Results 61-80 of 133 for long speaker:Maria Byrne

Seanad: International Women's Day 2022: Statements (9 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...million in that regard. We have to support a greater work-life balance and we have to encourage women to come forward for election. This is something I feel very passionate about. Ireland has a very long history of strong women going back to before the establishment of the Republic, including the work of the Daly sisters and Countess Markievicz. In recent years, we have had two female...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Mar 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...can be very debilitating in that it is very painful. It is the cause of many people not being able to conceive. It sometimes takes up to seven and a half years to get a diagnosis, which is too long. It is important to highlight that this is endometriosis awareness month. If people feel they have symptoms they should seek an assessment and get checked. It is really important that we...

Seanad: Mental Health and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: Statements (24 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: .... This is not a solution. It is a stopgap or a hold but it is not an overall solution. Others have referred to the lack of counselling services. In the CHO 3 area the waiting lists are very long. Last March there were 2,700 children on waiting lists in our region. This is a huge number of children waiting to see a relevant person to have treatment or an assessment. I dealt with a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (22 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...also been included in the clinics. This is very welcome news. I thank the Minister of State and the Department for their commitment to women's health. It is an area that has been forgotten for a long time so it is very welcome news. The Minister of State also spoke about the inclusion of food banks. There are people in poverty who go to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and such...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...recently. There are talks of HIQA carrying out an independent investigation. Yet, University Hospital Limerick is topping the charts in terms of trolley numbers. It has been doing so consistently for a long time and certainly, something has to happen. I acknowledge the Minister met staff and senior management but I believe we need to have a fresh pair of eyes looking at University...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (2 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...of State for coming here to discuss this very important issue. The last time that I raised this question was in 2019 and at that stage, seven children in the mid-west were awaiting permanent long-stay beds. I am working with a family who have a daughter aged 11 who is non-verbal and bedridden, and they have carers who come to the house. The family cares for their daughter in the best...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (2 Feb 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...tabled this question. This child I am referring to is certainly in need of a critical care bed. The family has been told that is what they have been put forward for. Certainly, it has gone on so long at this stage that I believe that, as the Minister of State said, the family needs reassurance and they need an answer. It would be good even if they knew they will get a bed a year down...

Seanad: Broadband Roll-out: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

Maria Byrne: ...has been positive. I am delighted to see the schools being included because so many schools had a poor connection. As we know, connectivity and technology is used so much in education but, for a long time, despite so many iPads and different machines being operated in schools, the connectivity was very poor. The delay is a concern, particularly in light of working from home. On the...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2021: Second Stage (16 Dec 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...may have been laid off temporarily or lost their jobs and many people have seen so many changes. The Minister and her Department have stepped in and been able to facilitate and help those people along the way. I agree with the remarks of my colleague, Senator Buttimer, about the Irish Hotels Federation. There are 11,000 people affected because they cannot benefit from the employment...

Seanad: Maternity-Paternity Leave for County and City Councillors: Motion (7 Dec 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...coming out in this debate. It is time we encouraged young females to get involved. I am not taking from males, and I know the Minister of State is committed to this. He set up a committee not so long ago. Maybe he could tell us how that is going and if it is considering options. New Zealand has set a very good, robust example in respect of young females and maternity leave for female...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Health): Statements (1 Dec 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...centre was not working. We need a renewed campaign to get the message out. I have said before that when people see an advertisement ten times, it fades into the background and they no longer see the message. Some people still do not get the message so we need to find a new way of communicating the importance of getting vaccinated. While it is not proven that vaccination stops the...

Seanad: Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People: Statements (9 Nov 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...she brought to that whole visit together with the research she carried out herself. I also pay tribute to the staff in the CHO 3 area, which is the mid-west. St. Gabriel’s School and centre working alongside it form a private school and centre, and they are supported by a great deal of private fundraising. The Minister of State also announced two extra days for respite care,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Staff (14 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...up trolleys. University Hospital Limerick is in the newspapers every day of the week regarding the numbers of people on trolleys and waiting lists. If these posts were filled, it would go a long way towards alleviating that. It would ultimately be value for money and would give relief to the patient, who has to be at the centre of this. Many people with neurological conditions undergo...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021: Motion (6 Oct 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...of the 289 people who died from Covid in Limerick city alone. The fact is it is the job of the Minister and the Government to act in a responsible manner and to provide guidelines to help people along and to protect their lives and health. Therefore, I fully support the extension of the powers. When people go into a restaurant or any enclosed setting, they want to feel safe. The fact...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Airport Policy (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...they opened up or announced that they were locating in the mid-west, that it was down to education as well. We have three third level education institutions in the mid-west and they have helped, along with connectivity. Many aviation companies have opened in Limerick and around the Shannon area. There is everything from aircraft leasing to the education and training board putting on a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: .... We must consider introducing the following key aspects in the budget: increase the weekly carer's payment by €8; increase the carer's support grant to €2,000; provide a carer's pension to long-term family carers as many carers give up their jobs but when they reach retirement age they will not be entitled to anything due to making a reduced number of contributions; and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: I welcome the good news that, at long last, a chair has been appointed to Shannon Airport, a former Member of this House, Pádraig Ó Céidigh. I wish him all the best. He was an appropriate choice for the position given the economic situation and it being a driver for the region. I look forward to working with Pádraig. He is the right man for the job, so a good job was...

Seanad: Housing For All - a New Housing Plan for Ireland: Statements (29 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...the site. That is my one fear. I welcome the fact that local authorities have been given extra funding for the refurbishment of vacant homes. Some council properties have been lying vacant for a long time and we end up with many such sites in urban areas. We must look at this aspect. While there is an emphasis in this plan in that regard, we must also look at more stringent ways of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2021)

Maria Byrne: ...accommodation that was once used by asylum seekers and approximately 200 yd from the front entrance of Mary Immaculate College there is a boarded-up unit. We must think outside the box and for the long term. Many people might have taken in students in the past but are not doing so now because of Covid-19. It is certainly something we must consider seriously as the matter is not confined...