone present, especially our guests in the Gallery: Ms Rachel Morrogh from the Irish Cancer Society; Ms Suzanne Dowd from the Irish Cancer Society; and Mr. Sam Russell, who is a cancer survivor. These guests are most welcome. I thank them for everything...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank our guests for coming before us today. The committee often hears very negative presentations, but both presentations today showed the benefits of autism assistance dogs and equine therapy. We need to hear more about this and see that more funding goes into both areas. I have read and listened to the witnesses' stories, and I have heard other stories from parents about how having...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Funding is the main criterion that has been raised but are there any other asks the witnesses might have? As a committee, we want to support them as much as possible. Many of us have children with autism and we would like to see our communities supported.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (8 Nov 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I have another question for Dr. Coughlan. There is an ongoing debate on neurodiversity but when it comes to autism, there are levels 1, 2 and 3. Those with level 3 autism require a huge amount of additional support. For a person with level 3 autism, the diagnosis is in my opinion, although I am not a doctor, very different from a level 1 diagnosis. I do not know if it is right for us to...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire chuig an Teach inniu. I am delighted to speak on the school transport scheme today. For so many families, not just those in this particular calendar year but going forward into the future, this will be transformative in how they carry on their days, especially working families and parents. Having a free school transport scheme will be transformational....

Seanad: Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That” and substitute the following: "the Bill be read a second time this day 12 months to allow, amongst other things, for a comprehensive consideration of the implications of the Bill through engagement and consultation with other relevant Government Departments and the Attorney General and an examination and response to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the groups for coming in today and for the advocacy work they have done over the past two years on behalf of the parents of autistic children. There are other groups, like the Dublin 12 Campaign for Inclusion, that have been doing similar work and, as Ms Kenny has stated, have raised issues concerning access to dental care. We, as a committee, can make comparisons. Today we are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I recall a particular witness giving us a synopsis of that pilot, which seemed to stall a little bit during the Covid-19 period because there were issues with staffing. Obviously, the schools were closed and we may need to ask for a new pilot.

Seanad: Poverty and Social Exclusion: Motion (19 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Civil Engagement Group for bringing forward this motion. One of the main reasons so many of us in this House got into politics was to tackle and challenge intergenerational poverty. It is one of the reasons I got into politics. I come from a privileged background. Growing up and helping my dad, I was able to see the difference between what my friends and I had and what other...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: Today I am seeking leave to amend the Order of Business to introduce a Bill on behalf of the cross-party group on cancer care of which I am chair. I refer to the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is colloquially known as the "right to be forgotten" Bill. The aim of the Bill is to ensure that cancer survivors are not denied access to financial products, such as life insurance, due to...

Seanad: Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2022: First Stage (18 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Central Bank Act 1942 and prohibit financial service providers from discriminating against survivors of cancer from accessing financial services and to provide for related matters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Health: Health Service Executive (18 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank our guests for coming in today. I appreciate Mr. O'Regan's comments conveying regret to families. Many families who are at their wits' end are watching proceedings. They feel helpless because they have not been able to get services for their children. They do not know to where to turn. They are turning to us politicians and we do not have the answers either. Our guests have the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy and Health: Health Service Executive (18 Oct 2022)

Catherine Ardagh: What is the total for this year?