Results 61-80 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I was slightly late for the Order of Business this morning because I was attending a very powerful presentation by four trade unions: SIPTU, the Communications Workers Union, the Financial Services Union and Mandate. They have just launched their respect at work document, which is called Union Busting: An Inconvenient Truth. The document details something I always knew to be true but it...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima (23 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: No.

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima (23 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I welcome Mayor Matsui. It is great to have him here. His presence is extremely timely, given the current chaos in the world. I also commend Senator Currie on taking this initiative. Seventy-nine years ago, the US dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at a huge cost to human life. The attack on Hiroshima, coupled with the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I want to raise two issues. The first is disturbing news regarding the crisis in teacher recruitment. I heard the INTO's John Boyle on "Morning Ireland" yesterday. Mr. Boyle commands widespread respect and support when it comes to teaching. The figures are shocking. There are a thousand vacancies due to difficulties finding staff in our primary school network. More frightening still is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I welcome the Minister. It is nice to see her. I begin by wishing her well on her planned retirement. I congratulate her on her career in politics. At least she gets to plan her retirement. Some of us may have unplanned retirements in a few weeks' time. We wish the Minister well. I will touch on a couple points and I will not take up too much time. As Senator Craughwell said, it is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “Report on employer pay-related social insurance rebate 3. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on establishing an employer pay-related social insurance rebate scheme to provide support for businesses impacted by...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 2: In page 3, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: "Report on introducing a pay-related carers benefit payment 4. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on introducing a pay-related carers benefit payment for those people who have to give up work to care for someone. This would ensure that a carer does not see...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 3: In page 3, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “Report on introducing the proposed changes to carers allowance means test thresholds from 1 January 2025 4. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on introducing the changes to the income disregards from 1 January 2025 as opposed to July 2025.”.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 3, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following: “Report on abolishing the means test for carers allowance 4. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on abolishing the means test for carers allowance and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection within 1...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 5: In page 4, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “Report on extending parent’s leave and benefit 8. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on extending the full duration of parent’s leave and benefit by 4 weeks and that the report shall be presented to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister for the response. To be clear, the Sinn Féin proposal includes the awful situation of stillbirth but goes way beyond that. It would benefit parents who lose a child under the age of 18 years, including following a stillbirth and during pregnancy, irrespective of the length of their current employment. We all know people who have lost children, one of the most...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I acknowledge that. The broader point we made in our pre-budget submission for the past three years is that there should be parental bereavement leave for parents who lose a child under the age of 18 and it should consist of two weeks' pay. We think it has tremendous merit and we ask the officials and whoever comes after the Minister to consider this strongly as a proposal.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 4, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “Report on introducing a parental bereavement leave and benefit scheme 8. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on introducing a parental bereavement leave and benefit scheme to those parents who experience a stillbirth, set at the weekly rate in line with...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 7: In page 8, between lines 10 and 11, to insert the following: “Report on extending fuel allowance eligibility to working family payment recipients 14. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on introducing eligibility of the fuel allowance payment to recipients of the working family payment and that the report shall be...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: Sinn Féin supports the two amendments from Senator Higgins. There are issues of fundamental equality and fairness here. Senator Higgins explained it very well and they are worthy of support.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 11: In page 10, after line 35, to insert the following: “Report to ensure people aged 65 years of age have the right to retire on a State pension contributory 19. The Minister shall prepare and lay a report before the Houses of the Oireachtas on restoring the option on the right to retire for those aged 65 years of age on a State pension contributory and that...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: Well said.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 12: In page 10, after line 35, to insert the following: “Report on establishing a social welfare adequacy commission 19. The Minister shall carry out a review on establishing a social welfare adequacy commission in order to ensure social welfare rates meet a Minimum Essential Standard of Living (MESL) to study the effect that adequacy of social welfare rates...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Human Rights (15 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: No worries. I am always on the left. The Minister of State is very welcome. Last Sunday, thousands of protesters across Diyarbakr in Türkiye defied police restrictions and gathered to demand the release of imprisoned Kurdish leader, Abdullah Öcalan, and a democratic resolution to the Kurdish issue. The protestors mobilised in different areas of the city, resisting a ban...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Human Rights (15 Oct 2024)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Minister of State for his reply and I acknowledge the many good responses in it. I also wish to acknowledge the work of our team at the Council of Europe and at PACE in particular. There is a fair degree of frustration among my colleagues from the Kurdish community regarding the recent decision of the committee of ministers to postpone any action on the 2014 court decision...