Results 241-260 of 915 for speaker:Tom Clonan

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I was present at the birth of all five of my children. With Liadain, which was my little girl's name, what really marked it apart from the others was that it was a moment of complete silence. Childbirth is a noisy affair. A man in a delivery suite is a definition of the most useless thing on earth as you are there among midwives and all these amazing women, and it is usually women who do...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank Martin and Caroline very much for coming here today. I thank them for sharing their story of their beautiful boy Stephen. I thank Nina for her contribution and a couple of things that were said really struck me. In the earlier session, I spoke about our loss. We had five children, one of whom had a cord accident at birth and passed away. As I said this morning, she would have been...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Coming here and speaking in the way we have is painful. Sometimes, after a conversation like this, you can find yourself back in a place or be stuck in a moment that you cannot get out of for a day or two or an hour or two, but the work the witnesses do at Féileacáin is such a huge public service. A lot of people are just afraid to talk about it and they do not know what to say....

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming along this afternoon for this Bill. I welcome my guests from all over Ireland - proud disabled citizens, parents and carers, all of us advocates for the fundamental human rights of disabled citizens. On section 1 of the Bill, before I start, I wish to say this is a deceptively short Bill. It may appear to be a small step but it is not. This...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I want to speak to sections 2 and 3.

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I do not.

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I will explain when I address sections 2 and 3.

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I will also speak to section 3. I will have no more to say; I want to be brief. Section 2(1) to 2(6), inclusive, place disability rights on a legislative basis, therefore, making them fundamental human rights. That is consistent with the Government's campaign from last autumn and into the winter. Disability rights are human rights. I am mandated, under the UNCRPD, as a parent and...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I think this goes back to a childhood fear I may have had.

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for his flexibility in allowing me to speak again. I think this is a great moment. It brings us into line with the rest of the European Union and other states. We spend so much of our lives fighting. Apart from the fear, trauma and upset, so much time is spent fighting. In my case, I am dealing with my child's disease. In other people's cases, there is a huge...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: The Minister of State mentioned the cultural change that is required. We are at a moment of cultural change. The narrative and our public discourse around disability is changing. Irish people now see it as a fundamental human rights issue. Everybody here in this Chamber - our guests, the Minister of State and her officials - has played a role in facilitating and accelerating the change....

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I move amendment No. 77: In page 30, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “(2) Research and Innovation Ireland, shall, in so far as it is consistent with the proper performance of its functions under Head 9, and only to extent that these collaborations further support and fund competitive research and innovation, endeavour to secure administrative...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Local Level: Discussion (Resumed) (1 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank the witnesses for coming in. I was just reflecting on this. It is such a privilege to be on any of our joint committees because we get to meet and interact with people like the witnesses who are at a very high level throughout the public service. We have had people from the private sector as well. I wanted to thank the witnesses for their time and to apologise in advance because I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Local Level: Discussion (Resumed) (1 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank my colleagues for allowing me to go. I thank the witnesses for all the work they do.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (30 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I wish to raise the issue of UN General Assembly Resolution 52/177 - death and disability benefits, and UN General Assembly Resolution 76/275 - post-traumatic stress disorder framework. These two schemes already exist. According to our information, Irish families and veterans are unable to access or have not been assisted in accessing...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (30 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Our concern is that there does not appear to be any record of Ireland availing of either of these funds. I accept that many cases are litigated here, but that places of veterans under a very stressful situation where they have to go into an adversarial process. In addition, the State has very deep pockets to fight people who have PTSD or who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: I wish to raise the issue of a section 140 motion that was tabled at Dublin City Council yesterday evening. The motion, which sought to challenge the draft Dublin city transport plan, was brought by an Independent councillor, Damian O'Farrell. It is very commendable in that he pointed out that disabled persons' organisations, DPOs, had not been consulted regarding the Dublin transport plan....