Results 1-20 of 97 for speaker:Nessa Cosgrove

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Jul 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I want to raise the ongoing debacle and farcical situation regarding the placement of a surgical hub in the north west. I live in Sligo. We were assured that a surgical hub would be provided in Sligo University Hospital. We were assured by the Minister of State, Deputy Marian Harkin, that part of the deal of going in with the Lowry group was that the surgical hub would be based in Sligo. ...

Seanad: EU Regulations: Motions (3 Jul 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: No one is disputing that we need a fair and efficient emigration and migration policy but the motions under discussion are serious in nature and will have a significant impact on the rights of people who have sought protection here. There is an inherent danger in rushing through any legislation and when legislation pertains to the rights of people who could subsequently be removed from this...

Seanad: Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I commend my fellow Senator, Nicole Ryan, on her honesty and bravery and for bringing home the importance of not only this Bill but also this amendment. I worked with children and young people in child protection for many years and I could see the shame she was talking about. I could see the realisation that "My house isn't like everyone else's house" and the long-term trauma caused as a...

Seanad: Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: The Minister of State is very welcome and I thank him for coming in. I also welcome Sarah Benson. It is fantastic that she is here. I thank the original signatories of the Bill, Senator Clonan and the former Senator Martin, and Senator Noonan for introducing it again and allowing us to be part of it. I have just come back from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions biannual conference....

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: The Children's Rights Alliance is welcome. As Deputy Currie said, it provided a fantastic briefing which was a welcome read. I will keep my questions specific. It is welcome that the Children's Right Alliance is gathering information about children living in long-term extreme poverty. The number of Tusla referrals is shocking. Senator Keogan was right to say that. I have worked in the...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: That data is being collected alongside the Tusla information about people living in poverty. A lot of children probably are involved in family support services, particularly if there are services in their communities, such as Springboard projects, FRCs, DEIS schools and so forth. However, there is definitely a cohort of people who are still living in consistent poverty who are not engaged...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Yes. I totally agree.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I thank Ms Ward for saying that. Likewise across the whole social care sector, section 37 and 56 workers are experiencing the same lack of pay parity. Another question I wanted to ask was about the Equal Start programme. I can see from the witnesses' report and briefing that the greatest amount of children involved with community-based settings are experiencing high levels of poverty and...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Okay.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Absolutely. Am I out of time?

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I want to ask about the national play policy. The Government has committed to a child poverty strategy. The issue of local authority direct funding for the upkeep of play parks came up earlier. This ties in with the Vienna model which has play areas within each housing estate. Many of the play parks are run down and the local authorities do not have the money to do them up. One thing we...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: It is just not nationwide. Could the committee work on that? Publicly owned play areas are just sitting there, not being used after school and during the summer holidays.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: There is one in Leitrim.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: The Alliance for Insurance Reform is trying to work with local authorities and public participation networks, PPNs, to have play areas taken under the various councils' public liability insurance. The issue of underused school facilities is huge. In the housing estate where I live there is a school right beside us that will be locked up for the whole summer. It has a full basketball court....

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Yes, that is great.

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. As all the Seanadóirí have noted, we in Ireland produce food of the finest quality. In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of generating local markets for sustainable local products and services. I will focus in my contribution on farmers markets and the benefit they provide...

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Should all native agrifood have bilingual packaging?

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: That would be great.

Seanad: Balanced Regional Development: Statements (17 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Given that the Minister of State is a west of Ireland man, he will have great emphasis on regional development. Atlantic Technological University has been one of the most outstanding successes in the north west in recent times in tying together the campuses of Sligo, Mayo and Donegal. This has created a truly world-class university in the heart of the north west. This achievement must be...

Committee on Children and Equality: Priority Issues Facing the Department: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (12 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I welcome the Minister and her team. It is great to have the opportunity to raise these issues. I will start with foster care and aftercare services. I worked in that sector in a commissioned service. The Minister said in her opening statement that aftercare services are for 16- to 21-year-olds and are extended to 23 for young people remaining in education settings. Is there any way that...