Results 1,821-1,840 of 1,898 for speaker:Chris Andrews

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the Minister of State for coming in for this important debate. We cannot categorise people as scaremongering when they have a different point of view.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: People are entitled to different points of view. It does not mean they are disrespectful or scaremongering. We are happy to debate with anyone at any time.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I am not misleading. We are happy to have a respectful debate. We do not necessarily agree with the Government, but that does not mean we cannot discuss issues and have differing opinions. In the more than 50 years since Ireland joined what would eventually become the European Union, we have experienced rapid and welcome change. Membership of the EU has served as a catalyst for so much...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I acknowledge and welcome the Laois camogie players today from Camross, O'Moore's and The Harps clubs. It is great to see young people and young athletes being interested, engaged and concerned about what is effectively an equality issue. The issue at the weekend has highlighted the demand for women to wear skorts playing elite sports. As a father of two daughters who play and love camogie...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Suicide Prevention (8 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I appreciate that she took the time. Your day really is not all that different. You leave the house and go to work. It is the same as it is every day. Maybe you go for a drink with colleagues or to a match afterwards, then you come home and it is so empty. The house is so unbearably empty. A piece of your life is gone forever in one tragic...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Suicide Prevention (8 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: The reduction in income from Darkness into Light walks and various activities means that Pieta will need more from the State for services, otherwise services are unfortunately going to close. I acknowledge the thousands of volunteers who wake up extra early in support of Pieta's Darkness into Light walk. Funds raised by Pieta are already down for Darkness into Light, and there is a real...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: Can we ask that the Minister for Justice attend today to explain why the barriers surrounding the International Protection Office on Mount Street have been up so long and when they are coming down? The Mount Street residents in Power's Court and Verschoyle Place have been living with tents and metal barriers in their neighbourhood for over 18 months. The tents are gone but the barriers...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, that No. 11 be taken before No. 1. I refer to the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025, signed by all Sinn Féin Senators. This Bill seeks to prohibit socioeconomic discrimination or any sort of discrimination based on social background or economic disadvantage. The purpose of the Bill is to amend Irish equality legislation and...

Seanad: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: First Stage (13 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for prohibiting discrimination on the basis of a person’s socio-economic disadvantaged background, for those purposes to amend the Employment Equality Act 1998 and the Equal Status Act 2000; and to provide for related matters.

Seanad: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: First Stage (13 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: Six years ago, there was an agreement for 900 social and affordable homes on the Irish Glass Bottle site. The agreement was put together between An Bord Pleanála, Dublin City Council, the Government, the then Minister for housing, Eoghan Murphy, and the housing action group in Ringsend. There was going to be 350 social houses and 550 affordable homes. That was the agreement the then...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: American football is coming to Dublin. Craig Hughes, in his article for the Irish Daily Mail, highlights that the Government will spend €10 million on this event and on bringing over the two American teams. Yet, at the same time, 77% of Irish amateur football clubs do not have adequate changing facilities for women. The Government continues to ignore Irish football because four...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: He is a bit old for that.

Seanad: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: Statements (15 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: No homework.

Seanad: Mental Health and Suicide Prevention: Statements (15 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I know this is an issue she is very passionate about and active on. I thank and acknowledge all the volunteers who came out last Saturday morning for the Pieta House Darkness Into Light walk. The volunteers come out extra early, at 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. If it was not for them, this event would not happen. It is a very important event for mental...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: There are no more laws that Israel can break. There are no more UN conventions that Israel can ignore, and Israel continues with the ongoing genocide. The Irish Government continues to do nothing. I know Government will list things it believes it has done, such as measures like recognising the State of Palestine. It will say it funds various projects in the West Bank, and of course that...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I acknowledge the campaign of 14-year-old Cara Darmody, campaigning for improvement in the waiting list for assessment of needs. A total of 15,000 families are now waiting on an assessment of need. It is completely unacceptable, and I find it really difficult to listen to Government party Senators telling Cara how wonderful she is when it has been under their Government that the waiting...

Seanad: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (21 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I will share my time with Senator Maria McCormack. I thank the Minister for coming in. Before I begin, I will acknowledge the absolutely Trojan work done by IHREC, the #AddThe10th Alliance, ATD Ireland, EAPN Ireland and the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, whose representatives are here with us today watching proceedings....

Seanad: Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2025: Second Stage (21 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank colleagues for their contributions and the Minister for her comments. I know she cares deeply about equality and I sincerely hope the Government makes progress on this urgent issue. However, I am deeply disappointed that, once again, we see the Government tabling an amendment to attempt to kill these legislative proposals. More than two years ago, the then Government passed a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 May 2025)

Chris Andrews: The British establishment is complicit in genocide in Gaza. It funds genocide in Gaza. It supports genocide in Gaza. The same British establishment has now charged a young Irishman in his 20s from west Belfast of a terror charge for waving a flag. It is bizarre and it is political policing. It is trying to silence Kneecap. Kneecap are not the story; genocide in Gaza is the story. We...