Results 1,421-1,440 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: That is a really good point. We want employers to be tech-ready as well, but I agree. I am a barrister who practises in employment law, so I am very familiar with the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. In changes that have come about in the amalgamation under the Workplace Relations Commission, it holds the remit for the refusal of services to persons with a disability and the right of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I apologise for cutting across Dr. Hartney but the Central Statistics Office reports of this week show that people know how to give the politically correct answer when surveyed on their attitudes to disability, but when done anonymously, there is a great disparity in regard to actual inclusive thinking. This goes back to the point about the plastic bag tax. Sometimes it is not until people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Yes, generally, the relationship will have broken down. I have been on both sides of the table, defending employers as well as taking cases on behalf of employees. Sometimes that engagement is facilitated by employers and they hit the intransigence of only one answer and cannot meet that. To be fair, many well-intentioned employers fall foul of the legislation not through their own...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: If the Cathaoirleach will indulge me, I have a brief question relating to that point. With the reasonable accommodation fund, disability benefits and invalidity pensions, when the Minister of State with responsibly for disabilities came into the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, the budget that came with her outnumbered the rest of the budget for that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I do not doubt that. There is no inference except that he has a very heavy workload.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: That is very wise. I thank Dr. Hartney.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: A Rights-Based Approach and Disability Legislation: National Disability Authority (20 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: My apologies but I have to leave to attend a meeting of the housing committee. I thank the witnesses and will engage with them on other matters.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the witnesses for coming before the committee today. I want to acknowledge that Dr. Shannon is a very much respected person in our State. He is now a member of the Judiciary, having been a children's ombudsman, practising solicitor and noted author on a lot of child protection matters and children in this country. The report he produced has been published and there has been a...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: And in due course it will be here, or will have the opportunity to be here, and I am sure at that stage it can correct me.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Chair and I appreciate it. I also note that, in the recommendations, one of the particular findings was that St. John Ambulance should be honest about how its structures facilitated grooming and predatory behaviour. It has outlined all of the steps it will take to make sure this is not the case in future. The report found St. John Ambulance lacked professionalism in some...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I appreciate that and I hear the Cathaoirleach, but with due respect, this is about how Tusla made its decisions.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I appreciate that. I will not allude to it again.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I am curious about how there can be several allegations about divisions of an organisation and other behaviours. What exactly triggers a view that Tusla is able to come before the committee and say it did not see anything that was systemic abuse? I am curious as to what is the threshold for systemic abuse. What is the arbiter of this that triggers some sort of engagement? In other areas...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the delegation for their answers. It defies belief that any organisation or individual engaging with children at this moment would not have a culture of child protection first and foremost. I am shocked that we need to discuss this matter in terms of any organisations in existence since the 1980s. It is mind-blowing that organisations would not go to such a place. Great...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: Here we have a nationally-known organisation-----

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: -----none of us have watched, that is not funded. There are many other organisations of that size or private entities that are not funded.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: A remarkable change in health and safety happened when directors of companies found themselves down in the Criminal Courts of Justice being prosecuted. That sharpened the mind with regard to responsibilities. I would dearly like to see that.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Possible Enhancement of Child Protection Powers of Tusla: Discussion (25 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: It is perfectly analogous.

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motion (26 Apr 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I speak on behalf of the Fine Gael party when I express my support for this in its entirety. I thank the Minister of State for bringing it before the House today. Apropos of the points made by Senator Higgins, Ireland is very much aware of the rights of those seeking asylum and operates thoroughly and comprehensively to vindicate to those rights. If further measures are needed to ensure...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Cash-for-Gold Outlets (3 May 2023)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Cathaoirleach for picking this matter. The Minister of State, Deputy Browne, is very welcome. Cash-for-gold are outlets where an individual can go in, present gold for sale, get it valued and get the cash there and then. There is no question asked of the bona fides of the person who is selling, and where they got the gold from. I appreciate there has been a huge fall in...