Results 9,201-9,220 of 11,817 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We are continuing to recognise the value of marriage and its special position. In the context of the changes we are making, the State will continually be able to make a distinction between families based on marriage and other families.

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: It is separate. It is a recognition of marriage as an institution and what we are looking-----

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: What we are seeking to do is to ensure that those families based on marriage continue to have recognition in our Constitution, but we are looking to broaden it out to include other types of families as well. These are families we know and see in our everyday lives.

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: We want to ensure that they make continue to receive the protection of our Constitution. I believe that this is something-----

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I beg to differ. It is an important step to give that valid and important constitutional recognition to the tens of thousands of people who are in committed relationships outside of marriage. We have the opportunity to make that change. Our Supreme Court is not going to make the change. We, as legislators, are putting that change to the people on 8 March and we have this opportunity to...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I am pleased to present the Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023 to the House this evening. I thank those who will participate in today’s debate for their continued interest in this significant proposition, which will give the Irish people the opportunity to vote at last on removing the outdated language related to the woman’s role in the home from our...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Acting Chairperson and I also thank Senators for the detailed consideration that they have given the proposals set out in the Bill. The issues we are discussing here are not new. The need, as articulated by many, to amend Article 41.2 to remove the archaic language from that provision, has been discussed in many fora in Ireland through constitutional reviews and citizens'...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their amendments and for their detailed contributions this afternoon. The majority of the amendments put forward relate to the section of the Bill that deals with the proposals in Article 41.1.1° of the Constitution. I will restate the amendment being proposed by the Government: "The State recognises the Family, whether founded on marriage or on other durable...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: With respect, they are. The inclusion of the term "durable relationships" builds in a consistent way on those current guardrails. Rather than taking the approach of solely deleting the words on which the family is founded from Article 41.3.1° or using a formulation of "including but not limited to", the approach further reinforces that concept of the family as a fundamental unit group...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Respectfully, we disagree with that approach. Importantly, the second element of the Senator's proposal is the restriction of the term "durable relationships" to one that only arises between two people. We have a real concern with that in the situation where there is a one-parent family with more than one child or there is a cohabiting couple with children. We have always been clear that...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: That would fundamentally undermine efforts to protect families where there is a parent and two children

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I want to speak on the point about the special protection of marriage, one that remains constitutionally recognised if this amendment is passed. That special protection remains there. It remains the basis for the State to make distinctions in the areas of inheritance and taxation. I would like to quote from what the Chief Justice said yesterday.

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I have listened patiently to the Senator and to everybody else and I would expect the same courtesy in return. The Chief Justice stated yesterday "It seems clear that it is not constitutionally impermissible to distinguish per sebetween marriage and a long-term relationship, not least because the Constitution makes that distinction itself." Contrary to what Senator Mullen said, marriage is...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Senators for their amendments and for their detailed consideration of the Bill before them today. Before I start, I would like to follow on from comments made by Senator Seery Kearney in terms of recognising Selina Bonnie. She was a colleague of mine and I regularly received a little text every now and then, usually prodding me on where the assisted human reproduction Bill was...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Senator Seery Kearney was right about what we are trying to achieve in each budgetary cycle. I think back to when we are looking to achieve improvements for care, and care is so fundamental to so many of the elements of my Department, in budget 2023 I wanted to do something on the foster care allowance but when we looked at it we did not have the money to go round that year. However, in...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Ukraine War (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: As part of my Department’s contractual arrangements with Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection (BOTP) accommodation providers, a number of requirements must be met in terms of service provision. This includes delivery of key services: laundry, meals in serviced accommodation and cooking facilities in self-catering accommodation, and compliance with all obligations in relation to health...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 503 and 504 together. Ireland is now accommodating almost 101,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection applicants (IPAs). This includes nearly 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and almost 26,000 IPAs currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) accommodation. All...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Since the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, my Department continues to work as part of the whole-of-Government response with a focus on providing access to emergency temporary accommodation to those fleeing the conflict who request it. To date, over 100,000 beneficiaries of temporary protection (BOTPs) have arrived in Ireland and approximately 75,000 of those have been...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I propose to take Questions Nos. 509, 510 and 511 together. Ireland is currently accommodating more than 100,000 people between those fleeing Ukraine and International Protection (IP) applicants. This includes almost 75,000 Ukrainian people who have sought accommodation from the State and over 26,000 IP applicants currently in International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS)...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: Please see below in tabular format, the number of officials by grade in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who are assigned to sourcing accommodation for international protection (IP) applicants. Section Total Management Board Principal Officer Assistant Principal Officer Higher Executive Officer ...