Results 161-180 of 257 for speaker:Keira Keogh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Keira Keogh: Dr. Scanlon's comment about the fact that we cannot predict what will happen in five years' time is interesting. When we were talking about AI and robots five years ago, we did not predict that it would be the highly educated engineers who would be the ones losing their jobs first.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Keira Keogh: Absolutely. In our last session, we discussed my work with the neurodiverse community. We talked about therapists providing one-to-one support via AI. Professor Ahern mentioned data protection regulation and I know Deputy Gibney talked about this. Is Ireland ready or able to protect its health services and financial services from exploitation by AI companies?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Jun 2025)

Keira Keogh: I suppose there are people with AI capabilities who perhaps do not have the best intentions. We have seen cyberattacks in recent years that had devastating impacts. I am sure that AI can help people who are trying to create cyberattacks as much as it can help others.

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I welcome all our witnesses. I also wish to pass on my condolences to the Browne family on the passing of Jackie. The Minister of State is very welcome to the committee. It is fantastic that in this committee we have the first Minister of State for disability. It highlights the step change and the whole-of-Government focus that is on disability. We are going to be judged in this term...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I thank the Minister of State. The urgency with that would be really appreciated. I know as a committee we have written to all of the committees asking them to engage with people with disabilities. When the Minister of State is in her meetings, that dignity aspect has to come through and every Department needs to be aware of how we treat people with disabilities. On a more positive...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: With the last 30 seconds, I will also highlight in the same domain that therapy dogs make a huge difference too. There are huge waiting lists for them. There are sometimes lotteries to even get on the waiting list. Families are doing fundraisers to try to train dogs. I know the Minister of State will not have much time to answer, but from looking at her Estimates, we have to provide more...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I welcome Councillor Donna Sheridan from County Mayo, who is one of our local authority disability champions. Her interest is appreciated. Today, I am meeting Carol Brill, who is chair of Usher Syndrome Ireland, which is commonly known as deafblindness. This is a life-altering condition that has unique needs. It affects between 260 people to 350 people in Ireland. Going back to 2015,...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: They specifically want recognition as a unique disability. That is also echoed within the UNCRPD. We maybe can work with them after I meet them today and follow up on that commitment. Tusla is not necessarily under the Minister of State's remit as regards to disability. However, it does have children in its special care beds who are struggling with different disabilities and are not...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I mentioned universal design last week. I feel like we have a long way to go. When I was setting up my own office, it is an afterthought or a special need if we want to put in an accessible toilet or other things. Where are we with the national disability strategy with changes to planning regulations or guidelines for universal design?

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: It is important. Last week, I had a group up from County Mayo. For the changing place toilet, one of the members had to wait to go to the National Gallery because there was an issue with ours. It is a top priority.

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: Imagine you have a 12-year-old child and found out that child was watching or was exposed to pornography on a sitting room television while visiting a friend's house. The child would likely be permanently banned from visiting that friend's house and it is likely you would report the parent to Tusla. Yet, we are giving our children smartphones with open access to the Internet where they...

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: Obligations are one thing but we definitely need sanctions and need them quickly. The deadline for these obligations to be in place is 21 July. The Minister will forgive me for my scepticism, but I do not see swift action following. We need to name these companies, shame these companies and have swift sanctions. At a national level, we need to be able to discuss these challenges openly....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: Planning regulations stipulate that new housing developments of up to 75 units must provide a childcare facility with up to 20 places. We are in a childcare crisis and this is simply not working in small, medium and large towns. In my own town of Westport, we recently saw separate developments of 50, 48 and 20 units, a total of 118 units, but no new childcare facility. There is a new...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I find myself meeting Mr. Herrick and Dr. Elliott again as I was involved at the meeting yesterday evening. I thank them for coming back again. It is lovely to meet Dr. McDonagh. Yesterday, at the meeting of the Committee on Children and Equality, we were discussing the Equality Acts. Will the changes to the Equality Acts requiring disabled people to be paid the same as everybody else...

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: Does Mr. Herrick wish to add to that?

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I think we discussed this recently. Disabled people working is still viewed in a medical or care model where employers feel they are doing a good deed by hiring somebody with a disability rather than really getting to know the person, making the reasonable accommodations and the work being meaningful.

Committee on Disability Matters: Progressing the Delivery of Disability Policy and Services: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: It needs to be a meaningful career where the person is valued. I absolutely agree. I listened to Mr Herrick's opening statement on our history of institutional abuse. At the moment, one of my big fears is that we are at full employment and it is very difficult to get people into section 38 and section 39 jobs. There is a risk of burnout and a risk of cutting corners. I would like to...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Tusla (10 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: Apologies have been received from Senator Bradley and Deputy Charles Ward. The joint committee, at a private meeting on 3 July, agreed the minutes of a private meeting on 29 May and of the public meetings on 12, 16 and 23 June 2025. The agenda item for consideration today is engagement with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency. We are joined this morning by Ms Kate Duggan, chief executive...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Tusla (10 Jul 2025)

Keira Keogh: I thank Ms Duggan for affording me the opportunity, as a new Chairperson, to meet her earlier in the year to receive an overview of the agency. When I was at the launch of the report yesterday, I was thinking of the 96,666 referrals. That would fill Croke Park, with 15,000 more outside. It is a huge number. I thank Ms Duggan for her opening statement. It is proposed to publish the...