Results 61-80 of 425 for at speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Sharon Keogan: The Minister is very welcome to the House. I note the Electoral Commission states the following on its official website: The Government has announced its intention to hold two Constitutional Referendums on 8 March, 2024. Legislation to confirm the wording of each referendum is now being considered by both Houses of the Oireachtas. It is like the Government is ready to press the "send"...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Sharon Keogan: It is no secret that many people think this Bill and the referendums that will be held on foot of it are a gigantic waste of money and time. I am sick to the teeth of this Government frittering away its time and resources on complete non-issues while continuing policies that inflame the actual problems of this country that people want to see fixed. The Government is putting these dual...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...over the last number of years in the Houses. He is an absolute gentleman. I also want to praise our Seanad staff and all the staff in the Houses of the Oireachtas for the contribution that they make every day. I attended a peace convention on Monday in Tipperary town, and Sabina Higgins was one of the guest speakers. It was lovely to hear Senator Higgins calling for peace here this...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I have serious concerns about this Bill. I believe its inevitable outcome will be to deny women the option of availing of lifesaving supports when they need them most. This criminalisation is far too sweeping, particularly when considering the sheer number of safe access zones that this law would create, covering every GP clinic, hospital and family planning centre, irrespective of whether...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I would like to have a debate in this House after the Christmas recess on the two forthcoming referendums that the Government announced on the proposed constitutional change to the definition of a "family" and on the manner in which women and the role of women in society are represented in Bunreacht na hÉireann. Personally, I cannot believe we are wasting time and money on this. I have...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (13 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister for her patience. It is great to get a Minister into a House at any time to discuss legislation, and she has been very patient listening to what she has had to listen to here for almost three and a half hours. I thank her for her patience. On the capital plan, will that include the building of prisons, as well as building or improving Garda stations? Does it include a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I raise the issue of Ireland's future and what the Government’s plans for it are. Two areas of importance relate to the brain drain and birthrates. It is no secret that many Irish people and foreign nationals are educated in Ireland at the taxpayers' expense only to move abroad and take their education, experience and social capital elsewhere. While, of course, the free legal...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I thank Senator Chambers for poking us all on this particular issue. The Garda Reserve is a very valuable resource in this country that is absolutely not tapped into. I thank Senator Boyhan for his contribution. This is an issue that Senator McDowell has been raising for the last number of years and nothing has been done - absolutely nothing has been done on this. The Garda Commissioner...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I appreciate the difficulty the Minister has had in getting trainees on board. It is hard. When it comes to trainees, we must make being a garda a job worth applying for. In this regard, the remuneration is very important, but so is having a proper pension. These new gardaí are on the post-2013 pension provision. Those joining the Garda now, compared with those who joined the force...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (7 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister of State. I am looking for an update on what assessment of need has been carried out by the Department of Education with regard to a new secondary school for the Duleek area. More than a year and a half ago I laid out a case for a new secondary school, in a Commencement matter which was answered by Deputy English. Figures from the Central Statistics Office, CSO,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: Would the Minister like to make a statement regarding Twitter and what it has said? I do not know if anyone asked that question already. Will the Minister give me a definition of what she considers the far right? Regarding the attestations taking place, on 29 November on the Fine Gael website, there was a post saying that the Minister for Justice, Deputy Helen McEntee, had fast tracked...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I move: “That Seanad Éireann: acknowledges that: - Ireland has a very weak system of local government in comparison to other European countries, according to a recent report carried out by the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities (CLRAE); Ireland’s system of local government is too limited and centralised; - members of the Local...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister of State so much for coming in here this evening to deal with this motion. I thank him for not opposing the motion as well. Could we have a copy of his speech? I know that most of it was off the cuff but that would be excellent so we can circulate it to our councillors around the country. I thank the Government parties for not opposing this motion. I thank the 13...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: -----at that facility.

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. I thank the Fine Gael Senators for tabling this motion and for giving us the opportunity to have a debate about the real issues at play. In the hope of not being constantly hounded for qualifications to my following statement, here they are all in front of the House. Racism is abhorrent. Violence is wrong. Crime should be punished. With that out of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...numbers just were not there to meet the need on the streets last week. Officers were called in from all over the place. Many of them simply got into their cars to help their colleagues in need at the time. How will this issue be addressed in the long term? Recruitment and retention are issues within An Garda Síochána. Community policing is at the heart of what the Garda...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I will try to stick to my script in case I actually say something that might really offend somebody. Many political leaders reacted to the horrific attack on the children last Thursday by saying it was a shock attack that no-one could have seen coming. Of course, this is untrue. Most of us with our heads not buried in the sand knew this was coming. Many Irish people have been unhappy with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: Safeguarding Medical Professionals: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I will speak to the ICGP and the INMO. I remember having a conversation with my uncle, who happens to be a priest. We discussed the best way to die. He said it does not matter what road people take; death is never easy. The ICGP has laid out a roadmap and outlined the engagement it has had with its members. Its representatives have laid out the various forums it has held and the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (21 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: Earlier this year, I called for a debate on Ireland opting out of the amendments to five articles in the international health regulations that were adopted on 27 May 2022 by the World Health Assembly. On that day, 194 unelected, unaccountable and largely unknown delegates to the assembly from WHO member states agreed on amendments to five separate articles of the international health...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Healthcare Policy (21 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: I appreciate the attempt at reassurance on where our health service is going to be going forward. However, it does not give me any comfort. The media has been entirely silent on this. If it were not for a few good people with their ears to the ground, all of Ireland would be ignorant of what is happening over on the Continent, where laws are being made which will drastically impact the...