Results 121-140 of 153 for children speaker:Lorraine Clifford-Lee

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (6 Dec 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...of the very proud tradition in his family in respect of the Fianna Fáil Party. Des continued this tradition from his father and passed this love of politics, Fianna Fáil and country on to his children, Mary and John, and his nephew, Seamus. This commitment to public service has been the hallmark of the Hanafin family who have contributed an enormous amount to Irish public life....

Seanad: International Protection (Family Reunification) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: .... Whatever that unit is, families are evolving. If we look back at our own history in Ireland how many of us have parents and grandparents that were reared by aunts, uncles and neighbours? Orphan children were taken into homes and given a roof over their head and that is their family unit and children always flourish within their own family unit. We are talking about people who have...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Oct 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Before I start, I wish to acknowledge the presence of Debbie Lynch and Sineád Creamer who are seated in the Gallery. They are parents who have children attending the school and are very involved in this project. St. Molaga's school has educated generations of children in Balbriggan. The school has built up a great history and culture. It...

Seanad: Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (Gender Pay Gap Information) Bill: Committee Stage (25 Oct 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...an employer is hiring or promoting employees. If the organisation can look at a male and female employee in the same light, in the sense that they both could take time off to look after young children, then I think we would see far less prominence given to men in promotional circumstances. I very much welcome and support the Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Oct 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...with their lives. It is putting a strain on their families. They cannot do renovation work on their houses. They cannot put on an extension. I have spoken to parents who have not had additional children because they have been unable to extend their houses to accommodate their families. Others have put off starting families. Some cannot do any painting work because they do not know if...

Seanad: Child Care: Statements (18 Oct 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: I welcome the Minister to the Upper House. I know a lot about this because I have two young children in full-time child care. It is an issue that concerns all parents, and parents and providers currently are straining under the weight of child care provision in Ireland. I have spoken to many providers and workers here in Dublin and throughout the country who cannot afford to make ends meet...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...being processed. This shelter, however, is completely substandard and inappropriate to family circumstances. Asylum seekers are living in mobile homes in car parks for long periods of time. Their children are growing up sharing beds with their parents and living in very close quarters. While shelter is provided, it is completely substandard. The Minister, Deputy Flanagan, said that...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...cover the basics in schools. This means that boards of management and parents have to fundraise locally to supply this life-saving equipment in schools. That is not good enough as it means that only children from very well off school communities can afford to access this life-saving equipment. We need to supply it across the school system to ensure all children are treated equally in...

Seanad: Business of Seanad: Swimming Pool Programme Status (9 May 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...in 2014. For a population of this size not to have access to a swimming pool in the town is not good enough. Swimming lessons are seen as a core part of the primary and second school curriculum. Children living in Balbriggan cannot easily access swimming lessons, which is a real shame. Many schools have to travel long distances to access a swimming pool and swimming lessons, which has...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Wildlife Control (8 Mar 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...residents in Balbriggan have raised this with me in the last number of months. It is a very big problem in the town at present. I have seen at first hand these aggressive birds attacking people. Children and elderly people are particularly vulnerable to attack from seagulls. Balbriggan has a population of approximately 26,000 people and many older people and children, in particular,...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...laugh, but he has always supported women, as have my colleagues. I make reference to what Deputy Micheál Martin said on radio today when he referred to the savage treatment of women and their children in mother and baby homes across the country. He referred, in particular, to the Tuam mother and baby home and the appalling testimonies we have heard in the past few years. I have...

Seanad: Clarification on Statements made by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...the case, will the Minister outline how she will tackle that issue? It is of concern that the line of command is being disturbed by a lack of funding and that this, in turn, is impacting negatively on children, people involved in the care of children, other guardians and people who are the subject of vile allegations. It is in the interests of everyone that errors are not made. That is...

Seanad: Clarification on Statements made by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs: Statements (15 Feb 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: Files were opened on all the McCabe children at a time when two of them were over the age of 18. Tusla should be concerned with children under the age of 18 only. Even if this error occurred when these allegations were copied and pasted, it should have become apparent that these children were over the age of 18 and, therefore, files on them should not have been created in the first...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...inclusion of a definition of consent. The Bill criminalises the purchase of sexual services rather than the sale of them. We in Fianna Fáil are very happy to see this inclusion. The vulnerable women and children trafficked into this country for sexual exploitation deserve our protection. Decriminalisation will facilitate their access to vital health and support services. This is...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: I welcome this group of amendments. The thrust of the Bill is to protect vulnerable people, whether they are individuals who have been trafficked, children or people with intellectual or learning disabilities. Many advocacy groups and Fianna Fáil have welcomed this legislation which will provide further protection and for a rebuttal presumption.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Affordable Child Care Scheme: Discussion (8 Feb 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...that mean people will not be able to avail of the targeted scheme if it is going to be dealt with manually? Will it be available on schedule in September? I wish to raise the issue of vulnerable children in homeless accommodation. Ms McNally said exceptions will be made. Do children in emergency temporary accommodation have, as a right, access to the child care scheme? The Minister...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (24 Jan 2017)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...thank her for her comprehensive explanation of the Bill's provisions. Fianna Fáil welcomes the Bill, as it gives legislative effect to Article 42A, which was inserted in the Constitution by the children's rights referendum. Fianna Fáil supported that referendum and I engaged in a great deal of door-to-door canvassing on it. As such, I am delighted to see this Bill before the...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Oct 2016)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: I take this opportunity to welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, to the House. I also welcome the members of the Irish deaf community and the many school children in the Visitors Gallery. That the Gallery is full shows how important this Bill is. It is an honour for me to second the Bill. I pay tribute to my colleague, Senator Mark Daly, for his dogged commitment to this...

Seanad: Children and Youth Affairs: Statements (18 Oct 2016)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...recent budget. That investment is the first step on the road to allowing families a greater choice and supporting women to remain in the workplace, should they so wish, following the birth of their children. The health and safety of our children should be the most important concern of any Government. To that end, Tusla must be adequately resourced to allow for more inspectors to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Minister for Justice and Equality (5 Oct 2016)

Lorraine Clifford Lee: ...for legal aid are on social welfare payments, and the difference between €50 and €130 is phenomenal for many people. This increase deters individuals from getting legal advice. We have situations where children are affected with regard to access, maintenance, custody, guardianship and number of domestic violence applications. Are there any plans afoot to decrease the...