Results 1-20 of 1,166 for speaker:Marie Sherlock

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (29 Jun 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his election today. Much has been spoken about Kerry today. As a Cork woman by birth, but now living in that great melting pot of Dublin Central, I wish him the very best in his work as Cathaoirleach. I am very honoured and privileged to have been elected a Member of the Twenty-sixth Seanad as a Senator for the Labour Party on the labour panel. I am...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I am delighted to hear such a focus in so many of the contributions on the employment rights of women. I sincerely hope we can continue in that vein by focusing on several issues raised today. Senator Bacik referred to the gender pay gap and Senator Ward spoke about maternity leave arrangements for councillors. I want to support the call by Senator Gavan for a debate on the terms,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I want to raise an important and urgent matter with regard to planning regulations and to ask the Leader to ask the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government to come to the House to set out his plans with regard to co-living. Across Dublin city at the moment, a number of planning applications for co-living units are under consideration by Dublin City Council. In my constituency...

Seanad: Financial Provisions (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (16 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment. The Labour group looks forward to engaging with him on very serious and important issues, particularly those relating to insurance and the credit unions, in due course. The Labour group in the Seanad will be supporting the Bill. In contrast with the previous major crisis the EU experienced, at least there is now a recognition -...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I refer to the July stimulus package that was published yesterday. In advance of the Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Financial Provisions (Covid-19) (No. 2) Bill 2020 coming to the House next week, I have serious questions about what was announced yesterday.There can be no doubt that the injection of €5 billion in additional spending into our economy is badly...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: This is really important. There is an important question here-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: That is grand. We need to see detail on certain matters in advance of the aforementioned Bills coming to the House next week, with regard to those in the arts sector in particular. They are now facing a dual uncertainty, due to the pandemic unemployment payment and the freezing of rents and the eviction ban, as a disproportionate share of people in the arts sector are renting and are not...

Seanad: Health (General Practitioner Service and Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill 2020: Second Stage (24 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I congratulate the Minister on his appointment and wish him well in his new role. This is the first Bill he has brought to this House, and what a Bill it is. It is welcome to see this Bill before the Seanad and the Labour Party and I will be supporting it. We will be doing so because the Labour Party has a long-standing commitment to free and accessible healthcare. We will be supporting...

Seanad: Civil Law and Criminal Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2020: Second Stage (28 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I congratulate the Minister on her new role. I am conscious that she appeared in the House for another Bill, but this is my first time speaking on a justice Bill and I want to wish her well. The Labour Party is happy to support the Bill, which contains several measures that have been long sought after by the legal profession. One of those measures is the introduction of electronic filing...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister for coming before the House and wish her well in her new role. A number of major challenges face the Department: pensions, the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund, and how we will get people into work who want to work but cannot for a whole variety of reasons, including childcare, other caring responsibilities or disability. Disability is a very significant...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Sep 2020)

Marie Sherlock: On behalf of the Labour Party, I echo the sentiments expressed by Senators Chambers and Boyhan in welcoming yesterday's announcement by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy O'Gorman, on the intake of four unaccompanied minors from Lesbos to Ireland. As we know, Ireland's record in the context of taking migrants has been patchy. We have had promises but the numbers have been...

Seanad: Investment Limited Partnerships (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (23 Sep 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I extend my congratulations to the Leas-Chathaoirleach. He is a long-serving Member of the Oireachtas and it is fitting that he now fulfils the role of Leas-Chathaoirleach. I also extend my congratulations to the Minister of State in his new role and thank him for bringing forward this legislation. I share the concerns articulated by Senator Gavan about the timing of the Bill and the use...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Sep 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State and I congratulate her on her appointment. This is the first opportunity I have had to do so. This question relates to the eligibility for the Covid illness payment, which is an enhanced illness benefit. There is a large degree of confusion as to the difference between persons who have to self-isolate and those who have to restrict their movements and, by...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic Supports (30 Sep 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I welcome the Minister of State's clarification that if a person has to self-isolate or restrict his or movements, he or she is entitled to the illness benefit payment. There is an important question with regard to the certification that a person requires to be eligible for that payment. For example, is a doctor's note required? Currently, when a person presents for a test and is diagnosed...

Seanad: Statutory Right to Sick Leave Pay: Motion (7 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I move: "That Seanad Éireann: acknowledges that: - Ireland is one of only five countries in the European Union in which employees have no statutory right to be paid by their employer if absent from work due to illness; - the decision whether to provide sick pay is entirely in the hands of employers under current legislation; - standard illness benefit is only paid to full-time...

Seanad: Statutory Right to Sick Leave Pay: Motion (7 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I thank all the Senators who contributed on our motion, particularly those who so eloquently indicated their support for it. Senator Craughwell used the phrase "lip service" regarding the issue of sick pay for workers. It is extraordinary that Government Senators and a Minister of State would come into this House to express support for the introduction of paid sick leave and in the same...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Staff (8 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, on his appointment. This Commencement matter relates to the promise of additional substitute teachers in the primary school system. I am seeking details with regard to the number of additional substitute teachers provided, their location and the ratio of substitutes to schools and the teachers in those schools. I am conscious that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Staff (8 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and for his commitment to relay my concerns directly to the Minister. The response provided did not answer my question with regard to the precise locations and the ratio of substitutes to teachers in the schools. Having 100 base schools covering 2,300 schools does not seem in any way adequate to deal with that is facing schools over the coming...

Seanad: Budget 2021: Statements (14 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister for coming into this House. There has been a lot said about the historic nature of yesterday's budget. It was the single largest budget in the history of the State and there were important elements in it to support businesses and various sectors of society. There were a number of missed opportunities and serious oversights in this budget, however, and they undermine...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2020)

Marie Sherlock: On behalf of the Labour Party, I indicate our support for the amendment to the Order of Business proposed by Senator McDowell. We, too, believe it is unnecessary and unjust to rush through this legislation today. I do not need to tell his House how important it is. As we all know, it has generated very intense personal interest. It concerns people's lives. As Senator Warfield said, we...