Results 21-40 of 100 for going forward speaker:Duncan Smith

Family Leave and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (24 Mar 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...of the Labour Party, and as a parent, I am very supportive and welcoming of the Bill. The Labour Party is delighted the Bill has cross-party support. It has been eagerly anticipated and it is a good thing that it is finally here. I can state without qualification that it is a good step to where we need to go in terms of how we approach parental leave and, as a State, respect the need...

Cost of Disability: Motion [Private Members] (6 Jul 2022)

Duncan Smith: ...Democrats for tabling this timely and important motion. I also welcome our visitors in the Gallery for this debate. In the last few days, when I became aware of this motion being brought forward and after engaging with groups I have been speaking with for many months, I asked them what areas they would like me to focus on in my contribution. The response was the disability capacity...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Feb 2022)

Duncan Smith: We welcome this Bill. I would be interested in hearing from the Minister, Deputy O’Gorman, and from the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, if she is summing up at the end - I am not sure if she will be - because there are concerns when there are such changes. Everyone has said that this is a technical Bill etc., but technical changes can and do have real impacts. One of our...

Children and Family Relationships (Amendment) Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (25 Jan 2024)

Duncan Smith: ...the children born to LGBTQ+ couples have one legal parent or two? It is that simple. We cannot accept the nine-month delay, given the reasons that have been outlined, the life cycle of this Government and what the Minister said about the AHR Bill and having two parallel processes. We understand the complexities of parliamentary procedure but we are still bringing this forward because we...

Ceathrú Chultúir 1916 Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (24 Mar 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...delighted to contribute to the debate on this important Bill. I commend Sinn Féin on bringing it to the House, I commend the now Minister for bringing a similar Bill before the Seanad six years ago and I also welcome the Minister of State saying the Government will not oppose the Bill on this Stage. Ultimately, everyone wants to get to the same place on this issue. As a Dub, it is...

National Maternity Hospital: Statements (31 Mar 2022)

Duncan Smith: In the past year, we have had three Private Members' motions on this matter, and now this evening's debate, and nothing seems to have moved forward. We are waiting on a legal framework when, fundamentally, the decision not to build and invest what may ultimately be close to €1 billion on a much-needed national maternity hospital on public land has led to where we are now. I agree...

National Maternity Hospital: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jan 2022)

Duncan Smith: I commend Deputies Joan Collins and Pringle and the Independent Group on moving this motion. I will start by saying the practice of the Government not opposing motions is starting to wear a little thin. The motion is not being opposed but that is not because the Government agrees with it. Sometimes a motion comes to the House and the Government, understandably, does not oppose it because...

Select Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (23 Nov 2023)

Duncan Smith: I thank the committee for letting me speak to the issue. I missed the deadline to submit an amendment for this Stage, but it is my intention to bring one forward on Report Stage about the naming of the two new constituencies born out of Dublin Fingal, namely, Dublin Fingal west and Dublin Fingal east. Dublin Fingal west is hugely problematic. No point on the compass would accurately...

Toll Charge Increases: Motion [Private Members] (29 Nov 2022)

Duncan Smith: I welcome the announcement of a six-month delay, but we understand the money is still going to have to be paid. The sum of €12.5 million will have to come from somewhere else to be paid to these eight PPP companies in order for the State to meet its contractual obligations. What has emerged from this is a worrying proposition, in terms of how we as a State, as the owner of the road...

Covid-19: Motion [Private Members] (10 Feb 2021)

Duncan Smith: I thank all of the Deputies, parties and groups that contributed to the debate. Well, I would like to thank almost all of them. It will come as no surprise to the Government that we will not accept its amendment. It may come as a surprise, although I hope it does not, to Comrade Boyd Barrett that we will accept his group's amendments. I wish to comment on the Deputy's contribution. 12...

Affordable Housing Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (24 Jun 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...articulated through her many contributions in the Seanad that she has concerns about the calculation of affordability and the way it should be linked to income. It is a fundamental flaw in how the Government is dealing with affordable housing in terms of setting prices for the houses and homes that will be delivered. Nothing is affordable unless income can cover not only housing but the...

National Driver Licence Service: Motion [Private Members] (2 Mar 2022)

Duncan Smith: ...Group for this motion. It is the second Wednesday morning Private Member's motion in a row which makes eminent sense and is speaking to a real need felt by thousands of people who have been going through heartache in renewing their driving licences. The Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, has left and the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, has joined us. The Government has...

Health (Amendment) (No. 3) Bill 2021: Second Stage (2 Dec 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...into contact with each other and that is spreading the virus. That is the reality; that is a fact. We have seen reports that since it was announced that people should work from home a few weeks ago, there has only been a 1% decrease in traffic at key points. That is just one indicator, but we could all take an agricultural estimate that things have not actually changed that much in...

Covid-19: New Measures: Statements (24 Nov 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...because they suffered from one of these illnesses and there was a direct correlation. I think of that person now when I am making this contribution and I will be thinking of that person for a good while to come. It is vitally important that these people are reached as soon possible and are offered a booster and every effort is made to get them to a vaccination centre. Following on...

Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 31 – Transport (Revised) (21 Oct 2020)

Duncan Smith: ...minor bumps in the road with regard to projects, given the year we are having. From what I can see and what the Department of Transport has published, the major projects still seem to be moving forward more or less at the pace that has been set out. Hopefully, that will continue. I will make a small point the Minister of State might consider. During the previous lockdown earlier this...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Missing Persons (4 Mar 2021)

Duncan Smith: ...The missing persons bureau and Forensic Science Ireland do fantastic work. The science is there to bring resolution and truth to many people and families. There are many different reasons people go missing. Some are the victims of crime while others are victims of tragic circumstances. The majority of those in question meet lonely ends in this world. Many would have lived the last few...

Scrambler Motorbikes and Quad Bikes: Motion [Private Members] (17 Nov 2020)

Duncan Smith: I thank Sinn Féin and Deputy Paul Donnelly for bringing forward this motion. I know he is not new to this issue. I shared a seat on Fingal County Council with Deputy Donnelly for nearly six years before coming to this House. He also raised this issue, as I did, on the floor of that chamber. When I was growing up, Santa Claus would have brought bikes and skateboards on Christmas...

Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Second Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Duncan Smith: ...air of relief, not that we have reached the finish line as we are far from it but because it is an important moment now that this AHR Bill has finally reached the Dáil. There is a desire from the Government and the Opposition to move the Bill through as expeditiously as possible, while also being as careful as possible. It will require and be subject to a number of amendments and...

Children's Health Ireland - Patient safety concerns and reviews in paediatric orthopaedic surgical services: Statements, Questions and Answers (26 Sep 2023)

Duncan Smith: ...the crisis that we understand and see across our entire health service. It is because it happened in the theatre, where we all expect and put our trust that the delivery of clinical excellence is going to happen. All of our thoughts have been with these patients - these children - and their families and advocacy groups in the past eight days in particular, as this has burst onto the...

Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products) Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Jun 2023)

Duncan Smith: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill, which the Labour Party will support. It is a relatively straightforward and common-sense Bill to which I do not think there will be any opposition. It inserts itself into the overall policy framework, designed in 2013, that seeks to make Ireland tobacco-free by 2025. Currently, Ireland has a smoking rate of 18%. While we as a nation consider...