Results 6,841-6,860 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Experience of Persons of Mixed Race in State Institutions: Mixed Race Irish (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the witnesses for coming. My colleagues have already thanked them and acknowledged their contribution to us in a very eloquent way, recognising the witnesses' own eloquence. I asked a couple of them today where they came from, and in doing that, I understood what has been said about that question, because even in asking it of them I felt discomfort, as though I were asking for an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Experience of Persons of Mixed Race in State Institutions: Mixed Race Irish (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I acknowledge what has been said about that. Perhaps it is an internalisation of those attitudes towards people of mixed race that I acknowledge in myself. I also hear how the witnesses have personally worked to challenge their own internalisation of an identity as people who have been oppressed. As a public representative and as an individual, I recognise them as Irish and acknowledge the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Appointment of Members of Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Motion (22 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for attending to address the joint committee on the motion. I echo the Chairman's comments on the process. The people the Minister is proposing to appoint are excellent choices and a great leader has been chosen as Chief Commissioner. We look forward to their being able to move forward in their planning process. I commend the fact that the Government had no role in...

Seanad: Budget 2015: Statements (14 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: People are tired of the daily discourse of austerity they have endured for the past seven years. They are angry and are protesting in their thousands and I do not believe this is merely about water charges. Ireland pursued a policy of massive social disinvestment during the austere period. During this time, Ireland knocked back the possibility of a good life for everyone, especially those...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I have a question for the Deputy Leader in regard to the announcement by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform on the revision of the model for ministerial appointments to State boards. As we are all aware, this revision was prompted by the questions raised by Members on both sides of Seanad Éireann about the lack of transparency in the past. According to his announcement, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: Gentlemen-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Logan for that response and I have one further comment. An argument could be made that when legislation comes before all the committees, they are already implicitly reviewing it from a human rights perspective and the question could be asked why we are making a big deal about this. An example would be when Ireland goes before a particular UN committee in terms of a convention,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: In light of the fact that she needs to leave, does Senator Bacik wish to make a comment now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: It is wonderful to welcome Ms Logan. I thank her for attending. A collective "Yay" was uttered - most appropriately - when we heard about her appointment. She described the process relating to her appointment in her presentation, which was both independent and very different from those which obtained in the past. She also outlined her concern with regard to the Toland report and whether...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank Ms Logan.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission: Commissioner Designate (8 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: My final question relates to something the Chairman stated earlier in respect of the committee's consideration of the possibility of including human rights within its remit, adding reference to the latter in its name and taking a specific role in this area. The Chairman has been extremely supportive and he and I met a number of commissioners designate during the earliest stages of the...

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister of State for her attendance and comments. I will begin my support for Senator Mary Ann O'Brien's motion by addressing the issue of semantics. According to the Government's amendment to our motion, water fluoridation is not medicinal. I looked up definitions of "medicine". A fairly standard one is "a drug or other preparation for the treatment or prevention of...

Seanad: Fluoridation of Water: Motion (1 Oct 2014)

Katherine Zappone: Every human has the right to "the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health", as articulated in the UN Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which we have signed. To ensure the health and safety of its residents, the Government must re-evaluate its law and policy in light of the recent emerging evidence to which Senators Mary Ann O'Brien and...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I have two questions for the Leader, one of which is related to the arts and the other to the Seanad. Since last Wednesday, as all Members are aware and as they just have been reminded by Senator Darragh O'Brien, there has been an ongoing public controversy about the disrespect - the Senator used the word "disrepute" - paid both to the arts and to the Seanad in light of John McNulty's...

Seanad: Access to Educational and Other Opportunities for People with Disabilities: Motion (24 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, and thank him for his comprehensive statement on the commitment of the Government and the extraordinary work of all the policymakers, civil servants and providers of services for people with disabilities. I commend Senator Moran on her introduction of this motion. It is an important debate. I welcome Mr. John Dolan, chief...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: In light of the unfolding controversy about the abortion guidelines published by the Department of Health last Friday as well as the HSE's report on Ms Y's case, made public by RTE's "Prime Time" last night, I have some questions for the Minister for Health. As responsible law makers no doubt we all have questions for the Minister for Health. It is imperative that we are provided with an...

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, and congratulate him on his appointment. Like many others, I believe he can bring about change in this arena. I welcome the visitors. Their presence makes a difference to us. It also makes a difference to the debate and I believe it will make a difference to the impact of the debate. I thank the visitors for being...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: Let me ask, then, on behalf of the Irish people where is even the legislation for reform of the university constituencies of the Seanad? If we do not finish this within the next few months even the university community will not have been reformed when some very few Irish people, mostly politicians, vote for the 25th Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome everyone back. I hope everyone is rested. We have so much to do. There is not very much time to do it all. If we are to do it properly, we must see the deep thinking and robust debate that the people deserve from the Houses of the Oireachtas. Why are only two Bills scheduled for debate in the Seanad this week?

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Sep 2014)

Katherine Zappone: There has been a good long break since the last time we sat. Given that the budget debate is central now, I would like the Leader to ask the Minister for Finance to come to the House for a discussion. Last weekend, I participated in a great public debate at the Kennedy Summer School with the Minister, Deputy White, and Deputies Sean Fleming and Creighton. Such debates should be happening...