Results 81-100 of 827 for speaker:Mark Wall

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: Section 321(3) states, "The External Oversight Body shall be independent in the performance of its functions." The Labour Party has a problem, as pointed out to the Minister in the Dáil, with the Secretary General, whoever that may be at the time, being an ex officio member of this external oversight body. The simple reason for our objection is we are looking for an independent...

Seanad: Civil Registration (Electronic Registration) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Bill and I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As my two colleagues have said, this Bill is very timely given what occurred during the Covid pandemic. It is also very timely for those who have experienced a stillbirth. I have dealt with several families that have unfortunately gone through this process. It is very welcome that such people will no longer have to make...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2024: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank our guests this evening. Obviously, I am interested in this. I introduced a Bill in the Seanad to try to address this matter when we dealt with Johnny O'Meara down in Tipperary. Like Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, I welcome the Government moving quickly to draw up this very important general scheme. I want to talk about arrears. On foot of the Bill we introduced in the Seanad and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2024: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I am sorry. I am back again. We did an awful lot of work with Treoir. As the witnesses said, people coming to us that had gone through hard times. There are many people waiting to see if ex gratia payments or arrears are going to be provided for in the eventual Bill. In whatever way it can do it, the Government has to facilitate such payments. A lot of people suffered as a result of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2024: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I am happy with that response. The important point for me is that the surviving partner has to provide that information to outline whether it was five years without children or two years with children. As has been said, it is already working. We have to be careful that we define that in the eventual Bill. We must also ensure that we do not set about reinventing a wheel. As has been said...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: General Scheme of the Social Welfare (Bereaved Partner's Pension) Bill 2024: Discussion (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: The question has already been asked, but I wanted to ask Mr. Duggan again, because I am aware of cases over multiple years prior to 22 January this year. I want it confirmed again that they will get a payment from 22 January 2024 onwards. One case I am aware of has gone on for almost ten years since the partner passed away. Does Mr. Duggan see it happening in that case? Another question I...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I, too, welcome the Minister of State. I thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting this matter. It is always important in debates such as this to put on the record the very proud history of St. Vincent's Hospital, Athy. It can trace its history back to the opening of the Athy workhouse on 9 January 1844, an event that came just in time to relieve some of the harshest effects of the Famine in...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Policy (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply. The middle of the reply tells us that it is anticipated that the project could commence on site in quarter one of 2025, which is the news that the people of south Kildare really wanted to hear. I note that this is dependent on the final decision and the review of the tender process, which is standard enough practice for all major...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister to the House this evening. The Labour Party welcomes the introduction of a pay-related benefit for jobseekers. It is after all a good workers' rights issue. As a party, we have long called for such a measure to be introduced and we anticipate strong support from various stakeholders, not least from those workers themselves. As my colleague, Deputy Duncan Smith,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I congratulate Senator Kyne and wish him the very best of luck in his new role in the remaining term of the Seanad. I wish Senator O'Hara well in the upcoming election. Yesterday, I chaired much of the debate on surrogacy in this country. I congratulate all those who took part in it, particularly Senator Seery Kearney, who is with us this morning and who did considerable work on...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: Much like Senator Boyhan, I am on both sides, but I have chosen to stay on the left. I make this presentation today on behalf of Deputy Bacik, leader of the Labour Party, who, unfortunately, cannot be with us today. It has been 125 years since the first local elections were held in Ireland, and there is a case to be made that now, more than ever in those 125 years, we need a fundamental...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I will not ask any questions but will make a couple of comments on what we heard today. I thank everybody for coming in. This has been an informative discussion. Deputy Murphy mentioned regional assemblies. It is a serious issue as to where they fit in the future of local government. I would love an answer from the Ministers of State on where Government sees regional assemblies. The...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (26 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: That is covered in a different section which we will come to.

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (26 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I ask the Senator to speak to the section. We are on section 54.

Seanad: Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (25 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. There are a number of sections which he has outlined in his initial speech which I would like to discuss with him here. A very helpful note was sent out to us by the Library and Research Service, which informed us that this Bill amends a number of Acts to facilitate the following changes. First, it is to allow an increase in the number of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I too wish to be associated with congratulating Senators Doherty and Boylan. I congratulate Senators Blaney, Chambers and Gavan for putting their names forward as well. I wish to take up the last point made by my colleague with regard to spoiled votes. The issue I wish to raise is those ballots that were not stamped, which is a huge issue for us. Those people did the right thing. When...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (18 Jun 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State with responsibility for defence into the House today. I believe it is her first debate here on defence. It is very important that she is here. I welcome the comments made by the Tánaiste earlier before he left the House. Not for the first time in this House I will raise the issue of recruitment and retention. Indeed, it has been raised by colleagues...

Seanad: Housing Commission Report: Motion (29 May 2024)

Mark Wall: I thank the Senator. Senator John Cummins is next. The Senator has six minutes.

Seanad: Housing Commission Report: Motion (29 May 2024)

Mark Wall: I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House. I thank the Sinn Féin Senators for bringing forward this very important motion. I brought up this issue under the Order of Business last week when the report of the commission was published and I asked for a debate on it. The Labour Party is very glad to speak on it tonight. There can be no doubt, as has been said already by people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on Carer’s Allowance and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (29 May 2024)

Mark Wall: I welcome all our guests. Like Deputy Ó Laoghaire, I welcome Ms Skelly, in particular. I thank Ms Skelly, Ms Bailey and Ms Maher for their testimonies. As we always say here, lived testimony is very important when it comes to everything we do here. It was very important for us to hear their testimonies this morning. I have encountered multiple issues with carer's allowance in the...