Results 41-60 of 2,105 for speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (30 Sep 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I wish to address the findings of the latest NOAC report. While there are many causes to be optimistic with this good report, I feel it is necessary, considering we are in the midst of a housing crisis, to highlight some of the more alarming findings. Let us look at the facts. Over 4,251 social housing units sat vacant at the end of 2024. Meanwhile, families are sleeping in cars, in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Sep 2025)

Sharon Keogan: The tragic case of young Daniel Aruebose has shaken the nation. A little boy, once in Tusla's care, vanished from sight for years without anyone raising the alarm. Only when a welfare irregularity was noticed did questions emerge, far too late. This is not simply an individual tragedy, it is a systemic failure. Tusla had Daniel on its radar and engaged with his family, and then closed the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Sep 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I rise with a deep sense of frustration and disappointment at the state of our so-called democracy. The current nomination process for the Irish presidential election has become nothing short of a closed shop, a club for the political elite where the will of the people is secondary to the interests of party machines. Let us call it what it is - a partisan stitch-up. The directives from the...

Seanad: Migration: Statements (23 Sep 2025)

Sharon Keogan: We keep hearing that Ireland is a small country with big ambitions but ambition without honesty is just spin. On immigration and housing, honesty means admitting a simple arithmetic truth. The volume of arrivals year after year is colliding with a housing system that is barely delivering the homes we need. Let me be absolutely clear: Ireland is in the midst of a housing crisis that is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: International Protection Accommodation Service: Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (23 Sep 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Chair for letting me in. I have just a couple of questions. Maybe they have been asked already. In relation to the airline fines, how much has the Department gained on the airline fines? What is the increase in the number of gardaí in the people trafficking unit? Has the Minister increased the numbers there? I would appreciate it if the Minister would give me an...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Last Friday evening, the Department of Health published its report on the number of abortion notifications received for 2024. The figure, totalling 10,852, is the highest yet on record. It represents a 63% increase in the abortion rate in 2024 by contrast with 2019, when 6,666 abortion notifications were received. To put it more starkly, newly released data means that at least one in six...

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: There is something on the desk here. What is it? I cannot make it out. Is it a figure?

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I am afraid the Cathaoirleach is going to have to keep going because this is my first round. I welcome all the witnesses and thank them for all the work they have done to date on this legislation. I will get straight on to the question for Ms Barry and Mr. Bowes. FLAC argues that the rising levels of discrimination require stronger legislation, yet Ireland's equality laws have expanded...

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Is Ms Barry saying that the current laws suffice but people do not know those protections are in place?

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: If there was an education policy in respect of employment law in this country and people knew exactly what they were entitled to, does FLAC think the law, as it currently stands, would deal with the issues?

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I know that.

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I will now ask Mr. Joyce some questions. As a trade union confederation, ICTU's core mission is to protect workers' rights in areas such as pay, conditions and job security. Will Mr. Joyce explain why ICTU is advocating for the inclusion of gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics in the equality legislation? How does this align with the organisation's mandate to...

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: This question is for Ms Walsh. She argued that the burden of enforcing equality law should not rest on individuals and that civil society organisations should be empowered to take cases on their behalf. However, does this not risk turning the legal process into a tool for activist litigation, potentially disconnected from the actual experience or wishes of those affected? How does she...

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: It is systemic.

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I thank Ms Walsh very much. The Add the 10th Alliance proposed a definition of social economic status that includes factors like accent, address and education level. However, given the broad and sometimes subjective nature of these indicators, how does it ensure this does not create legal uncertainty or open a door to overly expansive claims that are difficult to adjudicate fairly? For...

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I see that in the submission now. The witnesses have taken care in aligning their recommendations to international best practice. I commend them on that. Have they researched the outcomes in other European countries? For example, in France and Britain, the socioeconomic background protections have not significantly reduced educational or employment disparities.

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: I do not have time for the last question. I have to leave as I have to go to another meeting. I thank the witnesses. I will listen to all the other contributions.

Committee on Children and Equality: General Scheme of the Equality (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Would FLAC require more funding to deal with this?

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Many people think that we are all going on holidays tomorrow until the middle of September and that is it, but an awful lot of work goes on behind the scenes both in this House and back in our constituencies that people might not be aware of. As part of that, I acquired a young man who previously worked in Senator McDowell's office, Padraig Monaghan, to do a little bit of work with the...

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Sharon Keogan: Hear, hear.