Results 1-18 of 18 for going forward speaker:Denise Mitchell

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (16 Apr 2024)

Denise Mitchell: The issue of pensions has been discussed for a long time and the Government has now got around to publishing its plan, following on from the initial submissions that were sought for years ago. The Government is trying to address the fact that Ireland is the only state in the OECD without a pension saving scheme for workers after 25 years of its being talked about. However, we need...

Rent Reduction Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Apr 2023)

Denise Mitchell: I welcome the opportunity to speak to the Bill and thank People Before Profit-Solidarity for bringing it forward. Rents have shot up again in my constituency, Dublin Bay North. The latest Daft rental report shows people are being charged on average €2,200 a month in an area where rents were already crazy. That is an 11.5% increase on rents compared with the same period in the...

Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022: Report and Final Stages (14 Dec 2022)

Denise Mitchell: I again thank the Minister of State and the Department for the work they have done on this, and I look forward to working with his team in the future. As he acknowledged, we still have a way to go. I thank also my party colleague Councillor Joanna Byrne, who was a member of the Minister of State's working group that helped get the Bill through. I look forward to working with him to get the...

Local Government (Maternity Protection and Other Measures for Members of Local Authorities) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Dec 2022)

Denise Mitchell: ...to this point but there have been no delays since the pre-legislative scrutiny. I commend the Minister of State and his Department on that. I hope this legislation is treated with the same urgency going forward. It is to be hoped that councillors who give birth will be able to avail of this legislation in 2023. I hope that they see the full benefit of this legislation and do not have...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Traveller Accommodation (17 Nov 2022)

Denise Mitchell: ...Minister of State. I agree with her. Although the response from the Department speaks to looking to the future, we have to support the families on the halting site in the now. I appeal to her to go back to the Department and ask it to look at the issues this community is experiencing in the context of maintenance. The Department needs to ensure that, for now, the roof is fixed and the...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (28 Apr 2022)

Denise Mitchell: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I hope it results in the proper regulation of guardian ad litemgoing forward. These reforms should be of real benefit and should bring Ireland in line with best practice. The work of the guardian ad litemis vital. They represent the voice of children in some very complex cases. The voice of children in these cases cannot be lost and it is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Review of Traveller Inclusion Policy, Education and Health: Discussion (18 Nov 2021)

Denise Mitchell: ...2022? I wish to follow up on what Deputy Ellis was discussing. There are many figures and amounts in the opening statement. The Department has over €5.5 million and €3 million of that is going to NGOs. Can the Minister give us a breakdown of the €2.5 million? He probably will not have it to hand here, but perhaps he could forward the breakdown of that €2.5...

State Pension Age: Motion [Private Members] (22 Jun 2021)

Denise Mitchell: ...a week might not sound like a lot of money to some, but it makes a big difference to people who are struggling to make ends meet. It is heartless to expect people to wait for their pension and then to go on and penalise them in the process. People had their voices heard during the last election. They told us they want the option to retire at 65. Talk of increasing the pension age to...

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

Denise Mitchell: I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on the Bill. I thank my colleague, Deputy Ó Snodaigh, for bringing it forward. Over the years, we have seen the history of Moore Street and the surrounding areas reduced to plaques in high places where eyes do not go. We have even seen Fine Gael Ministers in the courts on this issue, fighting the side of big business and private...

National Minimum Wage (Protection of Employee Tips) Bill 2017: Second Stage [Private Members] (18 Jun 2019)

Denise Mitchell: I thank Senator Gavan for bringing forward this important legislation. The situation in Ireland is that if the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, or I go to a restaurant or café and leave a tip for the staff who serve us, there is no guarantee that tip will go to the staff. It could end up in the business owner's pocket and that is wrong. We all know that hospitality workers are some of...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Domestic Violence (28 Mar 2019)

Denise Mitchell: ...are no places whatsoever. In these counties with no places, we are seeing mothers and children having to move to other counties to get services. That is not acceptable and I hope we look at this, going forward. The Minister made a comment about the Rathmines centre that is due to be opened soon. My understanding is that this centre has been taken over by the Dublin Region Homeless...

Report of Joint Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Motion (7 Feb 2019)

Denise Mitchell: ...childhood obesity, in respect of which it did a great deal of work. I also thank the various groups and organisations that came before the committee. The publication of the report is a major step forward in addressing an issue that is a ticking time bomb in terms of public health. Right now, one in four children is overweight or obese. What is even more worrying is that the majority of...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Denise Mitchell: ...businesses that suffer. It is part of the reason we have a crisis in housing and health. What have we got to address that? It is more of the same, including a lack of vision, commitment and investment. It is not going to deliver the level of investment needed to tackle the problems we have now or those coming down the road. The problems we face are very real in the here and now, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Tackling Childhood Obesity: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2018)

Denise Mitchell: I thank all the witnesses for coming in today. I will start with safefood. The opening lines of the statement were strong and were true. We need strong and bold actions going forward. I will touch on a few of the key recommendations, in particular the one on the sugar tax. In a full year, revenue is expected to be in the region of €40 million. We would all agree that this would...

Report on the Provision of Foster Care Services in Ireland: Motion (3 May 2018)

Denise Mitchell: .... This shortage means that children are often placed with foster parents who live very long distances away from where they were based originally. This creates huge problems when it comes to going to school and retaining links with friends and relatives. This issue needs more attention. The issue of data collection is one that concerns me greatly because, as I said to the Minister...

Childcare Support Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Denise Mitchell: ...of amendment No. 16, which was originally proposed by Deputy Funchion and I and which is similar to another amendment proposed by Deputy Rabbitte. The amendment may seem like a small one but, going forward, it will make a huge difference. Previously, the Bill provided that Tusla could authorise additional supports if a child was not receiving adequate care and protection. People in the...

Water Services Bill 2017: Second Stage (Resumed) (4 Oct 2017)

Denise Mitchell: ...for water charges, even though it was well aware of the public outcry it would cause. Since then, Fine Gael has done Fianna Fáil's work for it. Unfortunately for them, the public could see what was going to happen from a mile away. If the Government had had its way, it would have resulted in huge bills for water charges and the privatisation of water services. Instead, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Labour Activation Measures: Department of Social Protection (20 Oct 2016)

Denise Mitchell: ...what is a reasonable distance and what sanctions will be taken? Is it indirectly a private company that decides ultimately whether the sanctions apply? I want to touch on the rules of governance on JobPath as well. What conditions govern the procedures of the programme? Is there any code of practice, for instance, within the private companies relating to vulnerable persons? What...