Results 441-460 of 1,574 for speaker:Marie Sherlock

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I, too, offer my condolences to the family, colleagues and friends of the late Senator Dowling. I wish to raise the issue of the school transport scheme, which is now open for applications but which will close later this month, and how it is designed. The rules of the scheme, particularly the criteria that students need to live 3.2 km away from a primary school or 4.8 km from a secondary...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Leave (11 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State for coming here, in the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman's place, today. Any of us who are fortunate to have had babies know the immense value of maternity leave. It is a way of society saying to women to take time with their newborn babies. Approximately 60 women in this country each year are diagnosed with cancer during their pregnancy and, of course, their...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Maternity Leave (11 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State for the reply. What is going on here? I see from the reply that departmental officials have been considering this proposal and the Minister hopes to bring it to Cabinet shortly. It is now April. He said he was going to do it by the end of 2023. The Minister of State referred to the pregnancy loss report. We have been given to understand that the Minister is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Comhghairdeas ó chroí do Sheanadóir Malachai O'Hara. I wish the Senator the best in the Seanad. It is wonderful to have another working-class voice in the Chamber. I will raise with the Leader an issue related to An Post and ask for a debate with either of the two shareholders in An Post, namely, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Minister...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I very much support the calls made by all the witnesses to lift the mandatory retirement age. We have heard a very powerful case, psychologically, financially and in so many other ways, for why it is important people should not be told they are no longer fit for work just because of their birthday. We know that should not be the case and that people want to work longer. Something earlier...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Just so I am clear in my own mind about what has happened in other countries that lifted the mandatory retirement age, did that apply to all employees there and then or was it to apply to future employees at a certain date or age?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Sure. It is important to say only about half the workforce has access to an occupational pension, so that is obviously critically important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: General Scheme of the Employment (Restriction of Certain Mandatory Retirement Ages) Bill 2024: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: It is important to have that clarification. One of the issues reflected in the contributions this morning is the idea that retirement is a cliff edge, financially and psychologically. I want to understand a little more from the witnesses from all three organisations about the transition to retirement, particularly the question of the availability of flexible working arrangements. The data...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I wish to ask a question and the Leas-Chathaoirleach will have to excuse my ignorance. Does the committee have to be suspended when there is a vote in the Dáil?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank Mr. Downes and Mr. Hughes for their attendance. I want to ask about the dual-use goods. Is it right to characterise the risk assessment as a kind of ex-ante assessment? Is there no ongoing assessment of goods that are on the dual-use register or is there no documentary evidence, such as invoices or whatever, to be sure that the intended customer for these goods is actually the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Exactly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: But once the stamp of approval is given, there are no further checks after that. Is that the case?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Should the Department conduct inspections?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I hear what Mr. Downes is saying but in terms of the goods that have to apply for a special licence, is it not the case that they have civilian applications but could be used for military purpose?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: In terms of the publication of the names of the companies that have applied for the dual-use licence and the goods, am I clear that Mr. Downes is saying he cannot publish them for commercial sensitivity reasons or he may have updated the position in response to previous contributions and I might not have picked up on it?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: To be clear, for the record, I do not see that there would be any commercial sensitivity in naming the company and the good itself. I do not see why the Department would be protecting any company. If somebody is looking for a licence, there should be transparency in that as a matter of principle.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Mr. Downes cited 2022 data and obviously we have monthly merchandised trade data. Why is Mr. Downes not relaying on any of that given that there has been a bit of volatility, particularly in terms of merchandised trade to and from Israel over the past 24 months?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Mr. Downes is relying on 2022 data when much more recent data is available.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Illegal Israeli Settlements Divestment Bill 2023: Discussion (Resumed) (10 Apr 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Okay. We are now six months on from 7 October. We had been talking with grave concern prior to that date about trade with the illegal settlements and Israel. I heard what Mr. Downes said about there being no review by the Department of the impact of suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement on Ireland. Is the Department taking a hands-off approach here? Is it fair to characterise it as...