Results 101-120 of 158 for speaker:Patricia Stephenson

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I will borrow some time from Senator Cosgrove, as she is not in the Chamber. She had a previous engagement.

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: We have heard phrases like "confusion", "uncertainty", "doubt", "ambiguity", "chaos" and "mess" used in the past week to describe the new rental regulations. When these words are used to describe new regulations, we know the Government is not doing its job. The Government has failed renters for too many years. While we in the Social Democrats support the expansion of rent pressure zones in...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I move amendment No. 6: In page 7, line 18, after “2002,” to insert “such a service to be provided by professionals with expertise in institutional abuse and forced family separation,”. This amendment focuses on the quality of professional support that survivors receive, recognising their specific needs and the professional experience counselling providers...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I want to read the text of the amendment into the record myself, which is Senator Boyhan's recommendation for amendments that are ruled out of order. I recognise that there is a potential cost on the Exchequer regarding the HAA card rather than the enhanced medical card that is provided to survivors. I would like to speak about the experience of many survivors when they access services...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I move amendment No 15: In page 8, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(2) Where a survivor living abroad receives the once off health support payment, it shall not count as income for the purposes of means tested benefits or entitlements in the country where the survivor resides.”. This amendment relates to the many survivors who, as Senator Boyhan...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I appreciate that the wording of the amendment would tie the Minister to obligations that are outside her remit. Before Report Stage, will she look at finding a wording that would hold the Department to a commitment to ongoing dialogue with neighbouring states, in recognition of the large number of Irish citizens, as Senator Boyhan described so eloquently, who were forced to flee there...

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I also thank the committee for inviting members of the foreign affairs committee to join the meeting. It is important to highlight that no assessment was done on the impact of the omnibus on the CSRD and the CSDDD at European level. A complaint has been filed and an inquiry is under way into the fact there has been no impact assessment. It was noted that...

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I do-----

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I do think that the CSDDD puts a ceiling on that. Sorry, we are running out of time. The term "plausible information" is a highly problematic legal concept that is not defined under EU law. That then puts the burden on NGOs and civil society stakeholders to identify those challenges within the supply chain, so "plausible information" is not really substantive enough.

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Going back to the earlier point, Mr. Forde said Ireland is in favour of an EU-wide civil liability regime.

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I feel that not having that EU-backed liability scheme, which the omnibus in its process removes, would actually lead to enforcement of fragmentation. That would be my perspective on it. I will not take up too much of the witnesses' time. I agree with a lot of people that we have not had a huge amount of time to scrutinise and discuss this. I am delighted to have been invited as a member...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (24 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am a bit out of breath as I was running all over the place trying to get from committees. I am very concerned about the continued renewal of this Act without any reforms. I understand the historical debates we have had, as I looked through the records. The question of reform is something that is discussed annually. The provisions introduced in the wake of the Omagh bombing were always...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Senator Clonan took some of the words - not all of words - out of my mouth in his contribution regarding the overreach of the US Administration in the context of US visas. It is deeply concerning. I am sure most of us will know students who have gone on the J1 visa and have gone to travel, or indeed we may hope to travel ourselves, to the United States and now are fearful that they and we...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Can I confirm that, in procedural terms, I should just speak about the amendment we are dealing with?

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I acknowledge Mary, Mary and Mary - I was going to call them the three Marys - in the Gallery. I hear what the Minister is saying about it just being a procedural aspect. We hear all the time from survivors that the schemes are inaccessible, difficult to understand, difficult to access and bureaucratic. I have a challenge with the idea that if no one has...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I speak in support of both of the amendments Senator Boyhan has tabled, especially about the report on the role of Sage Advocacy. I tabled an amendment that has been ruled out of order, which relates to this amendment. It called for the establishment of a survivor support and advisory office within the Department. I suspect it has been ruled out of order because of the cost implication,...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I fully support Senator Ruane's comments, particularly on the use of waivers. Last week, Senator Ruane and Senator Higgins spoke quite clearly when they discussed the human rights aspect of waivers. When we ask people to sign waivers for redress, we are basically saying they have no other recourse for justice within that and that is not the way we should be doing justice in Ireland. When...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: May I comment, a Leas-Chathaoirligh?

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report Stage (25 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Amendment No. 8, which is in my name, is grouped with amendment No. 6. I was not sure how the discussion was being taken.