Results 61-80 of 600 for at speaker:Marian Harkin

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: When I spoke on the family referendum in the Dáil a few weeks ago, I agreed that we need to widen the definition of the family in the Constitution to include, for example, one-parent families, non-married families, grandmothers and grandchildren and so forth. Like many others who spoke in the Dáil that day, who were mostly women I might add, while supporting the aspirations of the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Disability Services (29 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: I am pleased to hear that and that the funding is ring-fenced. It is important to note that when the Minister of State attended that meeting, the parents and friends had already fundraised €300,000. That was already in the bank. I have looked at the minutes of 11 different meetings in October and December 2022 and in May, June, September, November and December 2023. On...

Healthcare Provision in Rural Communities: Motion [Private Members] (21 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: I sympathise with Deputy Michael Collins and his family on the tragic death of his nephew. I thank the Rural Independent Group for tabling this motion on the significant and ever-increasing gaps in healthcare provision in rural communities. Over two thirds of rural GPs are unable to take on new patients and there are waiting times of up to two weeks for non-emergency appointments. In...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: Apologies for missing the opening statements, but I have read them. I have a few questions. I will go over ground that other people trod on earlier but which is still in my mind. How does the commission see itself distinguishing between misinformation or disinformation and political messaging or statements that simply go too far and stretch the elastic? I will not deal with the current...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: -----is the bad guy or the right-wing person or whatever. We all think our perspective is the right one. In that context, I was very pleased to hear Mr. O'Leary say, although I expected it, that not only is the commission politically blind but media blind. It has to be. While many trusted sources of information may reflect accurate stats, facts or whatever, again, they may only reflect...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combatting Disinformation: Discussion (21 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: The vote is clear. Nonetheless, this would be to try and stop that kind of thing happening. You would have the first booth that would clearly be for one referendum and a second booth for the other. As I said, it might not work logistically but I do think it is something that could be looked at, because sometimes people do not know which is which.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Defective Building Materials (15 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: ..., when does the Minister propose to formally include County Sligo in the defective concrete blocks grant scheme? In June 2021, I put forward an amendment to a motion to include County Sligo in that scheme and it was carried overwhelmingly in this House. Over the past two years, I have had many letters from the Minister's Department and to be fair, the Minister has always responded...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (14 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: We now have the totally unacceptable and unbelievable situation where a new €37.6 million community hospital in Ballyshannon, with 52 long-stay beds, 20 short-stay beds, eight dementia-specific assessment beds and a day hospital service, has been ready to open its doors for several weeks now. However, because of a dispute between the HSE, SIPTU and the INMO on planned staffing levels...

Business Costs for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Motion [Private Members] (14 Feb 2024)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Regional Group for highlighting the crisis that is facing so many micro, small and medium-sized businesses, which everyone says are the backbone of this country. The crisis is one that threatens their very ability to remain viable or, in simple terms, to just keep their doors open. As in life, I accept that there is no certainty in business. None. However, businesses have to...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (31 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: ...our forests. We have planting beside power lines and under power lines, with sally trees toppling over and taking down the wires. There is complete chaos. ESB crews came from Scotland to assist at huge cost. I hear that some got lost in the forest trying to find power lines, and when they located them, the set-aside was overrun with briars and it was almost impossible to access....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: I again raise the matter of the parents of Salem Gharbia, who are in a camp in Gaza with no medication or access to food or clean water. In fact, their lives are in constant danger. This morning, I received a written response to a question I put to the Tánaiste on this issue where he told me that if an Irish citizen, for example, Salem himself, was in Gaza, his dependent parents could...

Committee on Public Petitions: Campaign for a Walking and Cycling Greenway on the Closed Railway from Sligo to Athenry: Discussion (25 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: I will be brief. I thank the Chair for letting me in. Apologies for arriving late. I cannot better what has been said. The guests have stated it clearly. The presentations have been reasonable. It is not a question of either-or. It is about what we can do now that will make a difference and that does not preclude what could happen in the future. That is a reasonable way of doing it...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: The Taoiseach is disappointed. I am disappointed that he did not engage. I am disappointed that he did not respond to the real concerns that I hear from people. This is dividing people. I will not be lectured. At the last public meeting that I attended, vile slurs were spoken against migrants and I was the only public representative who called them out. I can tell the Taoiseach that...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (24 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: Taoiseach, last November I asked you as Taoiseach, as leader of our country, to lead what I hoped would be an open, honest, factual and respectful debate on immigration. So far this has not happened. In my view, until we treat our citizens as adults and trust them with all the facts - the nice stuff we want them to hear and the hard facts, the tough stuff that is difficult - people will get...

Gaza and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: It is sometimes difficult to know what the best thing to say is when it comes to any discussion on Gaza. There is lots we can say. We have had a number of debates at this point. As I have said, there is plenty to say but the question sometimes is what is the best thing to say. What will help or make any difference to a very difficult situation? To me, the most valuable contribution we...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Facilities (18 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: 28. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on progress on the new 42-bed medical block at Sligo University Hospital, which was due to start construction before the end of 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1599/24]

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: I will support both the Government's amendments to the Constitution. I will do so with reservations but sometimes you have to look at the bigger picture and the greater good. All my political life, I have campaigned for adequate support for family carers and all that entails. Family carers, I have always said, along with volunteers, are the glue that holds our society together. They allow...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach: Capital Supply Service and Purpose Report Bill 2023: Discussion (17 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: Thank you. First of all, I thank Deputy Shanahan for this initiative. It is very positive and, as he said himself, it is a start. The Deputy used the word "gentle" twice and it certainly is that, but he wants to get this across the line and that is the most important thing. Legislation, if it is put in place, can be amended afterwards. It depends on who is in government and whether they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Ambassador of Belgium to Ireland (17 Jan 2024)

Marian Harkin: Apologies from me as well. I have three questions for the ambassador. If any of them have been covered already, that is fine. Where are we with the self-employed platform workers directive at the moment? Is there anything on that? I know there was no agreement before Christmas as the Spanish Presidency was unable to conclude. I know that in general, Belgium is a country that looks very...