by admin | Mar 10, 2015 | Speeches
What happened at the Magdalene Laundries was wrong and should not have happened. We must ask whether anything happening today is also wrong and is not being dealt with. Every generation believes it has got it right and that the previous generation was wrong. It seems to be part of the human condition to be complacent about one’s own generation and to be very critical of previous generations. I have no doubt that, within society, there are issues we choose not to address because it is not popular to do so. I believe wrongs are being perpetrated on people in a totally different way but this does not in any way excuse what happened in the past, particularly in the case of the laundries. I welcome the McAleese report on the Magdalene Laundries. What has happened in the past few weeks has happened and I accept that the Government needs time to produce a detailed response. I will be happy if the Taoiseach comes to the House next week with a considered response. The report was commissioned to find out the State’s involvement in the Magdalene laundries. I am disappointed that a number of laundries, including one in my constituency, were not investigated for one reason or another. As far as I am concerned, it is not a question of how people ended up in the laundries. It would be very wrong if the Government, in its response, differentiated between the means by which women ended up in them. Whatever form of redress is put in place should be made available to all on an equal basis. Let us... read more
by admin | Mar 10, 2015 | Speeches
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture, Éamon Ó Cuív TD, has congratulated Phil Hogan on his appointment as the new EU Commissioner on Agriculture but warned that he faces a huge task in resolving some of the issues that face Irish farming. He commented: “I would like to congratulate Phil Hogan on his appointment as the EU Agriculture Commissioner. It is very significant that an Irish person has been appointed to this important portfolio, especially considering that 40% of the EU budget goes to agriculture. “It is now extremely important that Commissioner Hogan put his stamp on the role and ensures an equitable and fair implementation of the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) right across the country for all farmers. Commissioner Hogan must also ensure the commonage issue is resolved in relation to CAP and particularly in relation to the GLAS scheme. “Free trade in beef must also be facilitated and enforced so that artificial barriers to trade between the North and South of Ireland and between Ireland and Britain are eliminated. Commissioner Hogan must make this a priority so the current beef crisis affecting Irish farming can be tackled. The relative power of processers and multiples over farmers is disproportionate and has to be rebalanced across the EU, it is absolutely vital that farmers and primary producers receive a fair price for their product and a fair proportion of what the consumer pays. “Commissioner Hogan must also seek to adopt a comprehensive rural development plan to ensure the improvement and prosperity of rural Europe and in particular for peripheral countries like... read more
