Results 81-100 of 158 for speaker:Patricia Stephenson

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Uisce Éireann: Future Work Programme (28 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: The EPA wants to double-check-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Uisce Éireann: Future Work Programme (28 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: An agreement from the EPA would be where-----

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Uisce Éireann: Future Work Programme (28 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: This is my final question. Deputy Tóibín touched around environmental resiliency in terms of climate, water supply during warmer weather and things like that. I would love to hear a bit more about that. It is one of those issues where people always say, "No hosepipe ban in Ireland". We always hear that remark. What are the challenges around that? What can be done to make it...

Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery: Uisce Éireann: Future Work Programme (28 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Mr. Laffey is talking about the treatment plant having a higher standard of wastewater coming out of it. Is that the only mitigation or are there other mitigations that could be put in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (27 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and look forward to working with him. I think I share the sentiments of the majority of speakers. I am from the North, so I am glad to see there are a number of us representing the North on this committee. I am a child of the Good Friday Agreement, so it is a personal honour for me to be on this committee. I look forward to working with all members. There...

Seanad: European Council Decision: Motion (10 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: This is the first time I have had a chance to have a discussion with the Minister of State in the Chamber. I welcome him to the House. We are being asked to consider whether to support the entrance of Ireland's negotiation to the Council decision on the readmission agreement with Kazakhstan. I recognise the important role readmission agreements play when it comes to the overall migration...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I support Senator O’Loughlin’s contribution on the condemnation of Hungary Pride. It would be fantastic to have a debate on this issue. I have already raised it at the Council of Europe and will continue to do so. It is a big issue. I ask for a discussion on further action that we can take regarding Gaza, and particularly what the Minister could do to work with member...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am down to share time. The others might turn up while I am speaking.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Thank you. When the State brought forward a scheme that focused on managing legal liability rather than the human rights needs of survivors, we had limits, delays and exclusions. It forced survivors to prove themselves again, to plead and to be retraumatised. This Government has had multiple opportunities to do the right thing regarding survivors, and every time it seems to choose the...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I support Senator Flynn's Bill. I know she has been working on it for a long time. It is a really important issue that brings us in line with things like the Luxembourg guidelines. Obviously, words matter. The power of words in legislation reflects our society, which is why the change she is introducing is so important. It is long overdue. It confronts language that we have tolerated...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: This amendment inserts new section 33A to address a critical gap in offender monitoring. Without the provision, individuals currently subject to notification requirements under the Sex Offenders Act might challenge their obligations on technical grounds when terminology changes. This amendment ensures continuous monitoring of all registered offenders without interruption, maintaining public...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I acknowledge the Minister of State's comment that there are legal drafting concerns rather than constitutional issues, which is welcome. I wish to reinforce the following: amendment No. 24 maintains exiting monitoring requirements under updated terminology. There is not an added cost in respect of enforcement agencies or the State. The amendment prevents offenders from seeking relief on...

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the committee for inviting us here as members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, as there is great interest in this issue there. I will be quick and will not use up even two minutes. There are obviously deep contradictions between the CSDDD and the omnibus. It is concerning. Everything is theoretical because right now, we do not have the transposition of the CSDDD,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: It is better than Stephanie. I get Stephanie a lot. The rise in hate speech in recent years both online and offline is very real, measurable and corrosive and causes great harm to those who fall victim to it. In 2022 alone the Garda reported a 29% increase in hate speech and hate-related incidents. Marginalised communities, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the witnesses for their introductory comments. Given that countries in the global south are pushing for this UN debt mechanism, what are the kinds of impacts that the witnesses foresee more broadly around multilateralism if that were not achieved in terms of the existing relationships we have on a global scale and how reliant we are on the multilateral system to be effective? Some...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Will the representatives briefly discuss the issue of the importance of funding going into a country, but also the specific impact funding cuts are going to have on local organisations? Ms McKenna spoke about women's organisations. How will those cuts impact them and perhaps lead to their eventual disappearance or eradication? Deputy Brennan talked a little about funding going to NGOs as...

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I will share time if the other Senator makes it in time. I thank the Minister. Grace was failed over and over again by the State. The people who were supposed to protect Grace failed her. The whistleblowers who came forward time and again were also failed. While we hope that Grace is now living a better life, the failure of the State has not ended with her experience in foster care....

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: You are welcome. We need comprehensive safeguarding legislation and we need to allow State bodies to conduct unannounced inspections, obtain court orders to enter and remove individuals where necessary, receive and act on reports of abuse and advocate for the rights of adults at risk, among a range of measures. We need mandatory reporting, much like we have with the child safeguarding...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Directives (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I welcome the Minister of State. I think this is the second time he has come in for a Commencement matter for me and I really appreciate his continued engagement on international development. I have asked him to come to the Chamber today to address the deeply concerning developments regarding the EU corporate sustainability due diligence directive, which I will refer to as CSDDD. It is a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Directives (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am grateful to the Minister of State for his commitment to those four areas and putting it on the record. I recognise what he says about simplification not being a race to the bottom and it is not about deregulation. We met Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment officials yesterday at the enterprise committee and had a good engagement with them there. I was concerned with...