Results 541-560 of 686 for speaker:Emer Currie

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: I echo the sentiments expressed by other Senators. We do want to get to the point where companies with fewer than 50 employees will be part of this benchmarking. There is nothing to stop them doing it voluntarily but we do have to consider, with all of the pressures they are under, especially at present, whether they have the HR infrastructure to cope. There is also the capacity and...

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: It is lovely to address Senator McDowell in the Chair. I am not the spokesperson for equality so I feel like I am gate-crashing Final Stage. I have been invested in this over the years. I left my job because of a lack of flexibility. I recognise that there are more than 60 Bills relating to employment and equality that we will work on. This is the benchmark. It is up to us to then...

Seanad: National Maternity Hospital: Statements (2 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: There are incredibly clever and well-respected people on both sides of this debate and I want us to be fair to them all. Here is what I believe we can all agree on. We all agree we need a new maternity hospital. While Holles Street is full of rich clinical experience, it is infrastructurally poor and no longer fit for purpose. We all agree a new maternity hospital should be co-located...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021: Second Stage (2 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: I was not going to speak on this legislation, but I then engaged with some publicans during the week and I want to reflect some of their views in this regard. I welcome the clarity that this legislation gives to them, the Garda and the local authorities. The point made to me by the publicans concerned how stressful it has been for publicans in recent months to be aware of the parameters...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Ballymurphy Families: Discussion (1 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: My thanks to the Minister. It is really good to have him before the committee today. The timing of this is good. Obviously, there has been some movement following the meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference last week. Yesterday, there was an update on the multiparty talks. The Minister is right about scepticism. We are embarking on a process of engagement. We had...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Ballymurphy Families: Discussion (1 Jul 2021)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister, as always, for his diplomatic skills. We saw the fruits of his labour in recent days. When we come through the process, we will hopefully be able to say the same thing. We are all familiar with the expression "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed". The lesson here is that nothing is implemented until everything is implemented. It is really important that we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: Kon'nichiwa, a Chathaoirligh, and a happy one-year anniversary to both of us. He has been fair, fun and approachable and I can ask for no more. I want to raise the matter of Farmleigh estate. Farmleigh estate has 78 acres at the edge of Phoenix Park. The house accommodates dignitaries when they come to visit, but the grounds are open to the public. Last year, I was able to convince the...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Solar Panels for Public Buildings, Schools, Homes and Other Premises) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (28 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: This Bill is about breaking down barriers and putting climate action into the hands of communities. Whose hands could be better than the hands of children and empowering schools that are leading the way? This is not just about microgeneration' it is also about letting them know that they have control over their future. While the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill to...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: My children will thank us for this Bill. They stood outside their schools shouting "What do we want? Climate Action. When do we want it? Now." They started doing that when they were four and six years of age. In 2050, they will be 37 and 35 and because of this law, their children will not have to do that same thing. We will have a climate resilient biodiversity-rich environmentally...

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: When is it proposed to take Committee Stage?

Seanad: Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Irish Central Border Area Network (22 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: It is really good to meet the witnesses. It is nice to have another person from Tyrone involved in the meeting - it is where I am from originally. I have found the discussion thus far really interesting as I can see opportunities arising from it. Reference is made in the witnesses' opening statement and conclusion to certain asks with regard to the Border area being recognised as an area...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Irish Central Border Area Network (22 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I have raised the trans-border tax relief and double taxation in the Seanad. It is important we get a solution to that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Irish Central Border Area Network (22 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I will wait and come back in.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Irish Central Border Area Network (22 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I thank the Chairman for accommodating me. I did have the issue of double taxation on my list of points to raise. I did not actually mention it the first time round. Other contributors raised the issue. It is one which I have been pushing in the Seanad and with the Minister for Finance. The last update I received was that the issue is on the agenda of the tax strategy group and the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with Irish Central Border Area Network (22 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: No, I am happy enough.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I find it hard to believe that any unionist would be shocked that the leader of Fine Gael aspires to a united Ireland. It is certainly not the first time the Tánaiste or others in the party have said so. He did so only months ago on a well publicised edition of the "Claire Byrne Live" programme. A united Ireland is a legitimate political aspiration, which is enshrined in the Good...

Seanad: Aviation Sector: Statements (21 Jun 2021)

Emer Currie: I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for her remarks on the piloting of antigen testing. I wish to confirm my concern for those affected by the difficulties in aviation and with connectivity in general. Connectivity is so important for brand Ireland as well as for consumers and businesses. There is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the digital green certificate and people are...