Results 21-33 of 33 for speaker:Nicole Ryan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (1 Apr 2025)

Nicole Ryan: I thank the Minister for coming in today. I wish to highlight a long-standing and unjust issue affecting Youthreach staff, specifically the ongoing failure to pay these dedicated educators for the correction and grading of locally devised assessments. This issue of these staff members not being paid to the same standard as those in other FET centres was brought to my attention by a very...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Further and Higher Education (1 Apr 2025)

Nicole Ryan: It was a teacher in Macroom Youthreach. I thank the Minister for clarifying that. The biggest issue with Youthreach centres across Cork and maybe more generally is that there is not a clear guideline so the information is fed down clearly and they can understand what course they can be paid for. As the Minister said, some Youthreach centres are starting to put on level 5 courses and I do...

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

Nicole Ryan: I raise the increasingly urgent issue of access to youth mental health supports in rural villages, particularly in my constituency of Cork North-West. In towns across the constituency like Kanturk, Millstreet and Charleville, parents have been contacting me in despair about the lack of timely access to CAMHS. We are seeing long waiting lists - some for months, if not years - for younger...

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

Nicole Ryan: I express deep concern at the recent announcement that the long-awaited primary care centre in Kanturk in Cork has suffered a significant setback. The developer has withdrawn from the project, necessitating a retendering process by the HSE. This facility was envisioned to provide essential services, including GP consultations, mental health supports and ancillary healthcare services, to the...

Seanad: Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Apr 2025)

Nicole Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I thank Fianna Fáil for bringing this Bill forward. Sinn Féin supports the principle behind this Bill. It is right that we send a clear message that abuse, threats and assault against workers will not be tolerated. However, we have to be honest with people that this Bill on its own will not address the real problem. The...

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

Nicole Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, and thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to speak on this critical issue. Our goal must be clear: to keep as many young people as possible out of the criminal justice system by addressing the root causes of crime, which are poverty, exclusion, addiction and lack of opportunities for younger people. Prevention and rehabilitation must...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (7 May 2025)

Nicole Ryan: It is lovely to see the Minister of State here. I wish to raise a very serious issue for the people of Kanturk and the wider north Cork area, that is, the ongoing delay and uncertainty surrounding the delivery of the Kanturk primary healthcare centre. This project has been promised for the community for a long time - years, in fact. The closure of SouthDoc in Kanturk in 2023 was justified...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Primary Care Centres (7 May 2025)

Nicole Ryan: The news is welcome that Kanturk will eventually get a primary care centre. The issue, however, is that the people of Kanturk still have no out-of-hours service or primary care centre. A building in the middle of Kanturk that could be used as an interim centre for out-of-hours care has been identified. Equally, I have been contacted by a developer who is interested in this kind of project....

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

Nicole Ryan: Melanie is a constituent of mine. She has bravely shared her heartbreaking story following the loss of her husband, Dylan, to cancer earlier this year, and he was only 32 years old. Before Dylan began chemotherapy, they followed the best medical advice and arranged to freeze his sperm. With full consent, Dylan signed the necessary forms, clearly stating that Melanie could use the samples...

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motion (8 May 2025)

Nicole Ryan: As noted, this is a technical update. As it does not affect the types of insolvency proceedings or practitioners recognised in Ireland, Sinn Féin will support it. When we talk about insolvency, we talk about debt. We are talking about people's homes, lives and futures, as the Minister knows, so while this measure may be administrative in nature, we cannot ignore the debate in the...

Seanad: Parole (Special Advocates) Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 May 2025)

Nicole Ryan: It is great to see the Minister in the Seanad Chamber again. I thank Senator Ruane for bringing this Bill to the floor of the House today. The Bill seeks to address the imbalance in our parole system whereby information can be withheld from parole applicants and their legal teams under the guise of exceptional circumstances. This is a barrier in our justice system and the proposal for the...

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

Nicole Ryan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the stimulant and energy drinks Bill tabled by Senator Keogan and colleagues. I acknowledge the intent behind this legislation, which is clearly driven by a genuine concern for the health and well-being of young people and which I think is a concern we all equally share. While we are not opposing the Bill, further work needs to be put into it. There...

Seanad: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: Statements (15 May 2025)

Nicole Ryan: I welcome the Minister of State. It is lovely to see her in the Chamber. I am here today to honour the memory of the people we have lost to suicide, and to mention some of them. David and Hazel Byrne, aged 52 and 51, were found in their home in County Kerry. Milly Tuomey was a vibrant 11-year-old whose tragic loss shines a harsh light on the gaps in our child mental health services. Her...