Results 1,321-1,340 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I want to raise the issue of migration and ask for a debate on the migration crisis across Europe. During the summer, I was part of a delegation from the Council of Europe that attended SOS children's camps in Athens. We saw the wonderful work that is going on there but we were conscious that the children who had accessed these camps were the lucky ones and a small minority. It is shocking...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Palestinian Refugees in the Near East and Demolition of Khan al-Ahmar: Discussion (20 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I thank the witnesses for their presentation. It is important to realise the valuable and courageous work on Palestine that the EAPPI carries out and the major difference that it is making by reporting to and telling the world what is happening. Sinn Féin is acutely aware of the urgent situation facing the residents of Khan al-Ahmar. It is clear that the destruction of the village...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Palestinian Refugees in the Near East and Demolition of Khan al-Ahmar: Discussion (20 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I will move on to the issue of UNRWA funding. We are conscious of the 5 million Palestinian refugees that it supports. The USA's decision was disgraceful. The witnesses have outlined clearly how drastically the cuts will affect the communities with which they work. We support the EAPPI's call for Ireland and the EU to increase their funding to UNRWA. We will raise this issue with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Palestinian Refugees in the Near East and Demolition of Khan al-Ahmar: Discussion (20 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I will make one point before I finish relating to Ms O'Connor's contribution and the importance of visits. I visited Ramallah two years ago and one can see the daily reality of the oppression of the Palestinian people and apartheid in practice, along with its devastating consequences. It changes observers forever. I am thinking of Deputy Collins's comments about his visit. It is so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (25 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I thank the witnesses for their presentation. The figure of 450 children with special needs waiting for school transport is shocking. That speaks to a failure of the system. I take on board the point that Mr. Dolan made that a number of applications came in after 1 September 2018. Even so, we are nearly a month into the school year. We have come across one case in County Tipperary of a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (25 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: That is a first.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Sep 2018)

Paul Gavan: I wish our comrades in the Abortion Rights Campaign well for their march on Saturday. To restate Sinn Féin's position, we believe in full abortion rights in both the South and the North. We will make that point clearly as part of the march on Saturday. We need equality and choice throughout this island. I raise the issue of adult literacy. I have met the National Adult Literacy...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Consumer Protection (Amendment) Bill 2017: Discussion (2 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I commend Deputy Collins on this worthwhile Bill which has been on the agenda for a number of years. Unfortunately, all of us have had bad experiences with vouchers at some stage. This committee has always worked very constructively, with a very strong lead from the Chair, on any matters that have come before it. This is the third matter. We have previously had Deputy Quinlivan's Bill...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I commend the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on organising the Raise the Roof protest today. I think it will be a momentous protest and I am looking forward to taking part in it. I acknowledge the fact that all of us on the left are co-operating today. Sinn Féin, which is the leading party on the left, the Labour Party, the Green Party, the Social Democrats and Independents on the...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister of State. I commend Senator Bacik and my Labour Party colleagues again on this worthwhile Bill.

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: Sinn Féin supports the Bill and we will not do anything to jeopardise-----

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I formally second the amendment of my colleague Senator Devine. We support this Bill fully and we will do nothing to jeopardise its passing tonight, as I assured the House earlier. I will say this to the Minister of State. As I think he indicated earlier, he does not intend to oppose this Bill. I hope that is still the case. If it is, I ask him to consider not opposing our amendment...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap) Information Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (3 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: The Minister of State does not object?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Equine Identification Scheme (4 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister of State. He will be aware that my colleague, Deputy Quinlivan, recently submitted a parliamentary question asking how many prosecutions since January 2013 for the failure of owners to microchip their horses had taken place. We submitted that question after a meeting with Action for Animal Welfare Ireland, AAWI, which, the Minister of State may know, is holding a...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Equine Identification Scheme (4 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I appreciate that he did not just work through the script because, with no disrespect to the civil servant who drafted it, it does not address the issue raised. I accept the Minister of State's bona fides but, with no disrespect, the Department is not policing the system effectively. According to Action for Animal Welfare Ireland, there are...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Equine Identification Scheme (4 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: I will submit a further Commencement matter in a few months, if I may.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2018)

Paul Gavan: Not for the first time I want to raise the issue of Palestine. I was lucky enough to attend a meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence to hear a presentation by the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, EAPPI. The programme was founded in response to a call made by the heads of churches in Jerusalem. Since 2002, more than 1,500...