Results 341-360 of 994 for speaker:Emer Currie

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues: Discussion (11 Apr 2024)

Emer Currie: Mr. McCord, Mr. Farrell and Mr. O'Hare are very welcome. As we approach 1 May and the guillotine that is coming to deprive people of truth and justice, it is really important that this committee is meeting them today. We have recently seen the findings of the Project Kenova report. The committee has done considerable work on the legacy Bill. Mr. McCord's presence today makes sure that...

Seanad: Road Traffic Bill 2024: Second Stage (21 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: I am not a member of the transport committee. I came today because I have specific questions as a road user and someone who is concerned about the numbers we are seeing. During the Saint Patrick's Day weekend, 175 people were arrested for drink driving; 1,800 people were detected speeding; 170 people were caught on their mobile phones; and someone was caught doing 209 km per hour in a 100...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: They say a week is a long time in politics. What about a morning? There will be a lot of political reflections this morning about the news about our party leader and Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, but I will add some personal reflections. He has been my friend for more than 30 years and I hope we will be friends for over 30 more. As teenagers the politics seeped out of our pores and we were...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: I ask that the Minister for Education come to the House to discuss building projects. I have raised this matter previously, but there is a dearth of information on key strategic projects in Dublin West. This issue affects other areas as well. I wish to discuss the unnecessary stress and heartache caused by long admissions timelines and a lack of co-ordination. This year in Dublin 15,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (7 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: It is great to have Ms Deane and Mr. Duffy here, and I thank them for how accessible they are on projects. It must be great to have roles that are so positive. The news that the North-South Ministerial Council, NSMC, is going to meet again takes the pressure off in some regard. When the North-South strands were not operating, we were coming to the witnesses to assist us in forging...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: It is an enormous privilege to be here again for International Women's Day and on the eve of a very important referendum on Friday to change Article 41.2. That article has let women down for a couple of reasons. It uses limiting language. As the Minister described and as I wished to point out myself, it refers to a woman's life within the home and a mother's duties in the home, which...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: I wish to share my time equally with Senator Maria Byrne.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the witnesses for being here and, more importantly, for their work and leadership in their communities. Reference was made earlier to people not following in the footsteps of family members in politics. I did follow and knew what I was getting into. Also, I came from an environment where I knew acutely what it was like to feel under threat. Your commitment to your values and your...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. We have spent a great deal of time post the events in November focusing on law and order. It is timely that we come back to discussing that issue now in order to ensure that we are still all on the same page. I believe that we are. I thank Members of the Seanad for also putting forward amendments to the motion. I commend the...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: A great way to do that would be to take over a retail unit with the local safety partnership, like there is on Foley Street, to ensure a Garda presence in those communities where people are working. It would bring reassurance to those communities about visibility on their streets.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: There are myriad interconnected issues that are contributing to our fragile childcare system. Let us be in no doubt the Government is working to address them all, one by one. I want to take a look at core funding. The pay freeze has undoubtedly worked for parents and we are very grateful for it, with a reduction of 25% in fees to grow to 50% in September 2024. That is reforming policy....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: The Minister of State will have noted that in my opening remarks, I congratulated the Minister on the concept of core funding because I think the concept does work. There are issues on the ground, however, and they need to be addressed for people in this sector of the industry to have the stability and security they are looking for. There does need to be an ongoing partnership with them...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I too wish to be associated with our condolences and sympathies with the family of Michael O'Regan. I did not know him myself but I followed him on Twitter. He had some very nice things to say about my father over the years, which I am always grateful to read. He struck me as part of that generation of journalists who never took peace for granted on this island. It was in that context...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I welcome this morning's news about shared island funding. A total of €800 million in multi-annual funding was announced. The A5 road seems ancient whenever I travel it.It is absolutely dangerous. It feels like it is from another time and another era because it has been so poorly invested in. I am thinking today of the many campaigners over the years, particularly the families I...

Seanad: Situation in the Middle East: Statements (20 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Tánaiste for his strong speech. We will debate the motion from the Civil Engagement Group tomorrow but I welcome the statement he has shared with us today. Like so many other people, I feel utterly helpless. Many Irish people feel this way and are expressing it by the sharing of emails and so on. The platform this issue has in Ireland is notable compared with what is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I make an appeal for Members to stop using the catch-all title of "immigration" in this House, in the media, in commentary and in news items when we are talking about criminal and threatening behaviour in communities. Immigration should not be the headline topic. It should be racism and xenophobia.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: Language is important. If Members want to talk about illegal immigration and the systems in place to protect society from illegal immigration, let us do that. If they want to talk about international protection, a human rights obligation to give shelter to people who are running from persecution, then let us do that. If they want to talk about the critical skills list and the workers we...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (7 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister of State for being here. I very much welcome the re-establishment of Stormont at the weekend. I congratulate the First Minister, the deputy First Minister, the other new Ministers and the MLAs as they take up their positions. They certainly have a long to-do list. However, it is our to-do list I will talk about today. Careful examination of the language as well as...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (7 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: The Minister of State is absolutely right in saying we need to protect our trade links. The reality is that the extent of those trade links and the all-island economy has been vastly overstated. The potential of our shared economy is what is important and should be promoted. For instance, we talk about the importance of the all-island economy when it comes to tourism. That is under threat...