Results 121-140 of 1,203 for speaker:Mary Fitzpatrick

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Developments: Discussion (10 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank all of the witnesses for their presentations. I thank the representatives of An Bord Pleanála. I have engaged with the board on a number of applications. I will direct my comments largely to the Department. I consider the SHD process to be a massive missed opportunity on the part of the State. It achieved the objective of speeding up the decision-making process but at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Developments: Discussion (10 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I will be as brief as I possibly can. I thank all of the witnesses for their presentations. It appears really perverse that we are sitting here as a housing committee with the officials in the midst of a housing crisis and we all want to see more homes delivered, and yet we are being highly critical of a process that was put in place to fast-track the approval of housing. We must use our...

Seanad: Political Donations: Motion (11 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I wish to share my time with Senator Malcolm Byrne, if that is agreeable to the House?

Seanad: Political Donations: Motion (11 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Yes.

Seanad: Political Donations: Motion (11 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I offer condolences and sympathies to the family of Mr. William Hampton. It is really unseemly that anybody's will would be drawn into this type of a debate. It is really unseemly that public representatives, of any description, are actually debating the need for transparency around the funding of political activities in this day and age. If this was 20, 30 or 50 years ago one might...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Statement of Strategy 2021-2025: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. (12 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I thank Ms Quinn for her presentation and for coming before the committee. It is very important that we get this strategy document right and that the strategy for the Department reflects the significant challenges facing the country in terms of Covid, climate action and Brexit but also reflects the fact we have a new Government made up of three very distinct parties. Significant effort was...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I draw the attention of the House to legislation that will be introduced by my colleagues, Deputies McAuliffe and Lahart, in Dáil this evening. The legislation in question relates to scrambler and quad bikes and the social use of them in our communities. I live in the constituency of Dublin Central and I am aware that the use of these bikes has been an issue right across the city and...

Seanad: Traveller Accommodation: Statements (17 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I am pleased to welcome the Minister of State on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party.Before I say another word, I wish to acknowledge Senator Flynn, whose presence will contribute greatly to this important discussion. I am honoured to contribute on behalf of the Fianna Fáil Party. We have all been consumed by the issue of Covid since March. It has taken over our lives, but it is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I support Senator Currie's call for Government assistance for the zoo in the Phoenix Park. The scariest thing I did in my life was give birth to my three children. I spent the first seven months of my first pregnancy in denial and the final two months saying I genuinely cannot do this. If it had not been for the Rotunda Hospital and the amazing staff, including the midwives, nurses and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: They were not passed through this House.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I raised a very important point and I do not need the Leader of the House to respond in detail, but will she take it up with the Minister for Health and ask him to come to the House to address the concerns raised about the Rotunda Hospital?

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2020: Second Stage (18 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "That" and substitute the following: - "the Bill to be read a second time on 31st December, 2021, to allow for further consideration of the Bill". I wish to share my time with Senator Cassells. I thank Senators McDowell and Higgins, and all of the Senators and Deputies, I guess, who worked on the commission and the report. I have to say...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I welcome the Government's decision announced by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage yesterday to ban co-living. It signals a really decisive and important shift in the policy of the Government and the State towards the provision of housing. When the concept of co-living was introduced in 2018, it was probably well intentioned but it certainly was never going to deliver...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill: Discussion (24 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I apologise for being late. I was in the Seanad. There was no disrespect intended but I could not be in two places at the one time. I thank all the witnesses for the briefings that were provided. This is a really important Bill. It is an important commitment from the Government's perspective because the Government committed to enact the marine planning and development management Bill...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: General Scheme of the Marine Planning and Development Management Bill: Discussion (24 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: The witnesses might circulate the committee with details on how the community benefit fund is spent. I note the current amount is €4.5 million and that will change going forward. I ask them to elaborate on how the scheme operates. For example, is it administered by the local authority or the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI? If the committee could be circulated with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: Today, 25 November, is the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The UN says violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today. It remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame that surrounds it. In general terms, violence against women and girls...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Order for Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today."

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I wish to share time with Senator Byrne with six minutes for me and two minutes for the Senator.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for bringing this legislation to the Senate first. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage and I appreciate that some members were confused as to the Minister's intentions. I accept the Minister's apology and accept that his intention in bringing forward this legislation is both to support...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2020: Second Stage (25 Nov 2020)

Mary Fitzpatrick: I apologise to the House. I did not realise that was the case.