Results 461-480 of 7,648 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Regulation of the English Language Sector: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Forgive me, I was more thinking of the question of the right to work and the issue Mr. Ó Luain was speaking about a few minutes ago. What is the cause of the blockage there?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Regulation of the English Language Sector: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Right.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I concur with what Senator O'Loughlin had to say about the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. It does very important work and I look forward to supporting it this morning and at other times. Its work is to be greatly commended. On 7 May, the Minister for agriculture announced his decision to ban the use on dogs and cats of so-called electronic shock collars operated by handheld remote...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: We are talking about an increase from 65,000 offences to more than 70,000 offences.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: A disproportionate emphasis is being placed on hate crimes. Let us, by all means, have a law that is sensible but let us not pay disproportionate attention to what is actually a very small number of incidents. Let us instead focus on where the bulk of problems are in relation to criminality.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 19, after “practitioner” to insert the following: "(other than a general practitioner who has notified the Minister that the practitioner does not wish the premises at which he or she provides healthcare services to be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be a relevant healthcare premises)".

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: With this amendment, we propose to insert the following text into the Bill: (other than a general practitioner who has notified the Minister that the practitioner does not wish the premises at which he or she provides healthcare services to be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be a relevant healthcare premises) Including this line on page 4, line 19 is to provide for the definition...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Not for the first time, I am disappointed with the Minister's response. The problem is that the Minister does not address the core of the purpose of the proposed amendment. His latter point about those who might be distressed by any reasonable witness is the premise of the Bill. This Bill seeks to limit freedom of expression on the grounds that certain other people may profess to be...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I thank the Minister for his intervention but of course he is the one who is misleading not just this House but the public, as he has done all along. As I have pointed out, the Minister's approach to all of this when truth and facts are presented to him is reminiscent of the Borg in Star Trek. I get the glazed eye, the refusal to point to specific information, the computer says no, "I am on...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I have said on the record that there is something corrupt about the Government's treatment of this issue. I have to say that, in all honesty.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I have always said and I will say it again that I have nothing personal against the Minister at all. I have nothing but contempt, I am sorry to say, for the way he does his job, specifically on this issue. He is not in the service of truth or good healthcare. He has acted in a way that completely disregards. Privately he says he will meet anybody, but his only approach ever on this issue...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I referred to the process-----

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: The Minister again has misrepresented what I said. I spoke about the corruption of the process. I believe the Minister's officials are victims of a corrupt Government approach.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, lines 10 and 11, to delete “within 100 metres of an entrance to either House of the Oireachtas”.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Amendment No. 3 proposes: "In page 6, lines 10 and 11 to delete the words "within 100 metres of an entrance to either House of the Oireachtas"." Amendment No. 4 proposes: "In page 6, lines 12 and 13, to delete ", within that 100 metres"." That is obviously connected to amendment No. 3. Amendment No. 7, which is consequential on the acceptance of amendments Nos. 3 and 4, proposes the...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: A number of issues in what the Minister had to say merit a response. Most striking was when he said it has been alleged that the Government is not doing anything to reduce the number of abortions. He immediately pivoted to saying the Government is committed to reducing the amount of unplanned pregnancies. Those are two very different things. It is of course the case that if you seek to...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I point out to the Cathaoirleach I am responding to the Minister's points very directly here, because as I was saying, a person nearly lost their life. The reason this nearly happened is because it is not in any way required as part of the provision of abortion services that ultrasound would be offered. That amendment was tabled at the time of the abortion legislation. The party of which...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: That is fine. However, if the woke agenda is not about crushing the right to peaceful protest, it is not about anything.

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: These amendments are about securing the right to peaceful protest on a life and death issue. Many people who do not share my views on abortion, and are closer to what is the Minister's public view at least that it is nothing to be regretted, and nothing to be described as being better if it were rare, have a problem with the legislation because they are at least democrats. They would say...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I will conclude on that. The reason I quoted Pastor Niemöller was because he pointed out that when we do not speak up for other people's rights, even the rights of those we disagree with, sooner or later, the protections we ourselves need are gone. As I said, those who do not share my concerns around the substantive issue here should reflect on what they are supporting here today,...