Results 1-20 of 1,888 for speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Electricity Generation (15 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: The Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, is very welcome. I congratulate him on his elevation into this role. I would like to ask the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications a simple question: where does nuclear power fit into Ireland's energy future? I ask this not in the abstract but with real urgency because the Celtic interconnector is due to come online in 2026. It is...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad: Electricity Generation (15 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister of State. I can clearly see that we are going to rely on offshore resources going forward for the electricity provision for this country. That is not good enough. It will not do. As he well knows, many of these are at early stages. We are now in 2025. Many of these projects are going to be held up by planning. We are not going to reach that 2030 target. I am not...

Seanad: Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025: Second Stage (14 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The Minister of State and fellow Senators are very welcome to the House this afternoon. It is with a strong sense of responsibility and urgency that I introduce the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025. This legislation is born out of concern for the welfare of our children and young people who...

Seanad: Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025: Second Stage (14 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank Members for their contributions and participation in the debate on this Bill. This is significant legislation, with many provisions that will cover a great deal of ground. The Bill has been several years in the making and, as mentioned, it has involved the input of many others, including experts and civil society organisations. It has been written following a study of similar laws...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 6 be taken before No. 1. No. 6 relates to seeking leave to introduce the Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025. The latter, which we can refer to as the energy drinks Bill, aims to prohibit the sale of stimulant drinks to young people under the age of 18. The Bill is necessary because it...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: He is a first cousin. Do not make me feel that old.

Seanad: Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025: First Stage (8 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to regulate the sale, advertisement or promotion of the use of stimulant drinks to children, to prohibit the sale of stimulant drinks to persons under 18 years of age; to provide for health warnings on drink labelling to the general public on the effect to a person’s health of the excessive consumption or use of...

Seanad: Public Health (Restriction on Sale of Stimulant Drinks to Children) Bill 2025: First Stage (8 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I bring to the attention of the House alarming news regarding the national car test, which was recently shared by a source within the motor industry. In 2021, the then Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, and the RSA facilitated Applus+, the private company operating the NCT, in hiring Filipino staff at NCT centres. This was done by lowering the educational requirement from QQI...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 May 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I second Senator Sarah O'Reilly's remarks yesterday in welcoming the recent UK Supreme Court verdict confirming the biological definition of womanhood and I echo her call for a debate on the matter. After a decade of hysteria it is a relief to many of us to finally see common sense prevail. It is nothing short of a disgrace that it has taken so long and has required measures as extreme as a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I rise to address a crisis that is eroding the very foundation of our education system, a crisis that this Government continues to ignore at the peril of our children’s futures. As schools reopened this year, more than 2,700 teaching posts remained unfilled across the country, with special schools and DEIS band 1 schools bearing the brunt of this shortage. In Dublin, Wicklow and...

Seanad: Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: The Minister of State is very welcome and I wish him every good luck in his new portfolio. I rise today in support of the Finance (Provision of Access to Cash Infrastructure) Bill 2024. This legislation is not merely timely; it is essential for safeguarding our economy, our communities and our national resilience. Recent events have underscored the fragility of our digital infrastructure....

Seanad: Diverting Young People from Criminal Activity: Statements (30 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister of State to the House to talk about a topic that is very important to us. The diversion of young people from the path of criminal activity is not just a matter of crime statistics; it is about the future of our children and the health of our communities. Recent reports have highlighted the challenges we face, for instance, the overcrowding in Oberstown children's...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I want to be associated with the expressions of sympathy for Pope Francis. I welcome the one minute of silent prayer at the end of this session. Outside this Chamber there is a rising issue that is dominating Irish society. Inside this Chamber we hear nothing about it. Out there, in the bars, in the taxis and on the streets, it is all people are talking about. Yet, in here, on the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Prison Service (10 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister for coming in. I tabled this matter in order that he might provide a detailed plan and outline for the construction and delivery of the Thornton Hall prison. The overcrowding in prisons is nothing short of a crisis. The most recent figures show there are currently more than 730 prisoners in custody without bed space. The latter represents a 40% increase since January....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Prison Service (10 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister. Basically, he is saying that lands at Thornton Hall will not be used for international protection accommodation and that he has revoked the order on that. Did he know a contract was signed this time last year with the provider on that site for the provision of accommodation for international protection applicants? I do not know how long the contract was signed for. I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I call for the immediate reversal of the Government's decision to impose a new stand-alone labelling requirement on alcohol bottles sold in Ireland. Every Member supports the responsible consumption of alcohol and wants to reduce alcohol harm but this policy will do nothing to achieve that goal. It is a misguided solo run that puts Irish jobs and producers and our international reputation...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I raise the question of Ireland's current position on the Mercosur deal. While I was glad to see that the programme for Government contained commitments to fighting it, I was shocked and disappointed when the Irish Independent reported that Ireland did not turn up to a meeting of other EU nations, led by France, which are also committed to fighting the current deal. I call for the Taoiseach...

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (9 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I also congratulate the Minister of State on his position, which nobody deserves more. I know what he did for his town of Athlone when it came to flooding. I saw him in many a river pulling out who-knows-what. He certainly got stuck in. An unfortunate statement was made about our nation to the effect that if we put all of the Dutch people into Ireland it would become the garden of Europe...

Seanad: Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Apr 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank our colleagues in the Labour Party and the technical group for tabling this legislation. I support the Bill. It is a crucial step in addressing a deeply troubling issue that has emerged in our society: the exploitation of vulnerable tenants by unscrupulous landlords who demand sexual favours in lieu of rent. The housing crisis has reached unprecedented levels. We are all acutely...