Results 3,541-3,560 of 24,567 for speaker:Róisín Shortall

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: That is their business. It is nothing to do with the rest of us here. We are talking about the session this evening at 5 o'clock and the need for accountability on the part of the Minister, Deputy Donohoe. The Taoiseach knows that what he is proposing is not satisfactory. Let us try to avoid dividing the House on this-----

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: It was a Government request; a Minister's request from the Government.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: We have put a reasonable request to the Taoiseach to allow for that accountability so that we have back-and-forth and it is not a case of banking questions where the Minister may or may not answer them in the wrap-up. That is entirely unsatisfactory. I think the Taoiseach would accept that if he was on this side of the House. To avoid dividing the House, can we be reasonable about this?...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: It is the back-and-forth that is required, not the banking of questions. In all fairness, I would ask the Taoiseach to consider that reasonable proposal from the Opposition.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: The proposal the Ceann Comhairle has set out is entirely unsatisfactory.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: The idea of aggregating the questions and then giving replies or otherwise in the wrap is just not acceptable. The time is scheduled. We are asking that each of the Opposition slots allow for a back and forth or statements, whichever the Member chooses. If we are serious about accountability, we have to have those sessions.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: The Taoiseach said twice earlier that the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, would be answering questions. The Order of Business as the Ceann Comhairle circulated this morning does not allow for that. It allows for five-minute statements from each of the Opposition parties. Can we get clarification on whether each of those five-minute slots can be used for back-and-forth questions and answers from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: Some aspects do not seem to have been resolved at this point that are not necessarily small ones. I welcome the dropping of the term "curtilage"; it is a sensible thing. Perhaps the practical implications of vast hospital grounds were not realised. Another issue the Garda Síochána raised regarding policing of the zones was the question of signage. Did the Department engage on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: Is it still an issue on the table?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: Mr. O'Connor spoke about alignment of Garda powers with prohibited conduct. Does that entail amendments to primary legislation in the justice area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: Another issue which came up for a lot of discussion and has been referred to already is the issue of a warning. If one were trying to tease that out from an operational point of view, how would that work? If somebody was protesting in County Kerry, from the point of view of a record, how would a garda implementing this legislation in County Galway know that person previously had a warning?...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: How does it do that? It is a much smaller country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: It is probably not the best example. I am interested in seeing what the outcome will be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: One can think of lots of different offences that do not require a warning. That is a key issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: Under head 6 in relation to harassment of healthcare providers, the witnesses said they were satisfied or their advice is that people are protected under existing law. I had a conversation with a Garda superintendent this week in the context of protestors outside refugee centres and the fact that is where people are living and whether there was a way of preventing that. The clear advice was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: It is really important to get clarification on that. Those are the main issues I am concerned about. While progress has been made, it seems that there is still some way to go. The Department is awaiting further advice. What is the realistic timescale to which the Department is working? This has been going on for quite some time, and we are all keen to see the legislation published as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: I know there is legislation in train. My understanding is that the legislation in question relates to harassment of individuals. What about a person's family home? I am not sure that the legislation would deal with that situation. There is a distinction in that regard.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: General Scheme of the Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services (Safe Access Zones)) Bill 2022: Department of Health (Resumed) (18 Jan 2023)

Róisín Shortall: I thank Ms Mason.