Results 1-20 of 327 for going forward speaker:Catherine Connolly

Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: .... Ostensibly, it sets out to do four things. One is to establish an external oversight body on a statutory basis. There is already a body in place but it is not on a statutory basis and it is a good thing that this Bill will put it on a statutory basis. That was one of the key recommendations of the IRG which I will come to in a minute. It creates a statutory framework for the...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 May 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...all ten have been completely ignored. The Minister of State made a speech in which he spoke about the importance of listening to survivors, which we should all do, but acting on what we heard has gone by the board. I have taken a particular interest in this topic for many reasons, both professional and personal, since the day I was elected. I am not given to despair, but it is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (23 Apr 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I thank the Minister of State. I appreciate that he is going to take a personal interest and is giving a commitment. However, there is flooding practically every year in Galway. That has been known about for a very long time. Following the mapping situation, we were into the action. The action was set out, as I said. I do not like repeating myself or wasting time, but this is extremely...

Acknowledgement and Apology to the Families and to the Victims of the Stardust Tragedy: Statements (23 Apr 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...contributor. The Taoiseach gave a fulsome address and apology, which is to be welcomed. However, this apology will only be meaningful if it determines the next steps and if it examines how we got into this position. The Taoiseach has talked about how the institutions of the State let the people down. They did a lot more than that; they actively contrived to prevent the truth coming...

National Cancer Strategy: Motion [Private Members] (16 Apr 2024)

Catherine Connolly: As usual, I thank Sinn Féin for this motion. I cannot understand why the Government has tabled an amendment because what this motion seeks are very basic things based on the national cancer strategy. For the life of me, I cannot understand how the Government can stand over such an amendment. I speak here today in the context of Galway, where a brand-new scanner sits unused and...

Future Ireland Fund and Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Apr 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...we all learned off my heart and learned what it meant, is not very reliable at all. It gives a misleading picture of how successful Ireland is because of the distortion caused by foreign direct investment but that metric is going to be used here. Nobody has explained this to us. The Minister has not explained to us how we are now reliant on that. The other fund is the...

Supporting People with Disabilities and Carers: Motion [Private Members] (5 Mar 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I always start by thanking Sinn Féin for bringing forward a motion and I do so again tonight. I am also grateful for the opportunity to speak. However, my gratitude stops there because the elephant in the room is being ignored. Many TDs and the Ministers have spoken about the upcoming referendum, which is taking out two parts of Article 41 and replacing it with an entirely new article...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...; of purpose-built student accommodation is the level of rent charged. Rents are getting higher even though the accommodation is purpose built. We are providing a large amount of public money. That is good, but I do not know what the guarantee for the State is. Are we funding entities, be they universities or others, with no return for the State and no guarantee that there will be...

Health (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Feb 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...I am very worried about this Bill. I know the provision in the Bill comes from the pharmacists and the task force, that there was an interim report and a final report, and that suggestions are ongoing. The next step will see pharmacists prescribing for minor injuries, which is not the case at present. I am open to any of this as long as there is openness, accountability and monitoring....

Paediatric Orthopaedic and Urology Services: Motion [Private Members] (20 Feb 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion and for shining the spotlight on this. The first line of the motion "notes that, as of 13th February, 2024, there are 327 children listed as waiting on a scoliosis-related surgery with Children's Health Ireland (CHI), as compared to 312 in February 2017". That is despite promises, despite everything. I am not going to use my time to...

Reform of the Television Licence Fee Model: Motion [Private Members] (13 Feb 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...conflict by our public service media at the moment. I welcome the Minister's agreement that serious consideration needs to be given to direct Exchequer funding. My difficulty is that it has been going on too long, far before the current troubles with RTÉ. I pay tribute to the vast number of staff in RTÉ who have nothing to do with this issue. What has happened is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Ukraine War (25 Jan 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...and, unfortunately, those proposals have not been put before me so far. I hope they are because it would stop all of this uncertainty. I know the Deputy agrees with that. For the moment, I am going to exercise my discretion. I will take Deputy Boyd Barrett, then Deputy Bruton and I will then move forward to Deputy Jim O'Callaghan. I then hope to take Deputy Stanton.

Housing and Homeless Prevention: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (23 Jan 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I will also thank Sinn Féin for the motion. I welcome the opportunity to speak on it. I agree with almost all of it. I welcome that Sinn Féin wants to bring forward measures to effectively ban investment funds and many of the other things set out in the motion but I have great concerns about the use of emergency planning and procurement powers so I will reserve my position on...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ..., which have not been dealt with. I know we are speaking to a combination of amendments here, all of which seek to make the amendment to the Constitution stronger and to put an obligation on the Government to give meaning to its words. Of all the submissions I have read, all of which have been extremely helpful, I have found that FLAC put the spotlight on its concerns and none of them...

An Bille up an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Catherine Connolly: -----but not a rewriting. When I was speaking earlier, I forgot to thank the citizens' assembly and the joint Oireachtas committee for their work. The citizens' assembly worked right through the Covid pandemic. It is important to acknowledge it. I acknowledge it here now. It has done us a great service, as has the cross-party committee, and produced a report. Unfortunately, the...

An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Catherine Connolly: Fáiltim roimh an deis cúpla focal a rá faoin leasú seo don Bhunreacht. Ceapaim go bhfuil sé tábhachtach agus aontaím leis ach tá mé buartha faoin míniú atá ann agus faoin gcumarsáid maidir le durability. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais go dtí sin. I agree with the Minister who said that the constitutional position remains that...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Catherine Connolly: ...although we declared an emergency, I think back in 2019. I also despair of the narrative that accompanies this Bill, which again is no reflection on the staff but an absolute reflection on Government spokespeople and certain backbenchers who continually reiterate the narrative that the planning system is in trouble because of objectors. I do not know any such word as an objector. I...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (6 Dec 2023)

Catherine Connolly: The incessant bombardment of civilians in Gaza continues, yet the Taoiseach tells us that he cannot go out on a limb and he has to wait for a European decision - a Europe that has lost its moral compass. The slaughter of the Palestinian people continues with the full collusion and active support of the US and Britain. This week, we all received a letter from Doctors Without Borders. It...

Renters: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (5 Dec 2023)

Catherine Connolly: I thank Deputy Ó Broin for bringing forward the motion. One TD said earlier that they could not recall the last time a Minister or Minister of State sat through a full debate. I cannot recall when a member of the Government last came to the House and used Government time to deal with the housing crisis, which would be very helpful in the context of it telling us how it is tackling the...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Nov 2023)

Catherine Connolly: ...date, every year since 1977, following the General Assembly decision, we have a solidarity day with the people of Palestine. That in itself tells you something. On this day 76 years ago in 1947, the General Assembly adopted the resolution of the partition of Palestine, a decision that saw a two-state solution put forward as the only solution. The actions and the war of Israel have put...