Results 1-20 of 98 for going forward speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Protection of Children in the Use of Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Feb 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: It was a very good initiative to engage them. One of the great things about the DPC is that it publishes where there had been enforcement. Without giving away particular details, it publishes trends of where it has had to intervene. Does Coimisiún na Meán envisage doing this? If not, I highly recommend that it does. From a practitioner's perspective I was able to advise...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Feb 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...this reasonably frequently. There are a number of points to make in this regard. First, it is unreasonable for us to discuss a particular case. Next, commitments were made to advocacy groups going back anything up to 20 years to bring forward a referendum to address the wording in the Constitution.

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...), as well as the care of their families; - the care provided by family carers is unsustainable without the provision of supports and services in the community and via home care supports; notes that: - the Government commenced the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Acts 2014- 2022 and the Decision Support Service; - Budget 2024 built on the provisions in the Budgets of the previous...

Seanad: 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 (22 Jan 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...is a little more nuanced. My understanding is that this decision is based on Article 42 rather than Article 41. It is based on the right of the child to be supported and the widower's pension going to that family because of the rights of the child, not as a result of the fact that their relationship was on a par with marriage. The members of the Supreme Court were very deliberate in...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...on. That would be a motivation for change and to ensure that the language of our Constitution reflects the lived reality of our people. The Constitution uses the term "without which the common good cannot be achieved". I believe there was a positive motivation to that when it was put into the Constitution. It was intended to safeguard and uphold women, and to put a red circle around...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister for bringing forward the legislation. He said he would, he has done so and here we are. He gave very strong assurances when discussing legislation tabled by Members of the House. He said repeatedly he would bring in this legislation. He has been here twice this week and I say well done and congratulations and I thank him very much. Senator Malcolm Byrne has robbed all...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Process (15 Nov 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...that is actually faithful. I want to puncture one misleading piece in all this. We are not putting in a piece of legislation that has extrajudicial impact. We are saying if an Irish couple is going to pursue surrogacy expecting the support of the State, including an Irish passport and the right to both parents in this State to have lifelong relationships with the child and not to be...

Seanad: Rights-Based Care Economy: Motion (27 Sep 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: First, and with due respect, I want to correct Senator Boyhan. Tellers were not put forward for the Government amendment to the Bill. So the amendment was not voted on, and as a consequence Senator Clonan's Bill went through to the next Stage, and did pass through to the next Stage. It was largely supported by the Government Senators from that perspective, because there could not be a vote...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (4 Jul 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...Sandymount Park. The statistics and everything about the situation clearly indicate there is a desperate need for a secondary school within Dublin 8. Sites have been proposed and suggestions put forward. I have engaged with the group. Recently, in a discussion with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, in a different context, the Minister reflected that there is a system within the Department...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Report Stage (14 Jun 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...service. Their child was removed from them and they went home. They will not come within this. Is that what we are saying? I think we can backdate. We can overcome the issues of someone going into the maternity service first and then into the county home. We can cover this commencement date. We can deal with all of that in the backwards and forwards. However, there will be that...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (31 May 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister for being so positive on this. I also thank our group’s leader, Senator Doherty, and Senator Ward for their work on the Bill. However, all credit needs to go to Young Fine Gael for its hard work. It goes to show that, if you get involved in politics, you can change and influence matters. Here we are bringing into law a Bill that has been at the heart of Young...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 May 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...to the Order of Business, that No. 18 be taken before No. 1. This will be seconded by Senator Dolan. The Non-Fatal Offences against the Person (Amendment) (Spiking) Bill 2023 is being brought forward by the Fine Gael Group. Its purpose is to formally put spiking on the Statute Book as a stand-alone offence under the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act. Until now, an allegation of...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Committee Stage (16 May 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...in a plea on this that there is still room. I had great hopes when this Bill was delayed coming to this House that there were changes that had been proposed and that proposals that had been put forward were being considered. I have spoken to many mothers who, if they come within getting a payout under the scheme, which is modest by any means given the extent of suffering endured, where...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...since 1 January 2014 how many times has Tusla written to the Minister saying that, when it comes to non-funded organisations, it is completely toothless and child sexual abuse and rape could be going on around the country? It has a register, and if a child safeguarding statement is not sent forward, an organisation's name might be entered on the register. How does Tusla know the...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2023: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I applaud the work of the two Senators who have brought this matter forward. I commend their sincerity and praise Senator Ardagh for how well she has spoken publicly about her personal journey. An IVF journey is, for anybody, an emotional roller-coaster and very difficult. Many people spend their entire financial future – myself included – on the hope of a child. It is worth...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...against, and that seems to be where there is teeth in all this. The problem is that by the time a case comes to the WRC, the damage has been done and the discrimination has been experienced. Going back to Senator McGreehan's point about proactivity and obliging compliance and forward and inclusive thinking, where are the teeth on that? If there are no teeth, should we ask for them? I...

Seanad: Independent Review of the Handling of Past Complaints of Abuse in St John Ambulance Ireland: Motion (29 Mar 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...isolated in this regard. We would not be here today and the progress would not have been made without that one individual having extraordinary courage. Around him are others who have courageously come forward. I also want to pay tribute to Jack Power of The Irish Timeswho was the first to report this issue. The motion we have put before the House makes particular calls. We call for an...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Mar 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...their complexes. Their complex is extraordinary and they do extraordinary work. However, throughout the country, in every constituency and every town, there are apartments that are affected by this, going back to Celtic tiger building. It is really important that we address these issues. The Government is already there but we need to have statements in this House, first to tease out...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Mar 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: ...St. John Ambulance. I commend her on bringing it to the House in the first place and for the motion and for being a champion all the way through for Mick Finnegan and all the other men who came forward. I have stood there with them and I have heard their experiences. That included one of them being singled out and approached when he stood there on his own one morning. Throughout, the...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: .... May we raise them. I would add to that, saying here's to the men who support us, respect us, work with us and who are great colleagues. I would count the Minister among them as being a really good colleague. From the moment he stepped into his job, he has done nothing but advance the cause of equality, not just for women but across our whole society. Well done on that. I am...