Results 3,421-3,440 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Housing: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: The Minister is very welcome. Last week, he and his Government colleagues voted to lift the eviction ban and increase the number of homeless citizens in our State. He did this in the knowledge that 17 of the 31 local authorities in the State told him they had nowhere for these people to go. We know from the Residential Tenancies Board, RTB, that there are 3,000 evictions due to fall in...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: I am the first person to mention the shocking number of people who are homeless. I welcome the "Hear, hears". That is grand. Of course, the figures are getting worse under the Minister's watch every month. When he was in a supply and confidence arrangement, he was quite clear that a figure of 7,000 homeless people was not acceptable. We are now heading to double that figure.It is a...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: We will call it a base target; I am not going to row over that. There are several problems with the target or base target, however. First, the circular the Minister sent to the councils was too rigid in its application. For example, he insists that a notice to quit must be given in writing before the council can commence the process of purchasing a house. I am aware that councils believe...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Housing: Statements (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Housing: Statements (Resumed) (29 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: Why have the councils not been given extra staff to deliver that?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Mar 2023)

Paul Gavan: I will begin by saluting Noel Murphy and by thanking him for his support, courtesy and patience. What an incredible 40 years of service. On behalf of the Sinn Féin group, I want to wish him a very long and happy retirement. Tomorrow is Show Racism the Red Card day. I remind people of that and I encourage everybody to come and support it through their choice of clothing for tomorrow,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: I want to raise the issue of housing once again. Last week I spoke to a really impressive a young woman working for an NGO that engages with all of us here in the Oireachtas. She had returned from Europe where she had completed a PhD. She has been living at home with her parents for the last eight months because even on a decent salary, she could find nowhere to rent. What she said to me...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Bill 2022: Second Stage (19 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: The Minister, as always, is welcome. I want to address the key concerns regarding to this Bill. First, the payment scheme excludes people who, as infants, spent less than six months in a mother and baby or county institutions. Second, the controversial legal waiver remains. Third, no agreement on remuneration with religious orders or pharmaceutical companies has ever been reached....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: I begin by touching on that last subject, because I watched back proceedings yesterday evening from my hotel and I am sure I am not the only person who was genuinely dumbstruck at the unbridled arrogance on display there. It was just appalling and was meted out to people from all parties at the meeting. It was totally unacceptable. Senator McDowell makes a valid point, namely, we at times...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: Senator Craughwell makes a fair point as well. Miriam Lord's description of said civil servant as "the prince of permanent government" struck a bell. It is not acceptable for any civil servant to come in and react in that way. We have a right to ask questions and receive answers, and that did not happen yesterday. The main issue I raise relates to a group of men called the Murphy 4....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: They were dismissed because they asked for negotiation of their being underpaid by €4.50 an hour in relation to the sectoral employment order, SEO, specifying the legal rates that should apply for skilled jobs such as those at the plant and across Ireland. Their boss came in after half and hour and simply told them they were all suspended. The management suspended all the workers and...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State is welcome, as always. I give the Bill a partial welcome. The lobbying regime has come in for strong criticism in the past. There has clearly been a revolving door between Government and big business. The Standards in Public Office Commission, SIPO, has long called for reforms and made numerous submissions to Government. Unfortunately, Government long ignored these...

Seanad: Regulation of Lobbying (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Apr 2023)

Paul Gavan: I will take that on board; it is no problem. I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. The programme for Government also commits to extend the lobbying register so the lobbying of senior officials in bodies like the Central Bank of Ireland, ComReg, the National Transport Authority and the HSE that have significant policymaking or development functions will need to be reported on on the same...

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

Paul Gavan: I thank the Senators for bringing this Bill to the Seanad. In particular, I recognise Senator Ardagh for the courageous way in which she has not just championed this issue but spoke of her own personal experience. Senator Seery Kearney has made a powerful speech that will be hard to follow. She has asked many pertinent questions and got to the heart of the concerns that so many people have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Paul Gavan: Many congratulations to the Leader. As this is World Press Freedom Day, I once again wish to raise the case of Julian Assange. Julian is now entering his fifth year of incarceration in one of the harshest prison regimes in Europe, namely, Belmarsh Prison. He spends 22 out of every 24 hours in his 8 ft by 12 ft cell. He receives his food through a hatch. He has only ever seen his...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 May 2023)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Reykjavik Summit of the Council of Europe: Statements (3 May 2023)

Paul Gavan: Good point.

Seanad: Reykjavik Summit of the Council of Europe: Statements (3 May 2023)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State, Deputy Peter Burke, is very welcome. I begin by acknowledging that this summit does represent something very significant. As someone said earlier, it is the first one in 18 years. It represents a real triumph for both Ireland and Iceland in particular. The way both governments have worked really positively must be acknowledged today. It is very important that the...