Results 61-80 of 375 for speaker:Margaret Cox

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: Next Tuesday. Committee Stage ordered for Tuesday, 13 February 2007.

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I join Senator John Paul Phelan in welcoming the Bill. I welcome the concept of making life easier for people with disabilities. The Bill is intended to provide an enhancement of life for people with disabilities. In considering where we are in providing services for people with disabilities, we should take a step back and consider some philosophical questions. I have the following...

Seanad: Citizens Information Bill 2006: Second Stage. (7 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: An example is the Minister's reference in an earlier version of his speech to the terms and conditions of funding and the new provisions in the Comhairle Act to enable the citizens information board to set terms and conditions for voluntary bodies in seeking funding and to promote the development of high quality standards in the provision of information to the public. The effect of the...

Seanad: Consumer Protection Bill 2007: Second Stage (6 Feb 2007)

Margaret Cox: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Consumer Protection Bill. Senator Kitt mentioned an area on which I wish to focus my attention, namely, credit card charges and surcharges. Members will recollect that I proposed to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment a Private Members' Bill for consideration. It proposes to abolish credit card charges and surcharges by...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: It would be nice to have paid paternity leave. A cost of €6 million, rising to €10 million if all the men were to take it up, seems small in the context of the overall social welfare budget in which €1 of every €3 spent by the Government goes to social welfare benefit. The real issue is the parental leave per child. The case for that is to allow the child be looked after in his or...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: Irishmen are not the same as European men. They could not deal with that.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: It is important to recognise the great difference the extension of maternity leave and benefit has made. It has made a significant difference to the lives of many women in the past two years, which we appreciate.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I pay tribute to the Minister, his Cabinet colleagues and the departmental officials who worked on the preparation of the Bill. It is indicative of the successful nature of this legislation that we moved through all stages of the Bill with the complete agreement of the House. Although the social welfare package is worth in excess of €1.4 billion, in many ways it did not receive the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Motion for Earlier Signature (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Social Welfare Bill 2006 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: The Minister referred earlier to an SSIA-type arrangement in respect of pensions. We debated pensions approximately two and a half years ago and his suggestion in this regard was discussed at that point. The Minister is correct that many people do not understand or recognise the benefits of money being invested on a tax-free basis and being drawn down the same way. If we were to repackage...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I was hoping to put forward an amendment in respect of parental and paternity leave. We discussed this matter on Second Stage. Now that maternity leave has been extended to 26 weeks — people can also take unpaid leave — and there is to be increased maternity benefit, the next step in nurturing families is to consider the issue of paid parental leave. The Minister will be aware that...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: Tomorrow. Committee Stage ordered for Friday, 15 December 2006.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2006: Second Stage (14 Dec 2006)

Margaret Cox: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the social welfare package announced recently. I am approaching my tenth year as a Senator and in one of the first debates in which I participated I spoke before the then Minister about the single payment issue. As increases were made and additional benefits were provided for carers, it became increasingly difficult to provide a justification for people...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2006)

Margaret Cox: I support Senator Mansergh as regards the death penalty for Saddam Hussein. It is regrettable this is the level of justice people believe ought to be meted out. The last time the death penalty was used in Ireland was in 1954. It is not that long ago and people remember it. The House should pass a motion, hold a debate and condemn outright this sentence. There is no doubt the man created...

Seanad: Cancer Screening Programme (26 Oct 2006)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. It is timely that I raise this matter given that October is breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer related deaths in Ireland, with an average of 1,726 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Of that number, 700 women — mothers, sisters or daughters —...

Seanad: Cancer Screening Programme (26 Oct 2006)

Margaret Cox: I thank the Minister of State for clarifying the position regarding the donation. On behalf of the women of the west, I wish to send a message to the Minister and the Department that a timescale of 48 weeks is unacceptable. We can afford to shorten that schedule. Even if we only shorten it by eight weeks, that might save a life. There are many life-saving initiatives that can be put in...

Seanad: Institutes of Technology Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Margaret Cox: I wish to share my time with Senator Mansergh.

Seanad: Institutes of Technology Bill 2006: Second Stage. (5 Jul 2006)

Margaret Cox: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Institutes of Technology Bill. Given that my time is limited, I will make a number of focused points. I was asked by a number of people who work in the area to raise an issue which may have already been dealt with in the Dáil — I have read the debate but am not sure — regarding section 13. Perhaps the Minister will be able to address it in her...

Seanad: Social Partnership Agreement: Motion. (21 Jun 2006)

Margaret Cox: I welcome the opportunity to debate this motion and the amendment. When I read the amendment I felt these words rang true and we needed to study what was happening under social partnership. I am committed to the concept of social partnership and believe it has been an integral part of the development of the economy and the so-called Celtic Tiger. However, social partnership is not without...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Margaret Cox: I thank Senator Scanlon for sharing his time with me, given that it was so short. I am delighted to have the opportunity to bring certain issues to the attention of the Minister of State. It must be admitted that there is a crisis in respect of housing. Many people around the country do not have the opportunity to buy their own homes, nor do they know when they will be in a position to do so....