Results 41-60 of 149 for speaker:Patricia Stephenson

Seanad: Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: We have heard phrases like "confusion", "uncertainty", "doubt", "ambiguity", "chaos" and "mess" used in the past week to describe the new rental regulations. When these words are used to describe new regulations, we know the Government is not doing its job. The Government has failed renters for too many years. While we in the Social Democrats support the expansion of rent pressure zones in...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I move amendment No. 6: In page 7, line 18, after “2002,” to insert “such a service to be provided by professionals with expertise in institutional abuse and forced family separation,”. This amendment focuses on the quality of professional support that survivors receive, recognising their specific needs and the professional experience counselling providers...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I want to read the text of the amendment into the record myself, which is Senator Boyhan's recommendation for amendments that are ruled out of order. I recognise that there is a potential cost on the Exchequer regarding the HAA card rather than the enhanced medical card that is provided to survivors. I would like to speak about the experience of many survivors when they access services...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I move amendment No 15: In page 8, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(2) Where a survivor living abroad receives the once off health support payment, it shall not count as income for the purposes of means tested benefits or entitlements in the country where the survivor resides.”. This amendment relates to the many survivors who, as Senator Boyhan...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Committee Stage (19 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I appreciate that the wording of the amendment would tie the Minister to obligations that are outside her remit. Before Report Stage, will she look at finding a wording that would hold the Department to a commitment to ongoing dialogue with neighbouring states, in recognition of the large number of Irish citizens, as Senator Boyhan described so eloquently, who were forced to flee there...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: It is better than Stephanie. I get Stephanie a lot. The rise in hate speech in recent years both online and offline is very real, measurable and corrosive and causes great harm to those who fall victim to it. In 2022 alone the Garda reported a 29% increase in hate speech and hate-related incidents. Marginalised communities, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities...

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I will share time if the other Senator makes it in time. I thank the Minister. Grace was failed over and over again by the State. The people who were supposed to protect Grace failed her. The whistleblowers who came forward time and again were also failed. While we hope that Grace is now living a better life, the failure of the State has not ended with her experience in foster care....

Seanad: Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: You are welcome. We need comprehensive safeguarding legislation and we need to allow State bodies to conduct unannounced inspections, obtain court orders to enter and remove individuals where necessary, receive and act on reports of abuse and advocate for the rights of adults at risk, among a range of measures. We need mandatory reporting, much like we have with the child safeguarding...

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. I also thank the committee for inviting members of the foreign affairs committee to join the meeting. It is important to highlight that no assessment was done on the impact of the omnibus on the CSRD and the CSDDD at European level. A complaint has been filed and an inquiry is under way into the fact there has been no impact assessment. It was noted that...

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I do-----

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I do think that the CSDDD puts a ceiling on that. Sorry, we are running out of time. The term "plausible information" is a highly problematic legal concept that is not defined under EU law. That then puts the burden on NGOs and civil society stakeholders to identify those challenges within the supply chain, so "plausible information" is not really substantive enough.

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Going back to the earlier point, Mr. Forde said Ireland is in favour of an EU-wide civil liability regime.

Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (18 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I feel that not having that EU-backed liability scheme, which the omnibus in its process removes, would actually lead to enforcement of fragmentation. That would be my perspective on it. I will not take up too much of the witnesses' time. I agree with a lot of people that we have not had a huge amount of time to scrutinise and discuss this. I am delighted to have been invited as a member...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the witnesses for their introductory comments. Given that countries in the global south are pushing for this UN debt mechanism, what are the kinds of impacts that the witnesses foresee more broadly around multilateralism if that were not achieved in terms of the existing relationships we have on a global scale and how reliant we are on the multilateral system to be effective? Some...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Will the representatives briefly discuss the issue of the importance of funding going into a country, but also the specific impact funding cuts are going to have on local organisations? Ms McKenna spoke about women's organisations. How will those cuts impact them and perhaps lead to their eventual disappearance or eradication? Deputy Brennan talked a little about funding going to NGOs as...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I support Senator O’Loughlin’s contribution on the condemnation of Hungary Pride. It would be fantastic to have a debate on this issue. I have already raised it at the Council of Europe and will continue to do so. It is a big issue. I ask for a discussion on further action that we can take regarding Gaza, and particularly what the Minister could do to work with member...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am down to share time. The others might turn up while I am speaking.

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Thank you. When the State brought forward a scheme that focused on managing legal liability rather than the human rights needs of survivors, we had limits, delays and exclusions. It forced survivors to prove themselves again, to plead and to be retraumatised. This Government has had multiple opportunities to do the right thing regarding survivors, and every time it seems to choose the...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I support Senator Flynn's Bill. I know she has been working on it for a long time. It is a really important issue that brings us in line with things like the Luxembourg guidelines. Obviously, words matter. The power of words in legislation reflects our society, which is why the change she is introducing is so important. It is long overdue. It confronts language that we have tolerated...