Results 21-40 of 73 for speaker:Joanne Collins

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I wish to raise an incident that happened in Newcastle West in County Limerick last weekend. Vile videos were sent to me of fighting on the streets between two different groups. They were absolutely disgusting to watch. People were being kicked in the face while they were on the ground. One person was knocked out, jumped on and punched about 20 times while he was knocked out. This...

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: Yes.

Seanad: Local Democracy Task Force: Statements (27 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. I welcome the progress towards the local democracy task force. My party has long called for more power to be given back to our local elected members. Ireland has the most centralised system of local government in Europe, with limited democratic decision-making powers and insufficient funding and resources for local authorities. While the EU average for tax...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I second the amendment. Every day that action is delayed more lives are lost in Gaza. More than 50,000 people - mostly women and children - have been killed. This is not a war; this is a slaughter. The deliberate campaign of destruction is playing out before the eyes of the world.We in this House have expressed solidarity many times with the Palestinian people. The Irish public have...

Seanad: Driving Test Waiting Times: Statements (20 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. I will speak about the delay in driving tests, which is an issue that has spiralled completely out of control. At the end of April, the national backlog had grown to a staggering 83,486 applicants, a number mentioned across the floor this evening. It has increased by 10,000 since the start of the year and by 20,000 in the past six months....

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

Joanne Collins: I want to raise the issue of the sheer lack of home help supports, which, I am sure, is the case throughout the State, but I am going to concentrate on County Limerick. A case that stood out to me among the many I come across involves a family living in County Limerick. The father, who was once a fiercely independent man, is now living with advanced dementia. He needs 24-hour care. For...

Seanad: National Biodiversity Week: Statements (14 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. Today, during biodiversity week, I want to speak about the urgent need to protect and restore biodiversity, especially through a better approach to forestry. I also want to reflect on what that means for my county, Limerick. Ireland is in the grip of a biodiversity disaster and crisis. One in five rare species is at risk of extinction. Our native...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Business of Joint Committee (14 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I might as well throw myself in. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach as well. Like my colleague across the floor, this is my first term in the Seanad. This is my first committee but I am really looking forward to getting stuck in. As my colleague, Deputy Kenny, said, agriculture is agriculture but it affects all parts of rural Ireland as well. I am really looking forward to standing up...

Seanad: Parole (Special Advocates) Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am pleased to stand in support of this Bill. I commend Senator Lynn Ruane and her team on the thoughtful and considered proposal. The Bill addresses the clear procedural gap in the current parole framework, one that undermines natural justice and leaves applicants vulnerable to decisions made on the basis of undisclosed evidence without any avenue,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Appeals (7 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I wish to bring to the Minister of State's attention something that is deeply concerning for families in County Limerick and throughout the State, namely, the persistent and unacceptable wait times for domiciliary care appeals. I am acutely aware of a case involving a family in County Limerick who are in their 37th week of waiting to hear about the progress of their appeal. This delay is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Social Welfare Appeals (7 May 2025)

Joanne Collins: I thank the Minister of State. I am excited to hear about the AI. We all go through our lives with everything happening in an instant. It would be fantastic to see quicker ways of processing these appeals, but this will not help this family today. I will get on to the Minister directly because 37 weeks is too long for the family to wait and to feel invisible. When my office contacts the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I want to raise an issue I have raised as a Commencement matter twice, but since it is pressing I said I would raise it again today. It concerns the waiting times for domiciliary care allowance appeals. I am dealing with the case of a County Limerick family who have been waiting for 36 weeks just to hear back on the appeals process.Every time they ask, they are told it is in progress and...

Seanad: Diverting Young People from Criminal Activity: Statements (30 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. I want to take a moment to recognise the incredible work being done through a youth diversion programme in Rathkeale in County Limerick, a programme that was relaunched by the Minister of State earlier this year and which is already making a real difference. Rathkeale is a town that has often been unfairly stereotyped. This programme is helping to build...

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

Joanne Collins: I want to bring up an issue regarding section 39 workers. After a long and difficult process, an agreement was reached at the Workplace Relations Commission to improve these workers' pay. They are vital front-line workers involved with disability and home care. The question remains as to when the Government will enact and recognise the agreement. In November 2023, there was a WRC...

Seanad: Forestry Sector: Statements (29 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. Forestry should be a key part of Ireland's response to climate change, supporting rural communities and protecting biodiversity. However, the reality for many forest owners is one of delay, financial loss and frustration. One major ongoing issue is ash dieback. Although the Department has the reconstitution scheme for plantation owners, there is no...

Seanad: Revised National Planning Framework: Motion (29 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State. I wish to take a moment to speak on the section on realising our island and marine potential. The current approach set out in this section is quite weak from a fisheries and seafood perspective, in particular the importance of embedding the principle of consensus and co-creation between the fisheries, the offshore renewable energy, ORE, and environmental...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I raise the issue of thatched homes. Thatched home owners are facing a growing crisis. They are part of our built heritage. They are not just homes. Every year the owners face the struggle of finding house insurance. Many insurers have just left that sector altogether. The ones that have stayed in the game are charging anything up to €2,500 for house insurance once the owners can...

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (9 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. Flooding is no longer an occasional crisis. It is an ever-present threat affecting lives, homes and livelihoods throughout the country. From County Limerick to County Cork and from County Galway to the midlands, communities are living in fear of the next storm, the next flood warning or the next disaster. We saw this again just a few months...

Seanad: Prohibition of Advertising or Importuning Sex for Rent Bill 2025: Second Stage (9 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I welcome the Minister. It has never been harder to be a renter in this country. In Limerick, like across the State, rents are soaring, supply is vanishing and behind each number is a person - a student, a lone parent or a young worker barely scraping by. There were over 16,000 eviction notices last year. In my county, rents are at record highs. Student accommodation is oversubscribed...

Seanad: Merchant Shipping (Investigation of Marine Accidents) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (8 Apr 2025)

Joanne Collins: I second the amendment.