Results 181-200 of 986 for speaker:Catherine Ardagh

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I also join in the sympathies to Breda and the family of John Naughten. Today I feel compelled to address an issue that families including my own are grappling with, namely access to appropriate education for children with special needs. My son Darragh, who has profound autism, attends Stratford National School in Rathgar. It is a wonderful school with fantastic staff. The patron, the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I, too, would like to mention the optional protocol to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Obviously the protocol allows individuals or groups to lodge complaints with the UN after their legal domestic process has been exhausted and holds states accountable to ensure the rights of people with disabilities are upheld. The protocol is a really welcome and big step....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I am really proud to be a member of the joint committee and Senator Carrigy has done unbelievable work. Obviously the report encompasses early intervention, school places and meaningful employment. The most important thing is that people with autism and their families live in an inclusive society where people understand the difficulties because I think we are still really far behind. A lot...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Oct 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I wish to say a few words about yesterday’s budget, particularly how it impacts individuals with disabilities and their families. The budget introduced a number of key issues and key financial supports, not a panacea. One of the most notable changes is the increase to the incapacitated child tax credit, which was raised by €300 to a total of €3,800 per year. This...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Sep 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: As I have said before, my heart goes out to the families of our troops in Lebanon who are very worried. I hope they will carry out their duties and make it home safely. I stand today to discuss the assisted decision-making Act. The intention of this Act is for people to set up enduring powers of attorney or other plans for their lives when they have somewhat diminished or loss of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I also join with my colleagues in tributes to Charlie O’Connor. He was a great friend of mine and my family for many years. He is an absolute gentleman. I am delighted to have him as a member of Fianna Fáil. He is a very warm person and he has a lovely family. I wish him all the best in his retirement. I stand today to mention ASD school places. We are doing great. Huge...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today. Fianna Fáil supports this Bill. As the Minister of State mentioned, it provides for amendments to the Civil Registration Act 2004, as amended, to provide for online registration of births and stillbirths and faster notification of births and stillbirths by medical practitioners and institutions. It also provides for the...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I propose that we suspend until 6.15 p.m.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming to the House today. We in Fianna Fáil fully support this Bill, which is very progressive legislation. The Minister is fortunate to be the Minister for Social Protection at a time when our economy is very strong, we are doing very well, and we have the resources to see increases pretty much yearly in our social protection spend. Obviously, I am a...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I am delighted to introduce the health (postponement of certain leave) Bill, colloquially known as the leave our leave Bill. I would like to have No. 10 taken before No. 1. The campaign for this Bill has been driven by the Irish Cancer Society and patient advocates like Erica Tierney. The Bill is supported by my colleagues in the Fianna Fáil group and I hope it will get cross-party...

Seanad: Health (Postponement of Certain Leave) Bill 2024: First Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend and extend the Maternity Protection Act 1994 and the Adoptive Leave Act 1995 and for those purposes to provide a mechanism to postpone maternity leave or adoptive leave in circumstances where a person is diagnosed with or being treated for cancer and to provide for related matters.

Seanad: Health (Postponement of Certain Leave) Bill 2024: First Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for coming into the House. There are many amendments to get through but, ultimately, I agree with my colleague and the Minister that we have to get on with it. Many employees are waiting for this to happen. They do not know whether to start their own private pension scheme or whether to wait for the auto-enrolment scheme. People are watching this debate and hoping it...

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I propose we suspend until the conclusion of the division in the Dáil.

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: This is probably one of the biggest Bills that I have ever seen come into this House. I thank the Minister and his Department for putting significant work into this Bill, for getting it passed in the Dáil and placing it before us today. In 2020, Senator Fiona O'Loughlin and I tabled a Commencement matter on publicly funded IVF at the time the Seanad held its meetings in the Dáil...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: What have they done to ensure we have an ethical framework for surrogacy in this country except make us stand up today, licking their lips thinking they will have loads of clickbait later on their Twitter accounts?

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Jun 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: Senator Mary Seery Kearney has championed this cause for more than a decade. She had sought to ensure there is an ethical framework for the parents and the children born following international surrogacy and domestic surrogacy in Ireland. Shame on Senator Mullen today.

Seanad: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (28 May 2024)

Catherine Ardagh: I thank the Minister for being in the Seanad today and introducing the legislation. I am very proud that it is a Fianna Fáil–Fine Gael Government that is introducing and spearheading it. My colleague Senator Sherlock just described pension adequacy. It is for reasons of pension adequacy that the legislation is being introduced. You have to start somewhere. I remember...