Results 1,281-1,300 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Chair and apologise that the bells for the Seanad are ringing in the background. I thank the witnesses for their statements and for the options paper, although there are elements of it that are disputed by various representative bodies of stakeholders in this area. First, all three of the papers refer to commercial surrogacy. It is important to note it is almost like a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Okay, I take that as Mr. O'Connor's view. That is our understanding also. It is my understanding from speaking with different Departments. Yet, in his statement, he talks about the urgency of the AHR legislation. This would appear to suggest that this committee somehow is going to delay that. Is that Mr. O'Connor's understanding of the situation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: The AHR legislation, and I apologise for cutting across Mr. O'Connor but I am mindful of time, went to pre-legislative scrutiny in 2017. The recommendations of Conor O’Mahony came out early last year. Yet, none of those recommendations have made it into the AHR legislation. Had some of those been included, there should have been no reason for the delay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Nothing new has happened in the last three months that makes the AHR legislation suddenly more urgent whereby it must proceed without the recommendations of this committee.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: It would be important that this regulatory authority also includes international surrogacy elements and that it provides for it, in order that there can be protections for all three entities, namely, the child, principally, the surrogate mother and any intending parents. This would be so that we have that central authority. I imagine that I am out of time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Professor O'Mahony for his opening statement and his report, which has been well read and well thumbed by me at this stage. I too had difficulties with the idea this morning that this is not placed within the AHR and does not have a place in it. At the core of surrogacy is infertility, which may be medical or social. Concerning the medical reasons for infertility, we have a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Contained within the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill, there is a very definitive answer. I thank Professor O'Mahony for that. Has he seen the issues paper?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I am really shocked by that. I ask that we would discuss publishing the paper because it is important. It has been in the public domain in certain limited places with certain groups I know of. One of these groups wrote a public letter that addresses where the issues paper points out problems with Professor O'Mahony's report. It is only reasonable, therefore, that once he has sight of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on International Surrogacy: Surrogacy in Ireland and in Irish and International Law: Discussion (7 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I note Professor O'Mahony's comment. I wish to emphasise that just because something is difficult is not a reason to do it. One of the reasons we heard this morning was that the numbers are very small, to quote from the statement that will be published at the end of the meeting. Actually we cannot quantify the numbers because we only know the numbers based on those who applied for an...

Seanad: Covid-19: Statements (6 Apr 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I will keep an eye on it. Every time the Minister has come before the Seanad to discuss Covid there have been these cautious statements and fears and worries about extending the regulations and whether they involved overreach. I am very grateful and thrilled that we are here today and those regulations are no more. There is, however, still a need for caution and care when it comes to the...

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Sean Fleming, to the House.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: When is it proposed to take Report Stage?

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: When is it proposed to take Fifth Stage?

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: The Bill is a very clear piece of legislation and I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Consumer Protection (Regulation of Retail Credit and Credit Servicing Firms) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: When is it proposed to sit again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Independent and Adequate Standard of Living and Social Protection - Safeguarding: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Returning to safeguarding, I note from one of the briefings provided, and this information comes from one of the reports, a table setting out the profiling of safeguarding concerns, by year and by CHO, between 2016 and 2020. CHO 7, which covers my home area of Dublin South Central, comes out as having the highest number of safeguarding concerns, with 8,743 for that period. Is that because...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Independent and Adequate Standard of Living and Social Protection - Safeguarding: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: Why has community healthcare organisation, CHO, 7 the highest level of safeguarding issues? I suspect the reasons are population and the propensity of services.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Independent and Adequate Standard of Living and Social Protection - Safeguarding: Discussion (31 Mar 2022)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank Ms McGarry and everyone.