Results 41-60 of 1,888 for speaker:Sharon Keogan

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

Sharon Keogan: I wish to speak about the issue of the rising consumption of energy drinks by young people and to speak about solutions. Energy drinks are widely available and aggressively marketed and contain high levels of caffeine and other stimulants such as taurine. Research has shown that these drinks can have serious negative impacts on minors, including on their attention span, academic performance...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Only a fortnight ago, I spoke about the serious failures of the Children's Rights Alliance to review Tusla's performance and I highlighted concerns that there were serious gaps appearing in the Tusla system, leaving hundreds of children vulnerable. Considering the news released in the past week, it deeply saddens me to say that these fears have been validated. The recent inquiry by Judge...

Seanad: Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. Along with my colleagues, I too am delighted this Bill is progressing through this House. I draw attention to the first section that states this national treatment service is to be established "for the timely and effective inpatient and outpatient treatment of scoliosis" and that it will designate hospitals and other facilities for "the timely...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I raise the issue of the abuse of the lis pendens system in Ireland. The filing of a lis pendens renders the sale of the land over which it is filed virtually impossible as no purchaser would be willing to take the risk of buying a property with litigation pending over it. As the system stands, it is possible for a lay litigant to file a lis pendens with the court for virtually no cost....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: On Ash Wednesday, Catholics throughout the world prepare for Lent, our season of fasting and prayer. Our ashes represent our faith, a time for penance and our mortality. Today I remind the House that Christians are still persecuted and discriminated against throughout the world. On 13 February, 70 Christians were killed in the Congo. Practising our faith is not something we should take...

Seanad: International Women's Day - Women's Health: Statements (5 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: The Minister is very welcome. First, I extend my congratulations to all the women who were elected to both the Dáil and the Seanad in the recent election. I look forward to working with them all in the coming session and wish them all the best in their endeavours. In both Houses, we have the highest number of female Members elected in the history of the State. Here in the Seanad,...

Seanad: Care, Supports and Enhanced Provision of Services for Older People: Motion (5 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister of State for coming in here today. Last year in the budget the Government allocated €93 million for the housing adaptation grant for older people and those with disabilities. I welcome that. I also welcome the increase in the grant to €40,000, which means it is a 100% grant for those earning under €37,000. The extra €10,000 was a great...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Mar 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Last week, the Children's Rights Alliance published its annual report grading the last Government's performance in protecting children. While the report is to be credited with delivering a vital and necessary assessment, there is a major and shocking failure in it; in more than 300 pages, it makes virtually no mention or assessment of the almost 6,000 children in the care of Tusla. How can...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Civil Registration Service (27 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister and congratulate him on his ministerial role. I wish him well for many years ahead. I thank him for joining me this morning for this Commencement matter regarding the continued non-commencement of section 6 of the Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014. We were previously told that the legislation had not been commenced due to the needed correction of a technical...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Civil Registration Service (27 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister. Many fathers in this country have been waiting for this legislation for a very long time. I know there is now an issue in respect of training. This is my fourth or fifth time to bring a Commencement matter on this issue before various Ministers in recent years. I will be keeping an eye on this. If the Minister can give me some feedback on when the training will...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Civil Registration Service (27 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister.

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

Sharon Keogan: I will talk about the NAMA issue again and the management of Project Eagle. This report has taken seven years to complete, and while its findings exhibit ambiguity, they nonetheless highlight significant concerns regarding the way this country addresses conflicts of interest and transparency, especially in substantial financial transactions such as those involved Project Eagle. Although the...

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

Sharon Keogan: They are in the report. They are named in the report, so I am quite happy.

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

Sharon Keogan: That is no problem at all.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I wish to bring up the issue of housing and its impact on young people as well as our ongoing emigration crisis. Many people are already aware that the housing crisis is making life impossible for young Irish people, especially those just leaving college, yet, as always, we need to be reminded of this issue. For example, a recent article in District Magazine found that many young people are...

Seanad: Response to Storm Éowyn: Statements (26 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I am sharing time with Senator Joe Conway. The Minister of State is welcome. Across the country, we had close to 1 million buildings without electricity. There is estimated damage of over €200 million to homes, roads and infrastructure as well as over €500 million in damage to the timber and horticultural industries. In my home constituency of Meath East, there are still...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I formally request the presence of the Minister for arts, media and communication, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, before this Chamber to address a number of profoundly concerning developments that have transpired within his Department. I am not referring in this instance to the inherited €7 million IT controversy or the oversized scanner. The first matter pertains to the recent...

Seanad: Community Safety: Statements (25 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I thank him for joining us today to talk about community safety. We are here to talk about one of the most underacknowledged crises in the nation: the crisis of law and order. Many Irish people across the country feel that policing is virtually non-existent, criminality is allowed to run free and justice for victims is a distant ideal for regular...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I am delighted to see the Leader back in the Chair this term. With the increase in the Dáil numbers from 160 to 174, in recognition of our growing population, it would be wise to revisit our numbers within local government. In the 2014 local government reforms we reduced our local representation from 1,627 to 949. Our population in 2014 was 4.6 million and today we have a population...