Results 21-40 of 944 for speaker:Tom Clonan

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: Finally, based on the precedent of sending 12 troops to Afghanistan, if this change were enacted, would it mean that the Government, the Cabinet, at any point, without Dáil approval, could send 50 troops to any mission anywhere in the world?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank Ms Maguire very much.

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the witnesses for all the answers they have provided. Some of the questions have been difficult but they have been clear in their answers. I agree with Senator Kyne to an extent that there are elements of the triple lock that are problematic for now. However, this is not modifying the triple lock; it is simply removing it. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked if politicians should always be...

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: So with a simple Government majority, it can send any number of Irish troops anywhere in the world?

Committee on Defence and National Security: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025: Discussion (29 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: There is no safeguard in law.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I raise the issue that has come to light from an internal cable that was published by Reuters, which is the statement by Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the processing of all F, M and J visa applications should be halted. The US authorities say they want to introduce increased vetting of the social media profiles of, particularly, students applying for J1 visas. That has an immediate...

Seanad: Ireland's Economic Outlook: Statements (28 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. I thank my colleagues for sharing time with me. I hear in the Minister's remarks the alarm bells we have heard so many times before about impending economic shocks. He referred to them as shocks that may become more frequent. I entered the workforce in 1987, almost 40 years ago, so I have lived through recession, boom, recession, catastrophic...

Seanad: Ireland's Economic Outlook: Statements (28 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I see the Minister disagrees with me, but in our lived experience with a disabled child, we saw the entire collapse of all of his services, supports and therapies. That is a situation from which disabled citizens in this country have not recovered. That is why we have children unable to obtain proper diagnoses or surgical treatments on the spinal or urological waiting lists. It is why we...

Committee on Defence and National Security: Business of Joint Committee (15 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I echo everyone's congratulations on Deputy Conway-Walsh's appointment as Cathaoirleach. I look forward to working with her for the next couple of years. I agree with her regarding the prioritisation of the discussion of the triple lock. There has been a lot of misinformation and disinformation in public discourse in the past number of months. My research has ascertained that there have...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I echo the call by Senator Fitzpatrick for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. I am particularly concerned that in the past few days Netanyahu's Government has called for a major call-up and mobilisation of Israel Defense Forces reservists. We are on the precipice of another major expansion of Israel's military operation in Gaza. Before I speak about the situation, I want to be clear that I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I echo the sympathies for Garda Flatley and his family. My father was a garda. I remember as a child that you expected your mum or dad to come home from work every day. I was particularly struck to hear in the reporting of the tragic incident that the number of gardaí who are injured in roads policing is up to 70 every year. I hope that the Commissioner and the representative...

Seanad: Higher Education: Motion (7 May 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank Senator McCarthy for sharing time. I commend my colleagues on this motion and thank them for it. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus déanaim comhghairdeas leis on his appointment to this portfolio. It was mentioned that the Department of further and higher education can be transformational. That is the case. I have two asks for the Minister in the brief time I have....

Seanad: Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister for coming in. I commend this Bill and those who have proposed and seconded it. I echo comments concerning former Senator and current Deputy Malcolm Byrne who brought forward this legislation during the previous Administration. Retail workers are literally on the front line in our cities and towns. They are on the front line interacting with members of their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Care Services (29 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I want to raise here again the case of Caitlin Hassan. Caitlin's mum, Louise Hassan, is here in the Visitors Gallery. Caitlin Hassan was sexually assaulted while in the care of Avista healthcare. Since the assault she has had no supports and is currently at home with Louise. Caitlin is deeply traumatised and cannot dress or get out of the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Care Services (29 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I have the full consent of Louise and Caitlin Hassan, and this is a matter that has been covered on the public record in all the national newspapers and on RTÉ, the national broadcaster. All the parties have been named and all the detail has been published, and this is the reason we are here. Here is a family that has been completely failed by the State. To get the help and support...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Care Services (29 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: With no disrespect to the Minister of State, that response is wholly inadequate. Saying, "We do not comment on individual cases" or, "This is a matter for the relevant authorities" is a rhetorical device that is used by the HSE, the Department of Health and previous Ministers. These are the systemic failures identified quite clearly in the Grace case. When people like Louise and Caitlin...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I raise the issue of Ireland's triple lock. Over the weekend, the Taoiseach said that he has no difficulty whatsoever bringing to the democratic Parliament of this Republic the proposal to remove the aggressor's veto. By that, the Taoiseach is referring to the veto of UN Security Council mandates and resolutions. I understand where he is coming from intellectually on that, but I ask that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Visa Applications (9 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming along to take this Commencement matter. I want to raise the case of Jehad Sabah. He is a 57-year-old man. He has managed to get away from Gaza and all of the destruction there. He is currently being held at El Arish hospital in North Sinai in Egypt. Jehad's daughter, Walaa Sabah is here. Ahlan wa sahlan, I welcome her to this House. Jehad is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Visa Applications (9 Apr 2025)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State. Jehad and Rina al Sabah are actually out of Gaza. That is the most critical aspect of this. They are now in northern Egypt and therefore some of the barriers and the obstacles to their liberation from what is effectively a ghetto, a concentration camp created by the Israeli military, have been removed. I am heartened to hear of the precedent of Palestinian...