Results 581-600 of 1,870 for speaker:Marie Sherlock

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I join Senator Flynn in calling for us to press on with this legislation at this stage. Many hours have been dedicated to this Bill. There have been issues, particularly with regard to definitions, but ultimately we in the Labour Party are supportive of the Bill and what it is trying to do, particularly when we see a rise in the number of reports of attacks driven by racism, homophobia and...

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I am very relieved we finally have this legislation and I thank the Minister for bringing it forward. In particular I pay tribute to the Irish Cancer Society and we have Suzanne Dowd and Krista Costello here today. I was struck when I listened to the experiences of Erica Tierney, Mary Canavan and Emma McGuinness, who spoke so movingly about having to forfeit their maternity leave because of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I extend my condolences to my Fianna Fáil colleagues and all her family on the passing of Mary O'Rourke, and also to our Fine Gael colleagues on the untimely recent passing of John Naughten. We have seen newspaper reports in recent days about one of our elected representatives in either the Upper or Lower House being, effectively, a Russian spy. That has been treated with a degree of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I absolutely appreciate that but it casts a cloud over us all-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: -----so it needs to be clarified whether there is an elected representative acting as a Russian spy or otherwise, notwithstanding if no law has effectively been broken. I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to take No. 12, Workplace Relations (Exemplary Damages, Unfair Dismissals and Other Provisions) Bill 2024 as the first item. The purpose of this Bill is effectively to bring...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: No.

Seanad: Workplace Relations (Exemplary Damages, Unfair Dismissals and Other Provisions) Bill 2024: First Stage (8 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I move: That leave be given to introduce the Bill entitled an Act to enable the award of exemplary damages in certain circumstances by adjudication officers of the Workplace Relations Commission and by the Labour Court; to make certain non-disclosure agreements unenforceable as against employees who have not received independent advice; to make amendments to the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (1 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, for taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. There is a certain irony to the fact that we are discussing the fate of the school building project for Gaelscoil Coláiste Mhuire on budget day, given that €4.9 billion has been spent on school building projects in the State since 2020 and yet this...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (1 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State. From what I have heard, we still have no date for completion. We hear that meetings are taking place and I am in contact with the school community, which is being informed of meetings, but we are not clear on what key changes are going to ensure the project is progressed. I have full respect for the Minister of State's campaign for Dún Laoghaire Educate...

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and thank him for being here today. As this current Government comes to the end of its term, the mark of any Government, indeed successive governments, is the permanent impact they leave on communities throughout this country. Fine Gael has been the common thread in Government since 2011 but we know that, particularly since 2016, we have seen...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I thank Mr. Conlon and all his team for attending the meeting today. I congratulate him on his appointment. It is regrettable that he is having to attend the committee in these circumstances. It is very sad for all the OPW staff across the country that such a cloud is being cast over the organisation now. Some excellent work is being done. Regarding the bike shelter, many people have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: The bollards cost €30,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: In the case of building a house, the costs include labour and materials. Is Ms Collier saying the cost of labour and materials for the bollards was €30,000?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I find this a bit strange. Everything should be itemised. Having this catch-all under the project does not seem acceptable. I move on to my second question. The scope of works was issued in 2023 and the final account report was issued to the OPW official in July 2024. Am I right in my understanding that there was no direct role by OPW officials in that 12-month period with regard to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: The OPW's documentation states that the scope of works was issued in 2023 and the final accounting report was issued in July 2024. It seems the intervening period was handled by contracted agents of the OPW. There does not appear to have been any direct oversight by an OPW official of the tender process and the assessment of quotes received during that time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: If a project such as that was to come before that official today and was just under the €200,000 threshold, it would not go to the board. Would a project such as this still go through today? Ms Collier is saying that there is a proper process in terms of the architect overseeing it. To me, even a cost of just under €200,000 would still be outrageous for a bike shelter. Could...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I am concerned there is not a common-sense check somewhere in the organisation that ultimately would have put in context that this is a bike shelter and not something more elaborate. On the specifications, I see that lights and charging points were part of the original specification and do not appear to have been delivered on. Were they paid for?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: Are they operational now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: The €336,151 is not the final figure for this bike shelter. There will be additional costs to make that operational into the future in terms of getting the fire certificates and all of that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Engagement with Office of Public Works (25 Sep 2024)

Marie Sherlock: I have a question for the Chairman. One of the things that really strikes me is that he said he will commission an external auditor to inform or advise as to how value for money can better inform practices in the organisation. With respect to Mr. Conlon, the OPW's bread and butter is spending money on maintenance and capital projects. Mr. Conlon's background within the public service has...