Results 1-15 of 15 for other and baby speaker:Mary O'Rourke

Patient Safety: Motion (Resumed) (30 Jun 2010)

Mary O'Rourke: ...there are many women throughout the country who are wondering if this happened to them or who feel quite sure it happened to them. Any woman of my age will recall when such matters were part and parcel of everyday life. One is immediately suffused with sympathy for women who endured this trauma or who remain perplexed wondering "if" or "Could it have been so?" This would be particularly...

Unemployment: Motion (Resumed) (8 Oct 2008)

Mary O'Rourke: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Penrose, for tabling the original motion. It has been a worrying and sad feature of constituency clinics during the past six months that one has been visited by sensible men and women who have either lost their jobs or are about to lose them. I never fail to be struck by the poignancy of what...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Nov 2006)

Mary O'Rourke: Regarding the bank strike, a representative of the Bank of Ireland was asked on "Morning Ireland" today whether the bank's new human resources specialist would be employed on the basis of the yellow pack pension. While the answer was "Yes", it was interesting that he stated the pension is not a yellow pack one. Nevertheless, I agree with Senator Ryan that there is meant to be true...

Seanad: Lourdes Hospital Inquiry: Statements. (9 Mar 2006)

Mary O'Rourke: I welcome the Minister of State and the representatives of Patient Focus who are in the Gallery. This has been an amazing debate. We decided this morning that the lead speakers would be women because this is an issue about women's bodies. I am sure that the men who contribute will do a good job as well. I praise Senator Terry for speaking about her first pregnancy in such an open manner and...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (15 Dec 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I welcome the Minister to the House and while it is true contrary views were expressed about him here, it was nothing like in the other House. I welcome the Bill but, of course, for the parents and family, nothing will bring back baby Pierce or remove their great sadness. I was thinking, as others were speaking, about how their hearts must have been sorely tried but they did not sit back....

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: It is Christmas and I think the baby Jesus will speak Irish, judging by the amount of Irish being spoken these days. Senator Ryan made the point that textbooks in the meanscoileanna or Irish second level schools are not available and students have to read the English textbooks with an Irish dictionary, which is daft in such a context. That is a fair point. Senator Ryan also raised an...

Seanad: Employees (Provision of Information and Consultation) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (29 Sep 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: ...fabric, being the translation into legislation of an EU directive. I am glad it is the subject of primary legislation, because ministerial orders do not have the same effect. The law is the law and people have more respect for legislation. When I was in the Minister's job there was an ongoing struggle between the mandarins in the main Department and me on Adelaide Road as to what was to be...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Jun 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Senators Brian Hayes and Henry said nobody should have to apologise for raising particular immigration cases. My heart is broken with stories about immigration, visas and asylum seekers. No matter what one does one cannot keep up with the flood of injustices which come to light each day by telephone, letter and e-mail. There seem to be inconsistent rules such as in the case of the Romanian...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Feb 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Lest I be out of step with other Senators, I am also glad to see that the Cathaoirleach has returned to the House. Senator Brian Hayes raised the House's appreciation of the Garda Síochána and the Garda Commissioner, Noel Conroy. He particularly referred to the sterling North-South work in which the PSNI and Garda Síochána are engaged. In an odd way, it is sad that it is this area of...

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (2 Feb 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: I thought the public service gave paid parental leave. I would be keen to know which employers give it. I would like to know why we are so out of step with all those other countries — it is quite amazing. I think France has excellent paid parental leave which can be taken by mothers or fathers until the child is two years of age. It is only right that is the case. A grudging attitude is...

Seanad: Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (2 Feb 2005)

Mary O'Rourke: Babies need to know there are two people minding them. The Minister of State has great gumption and he would do well to try to bring about a reconciliation between employers and employees on this matter of paid parental leave. Many people cannot afford to avail of it and to be out of the workforce for that length of time so that they may lay the foundations of a happy child and for...

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Jul 2004)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator O'Meara requested a debate on the report of the Joint Committee on Finance and the Public Service, referred to in No. 1 on the Order Paper. She also requested a debate on dyslexia, which would be interesting. We previously debated the issue of autism which ran for a number of sessions, the notes from which the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Tim...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Mary O'Rourke: Yes I am, but let us not get particular about it. I am torn having listened to a Nigerian woman on "Morning Ireland" who said quite plainly that she came here to have her baby. She said she would get good maternity services here and wanted to give her child a good start in life. I asked myself what was wrong with that. She was speaking the truth, as any mother would, about wishing to give her...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

Mary O'Rourke: I am willing to arrange a debate on neutrality but there is a difference between the Defence Forces and the Garda Síochána acting with great distinction as UN peacekeepers in troubled places and the abandonment of neutrality. The people must decide whether it can be abandoned. One must not throw out the baby with the bathwater just because it is a current fad. Senator Ryan spoke about the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Dec 2002)

Mary O'Rourke: Senator Brian Hayes stated he would not agree to the Order of Business unless the Minister for Health and Children came to the House to discuss the incident at Monaghan General Hospital. While I cannot get hold of him, I understand the Senator's position. It was a terrible and extremely tragic incident. The Minister has ordered an inquiry about which we will be informed as quickly as...