Results 181-200 of 419 for at speaker:Marie Sherlock

Seanad: Childcare Services: Motion [Private Members] (7 Dec 2022)

Marie Sherlock: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for speaking about her views on what needs to be done and for relaying the Minister's comments. I thank everybody who has stayed on to contribute to the debate because it was a constructive one. There is a lot more that unites us than divides us in this Chamber, even if the amendment to the motion might suggest...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I want to raise the issue of the closure of the Mater hospital long Covid clinic that is due to take place this month. The closure of this important clinic will deprive communities of the north inner city and across the north side of Dublin of a vital service for those who are unlucky to develop those enduring symptoms from Covid-19. Those symptoms can be debilitating both physically and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Challenges Facing the Technology Sector: Discussion (23 Nov 2022)

Marie Sherlock: My last question relates to the Digital Services Act, DSA. I know that it has been already touched on, but we saw it come into force last week, so it is new. Ms Fitzpatrick talked earlier about the resourcing issue and the increase in resources for the DPC in recent years. With the effective relocation of the regulation of the very large online platforms, that is now being moved and will...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2022)

Marie Sherlock: Every November we mark the gender pay gap in Ireland and across other European countries. The reality is that in Ireland, women workers on average earn almost a quarter less compared with their male counterparts. The latest available data is for 2020. We know that women, on average, earned 22% less on an annual basis. This is not the hourly basis that one often hears quoted; this is...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Nov 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I apologise in advance as I must leave this debate after making my contribution. We very much welcome the Personal Injuries Resolution Board Bill 2022. All in this House are extremely conscious of the unacceptable situation that pertains to the insurance sector in this country. There is a very real problem with unaffordable premiums, and...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: ...the work of Treoir, which is represented here this evening, and to those who have come forward to tell their stories, including Maria Doyle, Sheila Duffy and many others. It is important to say that it is through the work of my colleagues, Deputy Alan Kelly, who is in the Gallery, and Senator Mark Wall that we have this Bill before the Seanad. I am very grateful for their huge work to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Concrete Block Levy: Discussion (26 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I thank all the witnesses for attending today and sincerely apologise for missing their contributions. The Labour Party is very much opposed to the design of this levy. We put forward an alternative proposal for a levy on the profits of concrete block suppliers. Ms Hone makes the very powerful point that there is a double penalty here for those now facing the challenge of having to rebuild...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Amendment) (Certificate of Life) Bill 2022: Second Stage (20 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I am glad to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill. I thank Senators Doherty and Seery Kearney for introducing it. I pay tribute to Caroline and Martin Smith, who were in contact with us about Bill that was debated last year about reproductive health leave and the amendments tabled on Committee Stage earlier this year.I want to pay tribute to the tenacity, perseverance and work of...

Seanad: Consumer Rights Bill 2022: Committee Stage (19 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I move amendment No. 1: 1. In page 31, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: "Rights in relation to diagnosis, maintenance and repair of electronic equipment 26. (1) In relation to digital electronic equipment sold in the State, a manufacturer shall make available, for the purposes of diagnosis, maintenance or repair of the equipment— (a) to independent repair...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (19 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: ..., and Trócaire and the Irish Coalition for Business and Human Rights. This will be a groundbreaking directive both for trade unionists throughout the world and those exposing environmental degradation if it is enacted in the spirit in which it was originally intended. As our guests detailed, there has been a significant and worrying degree of watering down the proposal, and the lack...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I am delighted members of the St. Luke's bridge club are joining us. I welcome the eviction ban that was announced earlier, which comes after many months of our being told that it would not be possible. We were told about the possible constitutional challenges and the unseen legal advice and given warnings landlords would exit the sector. Landlords are already exiting the sector. The ban...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: As we all know, more than 900,000 households are facing into fuel poverty this winter. Fuel poverty has been a permanent feature of this country through good times and now through bad. The choices facing this State, particularly when the public finances are in such a remarkably healthy situation, raise very serious questions about the extent to which the State is willing to go the extra...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: Like so many others, I was overjoyed to see the women's team make a remarkable breakthrough in qualifying for the World Cup next year. I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Vera Pauw, Katie McCabe and all on the team. As has been said so many times, they are an inspiration to all girls in sport across this country. I refer in particular to the words Amber Barrett spoke last...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: The first thing to say is that it is disgraceful that it has been 14 years since community employment supervisors and all those working in section 56 and section 39 organisations have had a proper pay increase. It behoves the Government to act urgently to address this long-running sore for those who are providing vital services in our communities. We all speak at length about how important...

Seanad: Passport Office: Motion (5 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, for coming to the House. I warmly welcome the motion and thank An Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile and his Sinn Féin colleagues for bringing it forward. We in the Labour Party very much support it. As has been said a number of times, we have all seen the massive surge on the island of Ireland for Irish passports over the last 18 months in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Update on Quarters 1 and 2: Discussion (5 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: The directive was adopted yesterday by the European Council and, therefore, the time is ticking. We have two years at most to implement the directive on adequate minimum wages. I am conscious the Minister will need to apprise himself of the detail of what was approved yesterday, but what assurances can he give on that transposition? Importantly, with regard to unemployment law, Ireland has...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Update on Quarters 1 and 2: Discussion (5 Oct 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I am not suggesting for a moment that businesses should not rightfully access these supports if they need them but, in the same vein, if they are accessing supports and still enforcing pay cuts or redundancies, there should surely be some conditionality in the scheme to at least try to prevent that or about the timing of that. Ultimately, while we are trying to save businesses, saving jobs...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Marie Sherlock: I assume it would be a source of frustration, or I should ask if it is, rather than making assumptions. If the Low Pay Commission does not factor in profitability of firms, then surely that is a shortcoming in how it operates, particularly at this point in time when we see some firms doing quite well and others less so. Does Mr. Light have any comment to make on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Cost of Living, Minimum Wage Increases and Report of Low Pay Commission: Discussion (28 Sep 2022)

Marie Sherlock: Sure, and as somebody who used to look at the research of profitability on sectors in a former life, some of that information is available but it is dated. It is incumbent upon the commission to ensure all that available information, however dated, is used and that there is up-to-date profitability information available to it. For employers to come along and allege that something is going...

Seanad: Budget 2023 (Finance): Statements (27 Sep 2022)

Marie Sherlock: Budget 2023 takes place at a remarkable time for this country. While we hear a lot about Putin's war and what else is happening in the world, it is very important to remember that our State is in an extraordinarily well-off situation. That we have an Exchequer surplus at all is simply remarkable. We are one of only two countries in the European Union that has a surplus, Denmark being the...