Results 1-20 of 29 for feel speaker:Lorraine Higgins "party:" . (isset($parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")]) ? $parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")] : "$a[1]")

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Farm Inspections (6 Oct 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...procedures are upheld in the context of farm inspections.A number of farmers in the Galway East constituency, where I live, have informed me that they dread farm inspections. In many cases they feel they are being treated unfairly and are afraid to stand up for themselves for fear of detrimental action being taken against them in the future. This is wrong. It is an unacceptable...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...is not good enough to do nothing about this. We should try to curtail the freedom of movement of these criminals in more ways than one. The law is being under-utilised by our legal officers. I feel strongly that the DPP should throw the book at these thugs and put forward charges of disqualification against every criminal using a car in the commission of their crimes. If we are...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ..., Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, to the House and thank her most sincerely for taking the Bill this evening. As the Minister can probably appreciate, this means a lot to me because it is an issue I feel strongly about. While much online abuse targeted at teenagers, politicians and so on has been well documented in the past, in recent days focus has returned to the issue with Meath footballer...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...in our online world. It is an Internet safety Bill which is designed to protect children who may cry when they look at their computer screen, whose esteem is damaged and who have become withdrawn and no longer want to go to school. It is also about their parents who feel powerless to help and protect them and the need to restore decency to our online debates and engagement. Who could...

Seanad: Yeats 2015: Statements (9 Jun 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...words. Much has been made of Yeats’s strong links to Sligo, rightly so – I look forward to visiting the newly opened Lissadell House over the summer and perhaps even climbing Knocknarea if I feel brave enough or energetic enough on the occasion - but as a Galway East-based Senator I feel it is very important also to highlight the links to my own locality, in particular Gort...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 May 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...to be cared for and treated in their own homes and communities, reducing demand on already stretched State resources and the HSE. The services carers provide should be remunerated accordingly. I feel quite strongly about that, given the savings their selflessness generates for the Exchequer. I propose a debate in this House on introducing a graduated scale that could be developed to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (28 Apr 2015)

Lorraine Higgins: ...alike. The annual cost of prefab rental is close to €40,000. A fourth prefab was purchased last year for close to €65,000. Given the glaring need for a new school, the community understandably feels this is imprudent and wasteful spending. I agree wholeheartedly. The installation of these prefabs has also placed huge demands on the 1959 percolation system in place at the...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (19 Dec 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: ...am satisfied that the Minister's proposals will safeguard it from privatisation. With respect to my colleagues, I think we are fighting the wrong battle. We should save our strength and depth of feeling for future Governments because Fine Gael and the Labour Party have ruled out privatising Irish Water. If Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin and a plethora of Independent Members want to...

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Nov 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: ...by farmers in Galway east who have been subjected to inspections. These concerned how they have been treated and breaches of procedure and rules in terms of natural and constitutional justice. I feel this charter is window-dressing to try to sort out the problem. It will achieve nothing and certainly will not deal with the situation. The farm inspection process should be put on a...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2014)

Lorraine Higgins: ...or professional counselling. They are told to use prayer as a way of getting over their addictions. They are also told not to take their prescribed medications. All of this is very concerning. I feel that an appalling abuse of human rights is being perpetrated by this so-called charity, which started working in Ireland in 1997 and operates five recovery homes here. As it is operating...

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

Lorraine Higgins: ...and maintaining this channel the Office of Public Works will not address the problem. Flooding in the area will continue while the Department chooses to ignore it. People in east and south Galway feel very let down by the Department and are bitterly disappointed. This is understandable, because without taking the measures I have indicated we will not be able to protect family farms or...

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

Lorraine Higgins: ...is an onus on the Department and a duty to expedite this. In his speech the Minister said he is comprehensively addressing this issue. If he asks the people of east and south Galway how they feel about that he will find they differ in opinion.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Nov 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...that the victims and their families are likely to be traumatised for the rest of their lives. It is up to us as legislators to ensure the inviolability of the dwelling is upheld and that people feel safe in their homes. We must look at the statistics. Only one fifth of sentences for burglary convictions lead to jail terms of more than five years, while almost half of all convictions for...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Banking Sector Regulation (23 Oct 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: I thank the Minister for his response but I am disappointed with it. I find it does not deal specifically with the question I asked. I feel the response was drafted in such a way that we are talking around it rather than getting to the crux of the issue. Terms such as “not aware” and “in general” have been used throughout the response which is most...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Fodder Crisis (26 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...from the Continent turned into a logistical nightmare with some co-operatives only receiving 2.5% of what they ordered on time. Does the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Department feel this is an acceptable way to deal with such a crisis? The importation of fodder undoubtedly helped but we need solutions within Ireland, which is why I tabled this matter. I propose...

Seanad: Pathways to Work Strategy: Statements (25 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...summer period I had cause to be in my constituency of Galway East and met a number of people who work in the business community. A lot of them acknowledged that their businesses are going well and feel as if they have turned a corner. They were particularly happy with her JobsPlus initiative. There are also the Intreo offices that she opened in Galway, particularly in my constituency in...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...so far as they can. No doubt, they will develop some sort of internal procedures for handling disclosures to ensure that any problems are fixed before they become public knowledge. While they may feel this is necessary and while I welcome the Minister's comments regarding a code of conduct, it is imperative the unions would disseminate a charter of rights for whistleblowers and employers...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cúirt Achomhairc) 2013: An Dara Céim - Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Jul 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...about the upcoming referendum. It is important to ensure that the wording is explained in lay man's terms so that the referendum is not seen as being alien to voters. People should not feel isolated by the language used. An all-embracing formula of words should be used, as the establishment of this legal infrastructure is essential to the proper functioning of our court system. Having...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Mortgage Arrears Proposals (10 Jul 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...issue because I am concerned about the impact on the property market of a plethora of houses, or even increased number of houses coming on the market or being released for sale at any one time. I feel my question has not been answered. I am worried about the possible saturation of the property market and house prices being further depressed. People who have houses that are in-equity and...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2013)

Lorraine Higgins: ...of employment contracts changed in their favour after the bailout? Did they accept bonuses after the bailout? If so, then this is a most serious issue that needs to be investigated. I strongly feel that these people should not hold any position of responsibility following the revelations in recent days. We must never lose sight of the fact that they played Monopoly with the Exchequer...