Results 41-53 of 53 for speaker:Patricia Stephenson

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

Patricia Stephenson: This week we will celebrate May Day and, as we all know, 1 May is International Workers' Day. In this context, the recent decision by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and the Government to row back on the commitment to a living wage for all workers is particularly disappointing. This is not just a policy shift but a real message to workers that they do not matter to this Government. A...

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

Patricia Stephenson: I am very happy that this Bill has come forward. I am delighted Fianna Fáil introduced it. I support the intention and essence of the Bill. As Senator Nelson Murray said, it would be fantastic to see it extended to hospitality workers. There are lots of data available to us. For example, a study from Galway indicated that 76% of hospitality workers experienced verbal abuse, 64%...

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

Patricia Stephenson: I certainly echo a lot of what Senator Cosgrove has said. Youth diversion from crime is fundamentally about prevention and addressing the root causes. I spoke earlier in the Chamber about root causes that can lead young people into criminality. We have to look at the root causes of any issue to actually solve it. Often these root causes are poverty, marginalisation, addiction, social...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today. A few weeks ago, during a discussion on women's health in this Chamber, I spoke about women not being believed in the healthcare system. Following that, I received hundreds of messages from women speaking about their own experiences of medical gaslighting. Reading those experiences that women chose to openly share on social media...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Women in Ireland deserve better. They deserve to be heard. In addition, they deserve to be believed and treated with dignity in the healthcare system. That is not happening right now.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I appreciate all of the different actions and steps and I know that women’s health is coming along in Ireland. I have questions around things like gender sensitivity training. Are all staff receiving that in the new systems and units that we are opening up? Will there be a subsequent plan? This might not be something the Minister of State can answer today but the Minister for...

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am sharing time with Senator Harmon.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Robert Schuman laid the foundations of a Europe built not on war but on cooperation and multilateralism. His vision was clear, that by sharing resources nations could ensure peace and prosperity for generations, which I acknowledge has been said by the Minister of State already.On Europe Day, while we celebrate the values of peace, unity and democracy that underpin the European Union, we...

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: No. Let me finish. I am on my time. That is the move we are seeing in Europe.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I have spoken about this before. If we lead and if we get engaged in militarisation, we will be losing our credibility around peace. Ireland has such a profound role to play as a leader in peace, whether that is in Gaza or in Ukraine or whatever conflict we do not know is coming. We have had comments from Ministers - not in this Government but in the previous...

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

Patricia Stephenson: Last weekend, Dr. Mike Ryan of the WHO said that if you are not angry, you are not paying attention; if you are not doing something about it, you are complicit in genocide. Last weekend, the Tánaiste said that the world is not doing enough. We have known that the world is not doing enough for the past 20 months and for many years before that. I welcome the well-intentioned and sincere...

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

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. It is great to hear how willing he is to have a meaningful debate and discussion on the Bill. I thank Senator Ruane and her team for bringing it forward. I will echo a lot of the words that we have already heard today around what justice and democracy are and how, to have a democratic society, we must have fair justice. A major part of a...

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

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. We are all aware of the mental health crisis we are seeing. The second annual survey by Aware in 2024 indicated that little has changed in the past year, with more than half of respondents reporting depression and four in every ten respondents experiencing anxiety.The one in four adults living with a chronic illness are most likely to experience...