Results 761-780 of 1,534 for speaker:Lorraine Clifford-Lee

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the 12 Senators who spoke this evening and I am glad that all of them indicated support for the Bill. I took on board what they said. They were valuable and useful contributions and all Senators have their own unique perspective on the issue. I thank them for giving such thought to their presentations. I wish to address some issues raised by Senator Moynihan, first, and to correct...

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Next Monday.

Seanad: Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021: Second Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Next Friday, 12 February at 10.30 a.m. in the Dáil Chamber.

Seanad: Mental Health and Covid-19: Statements (12 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Minister of State for attending. She has been here on a number of occasions. We all know that because of the pandemic, the issue of mental health is of vital importance to people. We are all experiencing shocking levels of mental health issues in our communities. With the stress of prolonged lockdowns, as well as the isolation and the hopelessness that many are feeling, people...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (Resumed) (19 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Leader for facilitating further debate because this is an important issue. Many Senators wanted to come in and talk about the issue. I thank the Minister for coming to hear us today. It is one month since this report was published and it has been very difficult reading. I could only read it in parts at a time and cannot even begin to comprehend how difficult it must have been...

Seanad: Student Nurses (Pay) Bill 2021: Second Stage (19 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I welcome the Minister. This is a very important debate. It is worth pointing out that the approximately 4,000 student nurses and midwives are female in the main. The value of work done by women has been historically undervalued and there is a gender pay gap, as we all know.This may be why there has been a reluctance for so long to deal with the issue of pay for student nurses. Ógra...

Seanad: Councillors' Pay: Motion (22 Feb 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I will briefly talk about aspects of this issue, which have not been covered by my colleagues. We all know the pressure councillors are under. It is an increasingly difficult job to do. I was glad to see a commitment to deliver on the Moorhead report included in the programme for Government. We all agree approximately €17,000 is not sufficient pay for someone doing the kind of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I congratulate the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley, the boards of management, principals, teachers and all the parents who successfully returned the first cohort of children to school this morning. There was a very happy little girl in our house today who literally skipped in the door to school. I appeal to everybody to be mindful of what we have achieved in getting our children back to school...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (1 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Minister for coming to the House and for his comprehensive explanation. I am glad I have the opportunity to speak on this very important legislation. It is a proportionate response to the threat we face. I am very happy with its sunset clause, which provides that the House will return in three months' time to debate whether to continue its provisions. It will depend on what...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I will make a brief contribution. I do not wish to delay the debate on the legislation as we have a lot of work to get through. I believe it is disingenuous of some Members to point the finger at the Government for changing its position. This virus has been changing and evolving over the past 12 months. Positions change when the facts change. We have been moving rapidly and have done a...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I do not mean to offend but I do feel that-----

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (1 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I am not personalising the debate. I believe that the Opposition are being completely negligent in trying to say that we are personalising the debate and that we are trying to throw angry language and anxiety-inducing statements into the debate. We need to be responsible. People are anxious enough at the moment. We are putting in place very important legislation. Taking potshots at the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The Irish Language and the New Decade New Approach Agreement: Conradh na Gaeilge (2 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Go raibh maith agat. Forgive me for coming in at the last moment. I am not a member of the committee but I am very interested in this subject. I thank the witnesses for their very interesting contributions. It is incumbent on all of us to work together to make sure Conradh na Gaeilge gets that meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. We see people from different cultural...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Covid-19 Health Related Issues: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Ministers of State for their valuable contributions. I have a brief question on third level education. The Minister outlined the projected vaccination schedule for the country. If that schedule goes according to the current plan will third level students be returning to the classrooms next September?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Covid-19 Health Related Issues: Update (2 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I thank the Minister for that information. There has been a major focus on getting primary school children, the leaving certificate classes and the other second level students back to education but we should focus then on getting the third level students back into the classroom. I am aware that prolonged absences from the classroom have affected their mental health but also their education....

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I will be super quick because I want to give my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, a very good period to discuss this very important topic. I am also delighted that the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, is also here. I want to touch on two very important issues that I am very passionate about. One is the free contraception...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Jobs for the boys.

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Like everybody else, I am eagerly awaiting tomorrow's announcement. It will be a difficult day because many people are expecting changes and feel we deserve such changes in light of the enormous efforts they have made. Many people understand that we are at a very crucial stage in the life cycle of the virus. The Minister has reaffirmed the need to hold firm for another few weeks. I am...

Seanad: Covid-19 Vaccination Programme: Statements (29 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: Excuse me. I am sorry but I have never seen-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Operation of the Medical Card Scheme: Discussion (30 Mar 2021)

Lorraine Clifford-Lee: I have a quick question on application processing capacity in the Irish language. Are there many people who can process applications and any follow-ups in Irish for Irish speakers?