Results 961-980 of 994 for speaker:Emer Currie

Seanad: Living with Covid-19 Restrictions: Statements (Resumed) (18 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: Last week I spoke about directors of nursing in nursing homes. These directors have years of experience doing assessments for tests for all of the other viral infections except Covid-19 but must go through GPs who do not necessarily visit homes every day. While I might call my GP and organise a test quite quickly, directors of nursing cannot do so. I can also call my out-of-hours service...

Seanad: Traveller Accommodation: Statements (17 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I am not an expert on Travellers' rights but I deeply care about equal rights and opportunities and I am willing to learn from the experience of people in the Chamber. I grew up close to a halting site in west Dublin, living for over ten years with a halting site 200 m away from my house. We were all good neighbours. I would like if all communities could be the same way. From an early...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: On the revision of the work plan, I see that one of the titles has been removed, namely, the reconciliation legacy issues and dealing with the past. I feel this needs to be a headline within the work plan for the issues such as the Stormont House Agreement. It is a sensitive year. Reconciliation is an ongoing priority for all of us and it should be a cause in its own right.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: Is that on the work plan?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I welcome the witnesses; it is lovely to meet them virtually. I am feeling very positive about the shared island unit. I particularly like the fact that there are different aspects to it including dialogue, research and an investment and development fund, which is about putting our money where our mouth is. I congratulate the Taoiseach in that regard. His speech has started things off in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I will be quick.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: The new work plan that was circulated had removed the title "Reconciliation, Legacy Issues and Dealing with the Past". I just felt it important that it should be there as a header point, given the changes that were published in March from the secretary of state regarding legacy and where we are with the report from the Northern Ireland affairs committee. In general, dealing with...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (12 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I am not suggesting that anything else that is in there should be taken away, but it should be in there as a header point.

Seanad: Political Donations: Motion (11 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I second the motion.

Seanad: Political Donations: Motion (11 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: Recent weeks have shown that Sinn Féin is willing to make four individuals in its party accountable for their actions but as an organisation, is it willing to be accountable for its actions? Is it willing to answer questions about its financial culture? This motion is an opportunity to do so. Sinn Féin is a party of contradictions. It prides itself on standing up for ordinary...

Seanad: Living with Covid-19 Restrictions: Statements (10 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: I welcome the Minister of State. I wish to speak about nursing homes, particularly those that were directly affected by Covid-19 during the first wave. Normally, the director of nursing in a home can do an assessment test for viral infections and does not have to go through a GP. However, that is not the case when it comes to Covid-19. I might ring my GP and get a test very quickly but...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2020)

Emer Currie: Next Monday is equal pay day. We look forward to the #WorkEqual campaign run by the Dress for Success group. Equal pay day underlines the inequality between men and women and their pay. The average pay gap in Ireland is 14.4%. Technically, Monday, 9 November is the day on which women stop being paid for the work that they do. Women are disproportionately over-represented in lower paid...

Seanad: Budget 2021: Statements (14 Oct 2020)

Emer Currie: I congratulate the Minister on yesterday's budget. The purpose of it was clear to me, namely, to save lives and livelihoods and I think it will be successful in that regard. I have a couple of specific points that were not the Minister's primary focus yesterday but I will take the opportunity to keep them on the agenda. There is an issue affecting the north west and the Border area and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (8 Oct 2020)

Emer Currie: I touched base with them and they are eager to come but with the restrictions, they have to be careful. It would be beneficial if any documentation could be shared not just with members of the committee but also with people who are eligible to attend, if there is the facility to do that. That might help.

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Emer Currie: I was going to raise three issues but will confine myself to just one. The Government's resilience and recovery plan is premised on doing everything we can to keep schools and childcare provision open. As it transpires, minding children is the glue that keeps us together, except when it comes to maternity services. I am sure the Minister of State has heard the expression "happy mama, happy...

Seanad: Statutory Right to Sick Leave Pay: Motion (7 Oct 2020)

Emer Currie: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after “That Seanad Éireann:” and substitute the following: “welcomes: - the recent introduction of a new social insurance-based paid parental benefit scheme and extended parental leave rights; - the Government’s intention to examine a further extension of this leave in response to Covid-19 and acknowledges that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (29 Sep 2020)

Emer Currie: Senator Emer Currie.

Seanad: School Transport, Leaving Certificate 2020 and Reopening of Schools: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister for her time today and for her efforts over the past few months. I am aware that she is in demand so I will have to give her a whistle-stop tour of the issues affecting Dublin West. What can be done about the removal of the sibling-first admission policy in primary schools which has been undertaken by the archdiocese in Dublin? I realise this relates only to schools...

Seanad: Withdrawal Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Motion (23 Sep 2020)

Emer Currie: I welcome the Minister of State. It is good to see him here and it is lovely to be in this Chamber for the first time. I thank the Fianna Fáil Party for proposing the motion. Breaking the law, bending the truth and acting in bad faith are not words that any modern democracy should want to be associated with, and yet here we are debating the actions of the UK Government doing just that....

Seanad: Withdrawal Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Motion (23 Sep 2020)

Emer Currie: Whether it is under Sunningdale or the Good Friday Agreement, power sharing is an essential part of reconciliation and building a shared future. Communities work together for communities, solving problems, creating opportunities, building the future and showing that democracy works. After three years of unnecessary deadlock and political impasse, it is vital that these powers be protected....