Results 1-20 of 43 for feel "party:" . (isset($parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")]) ? $parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")] : "$a[1]") speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: ...The recent CSO survey referred to was released a number of days ago and has confirmed some of what I and other public representatives are seeing up and down the country. The percentage of people feeling depressed or downhearted has more than doubled in the past seven months, from 5.5% in April to 11.5% in November. The percentage of people who felt alone all or most of the time has more...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2021)

Mark Wall: ...contacted by a large number of students and parents alike who continue to seek certainty for themselves and their loved ones. Across the House, we have all carried out our own surveys to gauge the feeling among students in particular about what they would like to see happening in respect of their leaving certificate. The survey I conducted showed an overwhelming wish for predicted grades...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Report on Participation Income for Family Carers: Discussion (11 Oct 2023)

Mark Wall: ...value. I deal with carer's allowance on a daily basis and I think in the last statistics I saw that 77% of those who are on carer's allowance are actually women. Many of those women tell me they feel degraded and that they are not worth anything in this system. I have spoken previously to Ms Cox about the means testing, and recently there was a Commencement matter in the Seanad on the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Green Paper on Disability Reform: Department of Social Protection (25 Oct 2023)

Mark Wall: ...Mr. Hession said in the opening statement this morning that the Department does not wish to cause any anxiety or stress among its customers. To take up the point made by the previous two speakers, many feel undervalued at present and it is causing them stress. I am referring to a Green Paper that may or may not affect their disability payments. Taking the bona fides of the Minister will...

Seanad: Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Mark Wall: ...the many failures we have with regard to the health of women.Once again, she is introducing a Bill to assist women at one of the most difficult times in their lives, a time when they should not feel alone and when couples should be able to support each other without having to worry about when the bill will be paid. As others have done, I acknowledge the contribution of my colleagues,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Dec 2020)

Mark Wall: ...about pay talks, I ask the Deputy Leader to seek an urgent debate with the Minister for Defence. When one hears representative associations coming out of recent public pay talks stating that they feel ostracised, it asks questions about how our Defence Forces are being treated. On the Order of Business three weeks ago, I mentioned how figures that we had obtained showed that up to 500...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

Mark Wall: ...of how deeply unsettling it would be for a large number of people on our island who are deeply attached to their British identity. There are many people in the unionist community at the moment who are feeling vulnerable following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU. It must be in the long-term interests of everyone on the island that the unionist community do not feel...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Sep 2021)

Mark Wall: ...with the difference to secure these payments and ensure the grants are paid. These issues causing a lot of stress, as the Deputy Leader can imagine, to loved ones at a most difficult time. There is a feeling of helplessness in offering them assistance. I ask her to contact the Minister for a debate. The other issue I want to raise is the publication of the long-awaited gambling Bill,...

Seanad: Bullying and Sexual Harassment in Third Level Institutions: Motion (21 Sep 2021)

Mark Wall: ...all thinking of her and her family at this time. As we all know, Senator Hoey spoke on this matter recently and I want to quote what she said. She said: Too often when people are harassed, they feel they do not have the power or the support to report it, and even some who do report it are given inadequate support to work through it. There are students, and staff, across the country...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (18 Nov 2021)

Mark Wall: ...: From day one, the application process put huge amounts of stress on the children. The school spoke directly to the children, asking them to relay the message to parents. This caused panic, a feeling of being overwhelmed and my 11-year-old couldn't understand why she had been told she had less chance of getting a place because she is the eldest. She was so distraught in school that a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Mar 2021)

Mark Wall: ...has outgrown her equipment and faces transitioning with no assigned therapists to monitor, adjust and fit any future equipment. The staff do their best with the resources they have but still we feel very much that we may fall through the gaps as that is what has happened in the past. I ask the Leader to bring this issue up with the Minister.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021: Second Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Mark Wall: ...felt they would only vote the way their parents wanted them to. However, the majority of students in that transition year class were in favour of a reduction in the age to 16, with comments like, "I feel I am old enough", "I live in my community, I want to vote", "I want to get my name on the register", "It would mean a lot to me", and "It is my future, I want to vote". That comment was...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2024)

Mark Wall: ...those councillors who are no longer there. Councillor Tuffy is right that some people just do not want to run any more, but it is also important to speak to them. The time has come to get their feelings about what they offered and what they look forward to. I again thank everybody. Full-time councillors and the forum are issues, as is the planning Bill. We all look forward to that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on Carer’s Allowance and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (29 May 2024)

Mark Wall: ...get into their pocket is completely different. Unfortunately, many social welfare payments operate on the basis of a gross figure. I have given the example of the fuel allowance, on which people feel they are losing out given the use of the gross figure. In addition to giving me figures for the cost of disability, could our guests give us examples they have come across where the...

Seanad: Gambling (Prohibition of Advertising) Bill 2021: Second Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Mark Wall: ...while the gambling industry thrives. This is unacceptable and needs to change now. The Labour Party is not against gambling. Many people in this country can control what they spend when they gamble. However, we feel the evidence is building that there are a number of citizens who cannot control their gambling addiction or are at risk of developing a further addiction. This is why we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2022)

Mark Wall: ...particular matter. We are all aware of what we can and cannot do about these proposed exercises. I note the concerns last night, again, of our fishing fleet in the southern part of the country, who feel that its livelihood and, indeed, its environmental fishing rights will be directly impacted by these training exercises. I note from the reply from the Russian ambassador that such...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Mark Wall: ...the specific town mentioned by the association or in the others that are trying to be so at the moment? I am asking about a general State policy on autism-friendly towns and how the association would feel that would work throughout the State. Regarding speech and language therapy, I thank the witnesses for the work done. To take up the point made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, how bad is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (16 May 2023)

Mark Wall: ...some statistics. This is our 48th meeting and our 19th public session, which shows the importance of what we are discussing today. To reference the AsIAm report for more, 86% of autistic people feel that they do not get the same chance, and 57% of the public recognise that autistic people are treated in a different way. That is what we have found in all of our public meetings. Everyone...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Mark Wall: ...asked questions by particular mothers. It puts them under so much needless stress. In fairness, many groups, including SPARK and Women's Aid, have identified the fear that these young mothers feel in dealing with those calls and meetings. I hope this Bill will address social welfare inspectors and the need for them to go to those lengths. I hope that will change because it is wrong....