Results 5,301-5,320 of 5,325 for speaker:Joe O'Reilly

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: So there will be a positive initiative there. I imagine that a number of Travellers could work as carers both within the Traveller community and elsewhere. There could be potential in that regard as there is a shortage of carers. All of the practising politicians in the room will say that the big problem is that one cannot get carers at the moment.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Travellers have a trading tradition.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: One can build on that. It is great that the initiative is broad and wide, and that it is happening at clerical officer level too. That is very encouraging. The people watching us talking here will be very heartened to hear that. Travellers are on the consultative forums and NTRIS, which is important. I ask Ms Baxter to expand on that in terms of numbers and how NTRIS will work.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: That is great news. That is excellent. I thank Ms Baxter for that and for the other information. I take her point that you need action rather than further talking shops. That point is well made. I have two quick little questions. The witnesses have said the Department does a biannual report. Would it not be better for that to be annual or even more often so that we, the taxpayers of...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Every year, people, including this committee, will be able to see where it is going.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: There is an element in which it is pioneering. There is an element of breaking new ground.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: It is good. The last thing I will raise is something my colleague is very strong on and brings up all the time. I refer to the question of heritage. On the heritage strategy, am I correct that it was said there will be a heritage week or that there is a heritage event coming up soon? Senator Noonan is very strong on the heritage and speaks about it a lot. He has dealt with it well....

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: There will be nothing equivalent to Culture Night. I am thinking about a week dedicated to celebrating that heritage with a number of events or whatever.

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Implementation of National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy II and Action Plan 2024-2026: Department of Children, Disability and Equality (18 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I am talking about something like the Culture Night concept. Something along those lines might be good. It is a very important element. I am a former teacher so I think education is central. However, the employment thing is huge. If this strategy achieved that and broke that glass ceiling, it would be extraordinary.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Nitrates Usage (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: We all support that.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Employment Rights (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank the Minister of State for coming in to represent the Minister, Deputy Burke, and I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this important matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Healy-Rae, said earlier that the last matter raised was timely and he was correct. I hope this matter is similarly timely and appropriate. The Government is in the process of preparing an action plan on...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Employment Rights (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I appreciate the line that the Government has progressively increased the rate of collective bargaining. To truly do that properly, we just need that three things that I set out: the legislation to support it; stronger protection for workers' representatives - it is very important that people are not disadvantaged in this sphere for seeking to represent their colleagues; and a clear right of...

Seanad: Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Statements (24 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: At the outset, I join in the welcome to Councillor Paddy Meade, who has just temporarily left us, and the member of the Carter family, who are a very distinguished family in terms of public service in this country. I welcome my good friend the Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, to the House. She certainly does not let the grass grow under her feet and will act on these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I thank Mr. Whyte for being here. As others have said, thanks are due to his team and to all of UNRWA's individual workers. The conditions they are working in are shocking. A lot of issues have already been covered so I will make a brief comment and then ask a question. As Mr. Whyte said himself, there are no words to describe this. It is beyond anything acceptable in terms of the human...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Like the Irish Famine.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: In the long term, the physical and mental development of kids and youngsters will be impacted.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Even the starvation will have implications, will it not, for their natural development?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I would be very afraid of that. I thank Mr. Whyte.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: I was at a different briefing on the situation in Gaza another day and the experts there were telling us that there was general anarchy now, that the whole - what might appear to be quasi-democratic - structures are completely broken, governance is broken down, there is anarchy in the streets and everywhere else, and all sorts of local people taking over control arbitrarily. What would Mr....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Engagement with UNRWA Deputy Director John Whyte (23 Sep 2025)

Joe O'Reilly: Yes.