Results 1,121-1,140 of 1,195 for speaker:Erin McGreehan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I extend my best wishes to everyone on St. Patrick's Day. It will be a different St. Patrick's Day this year, like last year, but hopefully we will make the most of it. This morning, I want to raise the issue, again, of gender-based violence. This week, like most weeks, we have heard horrendous stories about women being raped, sexually assaulted and beaten up.The victim might then be...

Seanad: Family Leave Bill 2021: Second Stage (12 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: It is great see the Minister in the House again to discuss this positive issue. It is timely that this Bill is before us on international women's week. Many parents have been contacting us about increased adoptive leave so it is great to be able to give a timeline to them. To respond to Senator Mullen's comment that a family is founded in reality when it is a man and woman, that view is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Nothing About Us Without Us - Achieving Equal Rights and Equity for Women with Disabilities: Discussion (9 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I thank all the witnesses and wish them all a very happy International Women's Week. I feel blown away and emotional following all of the contributions, which have highlighted why this committee is so important and how it can make issues visible. Visibility is the problem. For too long, the needs of people with difference in this country have been invisible. I have learned so much from...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disease Management (8 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: As a sufferer of endometriosis, I know it is a tremendous disease. It takes over one's body and mind. One deals with pain several times each month. It is incredible. I am one of the lucky ones because I know what is wrong with me. There are thousands of women who do not know what the problem is. They are told by their doctors that it is a normal pain. It is not normal. As Senator...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disease Management (8 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I want the Minister of State to bring the issue of the €2.5 million in funding for the critical care unit in the Rotunda Hospital back to the Minister. It is the world's oldest maternity hospital and that is all that is needed for it to move forward to the next stage and to get its standard of care up to a modern level. Some 3,000 people are on the waiting list for care in the...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I stand here as a very proud member of mná na hÉireann, a descendant of our ancient warriors and modern rebels, from Queen Maeve, who battled in the mountains above my home to secure ownership of the Brown Bull of Cooley, to Granuaile the pirate queen, who proved her might on sea and was a formidable force in politics, to the more recent day heroes of my party, Fianna Fáil,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: Today, I will discuss the "RTÉ Investigates" report televised on Wednesday night. It brought to light more atrocities and heartbreak. When one looks at the people affected, one can see the heartache and exhaustion on their faces. The story of our dark past is absolutely relentless. As a Christian and a Catholic, I always separate the institution from my faith. It was very hard to...

Seanad: Local Government (Use of CCTV in Prosecution of Offences) Bill 2021: Second Stage (5 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the Senator. I might bring in my own sewing machine some day to help out. I call Senator Black.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Mar 2021)

Erin McGreehan: Like my fellow Senators, I want to raise the issue of endometriosis awareness month. I have made no secret in this House that I suffer terribly with endometriosis. It is absolutely infuriating to be ignored for so long by the medical profession and be told it is in one's head. When I got a diagnosis after an operation, I was asked on the operating table if I was sure I wanted to do this...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Alignment of Special Education Policy with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (23 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: The main aim of the committee is to be unapologetic about being proactive and determined to create some equity and equality for people with disabilities. The Minister of State and I spoke on Friday during my Commencement matter. The Minister of State is well aware of the families that are struggling more than ever, and behind closed doors much of the time, with their children with special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (19 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: It is good to see the Minister of State here, we all very much appreciate her time. I asked for this Commencement matter because of the frustration and worry of parents of children with special needs and those of children with additional needs. The Minister of State is well aware they are at their wits' end.Parents are seeing their children's development regress. The ability of these...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Covid-19 Pandemic (19 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I know that if the Minister of State could click her fingers we would have all our children back to school. Part of my thought process on this issue is about special classes. There is a very individual, school-level approach to the reduction of the hours being provided. What do parents do if they are told they are supposed to get their child back to full-time education when they are not...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Engagement with the Minister for Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (16 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: Many of us present, including the Minister, have stated that the report is imperfect. He said as much to us in the Seanad and said it again here. We are all disappointed with the contradictions. The executive summary does not relate to the testimony in a way. It is cold, as the Minister rightly said. This is an independent report, not a Government or Oireachtas report, but the Oireachtas...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: The EU and Irish Unity - Planning and Preparing for Constitutional Change in Ireland: Discussion (16 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the committee for the opportunity to contribute. The Good Friday Agreement represents a dramatic change in my life as a person from a Border constituency. I never thought I would see it or to be able to speak to the committee about a united Ireland. This conversation needs to be had in a sensitive manner. We are on the hill of change. We can all stay on that hill together and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I raise a national issue which is about respect and manners among our citizens. We have people across the country dumping rubbish and letting their dogs off leads attacking sheep and we need to legislate for all this. We need to put far more restrictions on people and to spend resources on upping the number of litter wardens and dog wardens. It is about respecting our countryside, our...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the Minister for coming here. This is an extremely important issue and I welcome this amendment Bill coming before the House. It is a matter that needs to be rectified and I am glad the process is starting today. I commend Senator McDowell, who brought this Bill before the House, and I want to acknowledge the work, as he did, that he and my colleague, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, have...

Seanad: Remote Working Strategy: Motion (15 Feb 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I was not going to speak. Having listened to the contributions and all the advertising about Fine Gael's new telecommunications company laying the pipes and fibre broadband across the country, however, I had to say something. I commend Senator Currie on the motion. Remote working has been the only way my family has been able to operate over the past five or six years, having a business at...

Seanad: Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation: Statements (19 Jan 2021)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the Minister for attending today. For many this January has been a dark month and the report has definitely made it worse. First, I will briefly address the leaking of the report before its publication. Shame on whoever did it. Obviously, that person has never had their agency and their rights taken away from them and I hope the Minister investigates the issue. It was an extra...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Dec 2020)

Erin McGreehan: Like my colleague, Senator Currie, I want to raise my worries and fears over the Covid numbers. Senator Currie articulated very well the problems in the North. We need to hold tight and strong on Covid. We had 41 new cases in Louth last night. We can think of all those people's close contacts who are now in quarantine for Christmas. I beg people to mind themselves, watch what they do and...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement on Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (16 Dec 2020)

Erin McGreehan: The Congressman is very welcome. It is great to have him taking part in the meeting. I thank him for all his hard work on the Good Friday Agreement. Senator Blaney and I are both Border people. I am from County Louth, which is at the opposite end of the Border to Senator's Blaney's county of Donegal. I remember the Good Friday Agreement being discussed in my school when I was a young...