Results 741-760 of 1,301 for speaker:Pauline O'Reilly

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Young Social Innovators: Discussion (28 Jun 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I thank the Chair. I would not normally ask to do this but we have an important issue in the Committee on Environment and Climate Action as well and I always feel like I am juggling these two committees and important topics. I have not been a teacher and I have come from a self-learning background. There are probably no fewer people now who cannot think for themselves than there were...

Seanad: Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I welcome the Minister of State. As a member of the Oireachtas joint committee I can say there was cross-party support from the Government and the Opposition sides to waive the pre-legislative scrutiny. There was no disagreement on it. I thank the Department for the helpful briefing for party spokespersons on education. Every effort has been made to bring people on board.Notwithstanding...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I thank the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, and her staff for engaging with me on this issue. As the Minister knows, I am very passionate about this issue. A number of years ago, my Green Party colleagues in Galway and I tried to get the local council's budget to set aside funding for advertisements on local radio to promote breastfeeding because in the media, breastfeeding cannot...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: The law group has always been very accommodating with briefings and providing legal expertise. Finally, I thank the Minister for bringing forward to her amendment and reiterate that today is a very important day for all of these groups.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I want to come in on the issue of infant formula because the Minister has taken on board my request to have it included here. It is important to point out that amendment No. 105 is particularly strong on that because it states it is a matter of public concern and a public health matter. I thank the Minister for that. It is certainly being very well received by advocacy groups. I know that...

Seanad: Gnó an tSeanaid - Business of Seanad (11 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I propose that, notwithstanding the order of the Seanad of 7 July, the proceedings on Report and Final Stages of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022 continue today until they have concluded.

Seanad: Report of the Joint Committee on Key Issues Affecting the Traveller Community: Motion (12 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I welcome all our guests. I thank everyone who came before the committee to share their insights. As I often say, when it comes to committees, we are not the experts. We are there to hear witnesses' expert testimony and to make recommendations on the basis of what really matters for their communities. I will say to everyone who came before us, and everyone who opened their homes on the...

Seanad: Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (13 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I thank the Senator for his amendment. I spoke at length on Second Stage of the Bill on all the resources that have been put in place. I do not suggest that everybody is satisfied with all of the wrap-around services, but there have been 300 extra classes in the last year, there will be more than 315 in the next academic year, and a quarter of the entire education budget will go towards...

Seanad: Animal Welfare: Motion (14 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: recalls that: - Ireland has signed and ratified the European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes (‘the Convention’); - the European Union has been promoting animal welfare for over forty years, gradually improving the welfare standards in respect of animals kept for farming purposes; - the...

Seanad: Animal Welfare: Motion (14 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I appreciate the comments from Senator Murphy. I will go back over and comment on the various points raised by Senators. I am sure the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, recognises it is important for the Green Party members to use every means we can to make sure the issue of fur farming is progressed because it was critical to us entering this Government. The Minister said he was not going to...

Seanad: Animal Welfare: Motion (14 Jul 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: With all due respect, the Acting Chairperson is meant to be neutral. I disagree on that point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I did not expect to be first, but I am willing to speak now. All members of the committee - from both Government and Opposition sides - are aware of the issues. Representatives from the CRU, EirGrid and the Department have appeared before the committee a number of times and have answered all our questions. They have been straightforward and upfront with us on all the issues over the past...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Energy Supply and Security: Discussion (30 Aug 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: Hydrogen had not been mentioned until Deputy Bruton contributed. That was an omission because it is critical. Now that we have the sectoral ceilings, 2 GW of offshore renewables are to go into hydrogen. This may have been mentioned but I did not catch it. When is the hydrogen strategy to be published? Is now the time to really invest in pilots around hydrogen? I note Mr. Foley's...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I thank the Minister and the officials who have joined us again so quickly after the last session. I have five points to make. First, while I agree it would be helpful to have an information service in relation to climate emissions, every party, bar one, was able to come out and state a position so we did have advice. The Climate Change Advisory Council came before the committee on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Sectoral Emissions Ceilings: Engagement with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (13 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I know but I hope that the Chair might let me slip in my query.

Seanad: Energy: Motion (14 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: The Minister is welcome. I thank the Fianna Fáil Senators for tabling this important motion. When it comes to energy, we need to do three things. One of the most important of those in some ways, and the most immediately important for the people of Ireland, is to deal with the issue of cost. We must be very clear with people that the cost of energy is not related to energy security....

Seanad: Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (15 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: The Minister is very welcome to the House. The antiquated Lunacy Regulation (Ireland) Act 1871 remains a reality in the lives of 3,000 adults in Ireland so we need to get this Bill over the line.I have heard very strongly from those stakeholder groups that have been looking forward to this day and to the day when it is signed into law. That is to do with those who are wards of court at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: I thank the witnesses. It is great to be in the room with such expertise. We will try to get everything we can out of them while they are here. I want to address the minimum wage and flexible working, which I will come back to, however, Deputy Carroll MacNeill raised the point about politics which I will tease out further. She chaired an excellent session at yesterday's Parliamentary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Sep 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: It is a very interesting point. The issue, perhaps, is to address it at the far end, as well as saying there is no flexible work, in order that we can have equal pay; we address both and do both.