Results 41-55 of 55 for "direct provision" speaker:Martin Conway

Seanad: Direct Provision: Motion (27 Jan 2016)

Martin Conway: ...allowed to demonstrate their talents, contribute to society, build our economy, be part of our future, help us to carve it out and sculpt how this country sees itself in future. There is talent in the direct provision centres. I have visited a number of them with my good friend Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh who has excelled himself on this issue and who often makes some of us...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 May 2024)

Martin Conway: ...remain in this country. We need a strategy for people who have come here, who have sought refugee status and been granted it, and who are willing, able and want to work. Some of them cannot leave direct provision centres because they cannot find alternative accommodation. Some of them have no car to get to work. These people could make a huge contribution to our construction and...

Seanad: International Protection (Family Unification) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (7 Mar 2018)

Martin Conway: ...State would like to be able to do a whole lot more but there is only so much that can be done. There are constraints and challenges. In my own community in north Clare, the Department will open a direct provision centre in Lisdoonvarna. Even in a small community such as Lisdoonvarna which is very welcoming of people, there is fear of the unknown. We all face challenges. We all have to...

Seanad: European Council Decisions: Motions (1 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: ...and what should be the response. Two years ago we would not have envisaged this situation. We have been accepting people into this country for many years. Currently, there are 4,000 people in the direct provision system, which can only be described as inhumane. Calls for change have been made since the start of this Oireachtas. With Senator Ó Clochartaigh and others, I have called...

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Martin Conway: ...and the light that has been shone into this part of our society, coupled with the appointment of a new Minister of State, matters are coming together and change will take place. I personally believe the direct provision centres should be closed. When I visited one such centre in Galway, officials from the Reception and Integration Agency, RIA, were present and to state they were defensive...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: ...comment on a briefing held in the audiovisual room about the community sponsorship Ireland refugee programme. I encourage all Members to reach out to their various communities, including refugees, direct provision centres, and asylum seekers. This programme aims to engage, protect, empower and create a more inclusive community, and ensure that our communities can benefit from people who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2021)

Martin Conway: ...living in a pandemic. The booster programme is going very well but I am quite concerned about those who got the Janssen vaccine. It was a single-dose vaccine. A lot of people who got it are in direct provision, are members of the Travelling community or are homeless. They are the most vulnerable in our society. An extra effort needs to be made to ensure that those people get their...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2015)

Martin Conway: ...country. We have saved the lives of 1,000 people. Let us now give them a life and welcome some of them to our shores. However, before we do that we need to get our house in order when it comes to direct provision, because that is something we should be ashamed of. Certainly, we could not be proud of it. I agree with my colleague on the other side, Senator Byrne, in terms of IBRC. We...

Seanad: Asylum Support Services: Motion (23 Oct 2013)

Martin Conway: .... Unfortunately, Ireland was probably caught with its eyes closed to this problem in the mid-1990s when asylum seekers travelled here for a better life and to escape torture and so on. The direct provision system that was put in place was the wrong answer to the problem but given many people were migrating here back then and Ireland was not prepared and did not have a structure, this was...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Martin Conway: ...Stage where their concerns can be addressed. This is an example of where the Seanad can make a difference. The Seanad has proven itself to be a formidable force in many areas, one such area being direct provision, which Senators Ó Clochartaigh, van Turnhout and others, including myself, have been battling for some time to have addressed. I note a report on that matter has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Report of the Expert Group on Traveller Accommodation: Discussion (5 Dec 2019)

Martin Conway: ...with this issue but Traveller accommodation is probably the poorest relation when it comes to accommodation in general. I know there is a regular debate on the issue of asylum seekers and direct provision centres and while there are many challenges there, the single biggest challenge this country has is to provide appropriate and proper accommodation to Travellers because over the years,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: ...him, I have found to be an absolute gentleman. What happened to his car was an absolute disgrace and it has been, rightly, condemned by everybody. There is a problem though in that four proposed direct provision centres have not gone ahead. We have an international obligation to provide accommodation for people who come to this country seeking our protection. I want to see the...

Seanad: Protection of the Public Interest from Tobacco Lobbying Bill 2013: Second Stage (18 Dec 2013)

Martin Conway: ...illegal. I buy into the principle of a smoke-free Ireland by 2025. I have suggested to colleagues that the Seanad should set up an all-party committee to consider ways to reduce smoking, similar to the direct provision committee set up by Senators Ó Clochartaigh and van Turnhout and others. The House's passion will inform and assist the Minister in his campaign. Perhaps people are...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Second Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Martin Conway: ...to dealing with this issue.At that stage the Government reaffirmed in a very real way its commitment to dealing with this issue. I hope no one in this society would defend the current system of direct provision where people are within a structure or system for up to nine or ten years. Often, the reason is that people are appealing decisions that do not grant them permission to stay....

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Martin Conway: ...to support it. It is the right thing to do. This House has a tradition of coming together when something is the right thing to do. In the previous Seanad there were motions on important issues like direct provision and I am glad we are coming together to support this motion and send a clear message to Government that this is an issue about which Seanad Éireann cares and in support...