Results 1,141-1,160 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ukraine War (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome the announcement that the Government has reversed the decision in Killarney. It was a very welcome development that, once it was drawn to the attention of Government, it operated in a very humane and quick way. It is regrettable it got to that stage. However, I very much appreciate and welcome that this morning. When we began welcoming and supporting the families fleeing Ukraine...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Ukraine War (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I acknowledge the exceptional welcome and generous actions by Irish people. An issue arose in Killarney because the accommodation was continuing but with replacement people which created a curious and unnecessary situation. If there is a family who have completed their six-month pledge of accommodation and genuinely do not want to renew then that is fine but people will need to be relocated...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Yesterday on the Joe Duffy show, a woman rang in to say she was seven months pregnant and went to a well-known department store to use a toilet. She was initially told that she could, and then a supervisor came along and said she had to have a medical letter to justify having access to the toilets in the department store. She had to leave the facilities, at seven months pregnant. She felt...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I want to begin by honouring the Smith family and thanking them for their tireless work. I hope that Baby Stephen is the first to be registered. I believe that should happen. He can lead the way for so many other babies who need to be recognised. I am thankful to the Leader for allowing me to be a co-sponsor of the Bill. A certificate of life is an extremely important thing for people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I apologise for my change of plans. I felt that this was too important to miss and because I was scheduled to speak first, I decided that I could put aside my personal matter. My points are mainly for MHR because I want to focus on the Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Bill 2022, which is currently on Committee Stage in the Seanad. In the context of preparing for Committee...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: In summary, I support the point that reform of the Mental Health Act is beyond urgent.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) (Certificate of Life) Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: It is my great honour to second this Bill and commend it to the House. I am very grateful to hear from the Leader that the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is supportive of the Bill. I thank the Minister of State for being here today. I thank the Leader for bringing this forward and for being so tenacious as a Minister and also as a Leader, and for inviting me to be part of it. To Stephen, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Considering a Rights-Based Approach to Disability in Mental Health: Discussion (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: As a committee and as individual Members of the Oireachtas we need to keep raising this and pressing the point home. I thank Ms Grogan for all of her work. It is fantastic.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I have huge respect for the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, so what I am going to say is not directed at him personally. More than 100,000 people in this country own apartments that have defects. A question on how that will be addressed deserved to be answered by the senior Minister in the Department who has control of the timeline here. I am somewhat disappointed that he is not here to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister of State. I know all three Ministers are working hard. I do not doubt that but I hear words such as "they are developing a plan", "will look at an options paper for Government" and "will have an advisory group on regulations". I hear the language of long-time delay. That is a delay with real-life consequences for the people who are living in these homes. I also heard...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I accept that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the witnesses for their opening statements. I received emails in the past 48 hours about relevant answers to parliamentary questions but I have not read them yet. I was always of the understanding that we would ratify the optional protocol as soon as the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act, its amendments and the DSS were fully established. I understood there would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Chair. Given that we have a representative of the Mental Health Commission here, its recent report shows that when it comes to the use of restraint and people being secluded in the past year, the findings are very stark with a rate of 6% and seclusion periods of anything between three minutes and - to wait for it - 8,759 hours in one whole year that an individual has been...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Mr. Clyne and I thank the Chair for indulging me. I am 100% behind the ratification of the optional protocol urgently but my concern is there is a danger that it is not quite the white knight that people may consider it to be unless it is influencing judicial determinations and every aspect and that everybody understands it and makes a huge paradigm shift as to the rights of persons...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: UNCRPD and the Optional Protocol: Discussion (10 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Apologies Chair, I am not in the committee room as I am taking precautions around health. Is there time for me to ask a clarifying question?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I have three matters to address briefly. The first relates to the Iveagh Markets. For the past two years, I have been dealing with representatives of the Iveagh family in discussing the dreadful situation of the Iveagh Markets, such a beautiful heritage and gift to the city and people of Dublin, being allowed to fall into dereliction. Between Dublin City Council and a particular developer,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Energy Conservation (17 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister of State. I will make a comment before we move on to the next Commencement matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Feighan, is a great colleague whom I very much value as a parliamentarian. However, there is trend of responses being given by Ministers who are not from the Departments to which the Commencement matters are addressed. With due respect, the Minister of...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Heritage Centres (17 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome our visitors to the Gallery. They are very welcome to the Seanad.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I begin by expressing my condolences to Bridget Doody on my behalf and on behalf of my Fine Gael colleagues. I wish to raise two matters. On the day that I signed the roll for the Seanad, the Clerk of the Seanad gave me a copy of Bunreacht na hÉireann. Since then, I have been given a copy of the Standing Orders. That is to deal with the constitutional role of the Seanad and the role...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Nov 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: When we ask a question and we need an answer to a Commencement matter from a Minister, it is reasonable to expect that the Minister is able to engage with the subject matter. I am not sure where the fault lies. I am not sure whether it is in Government, putting Ministers on a rota or whether it is within the Cathaoirleach's office in accepting who is being put forward. It needs to end. We...