Results 1,381-1,400 of 1,879 for speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I wish to raise the issue on the National Women's Council. I was looking over the headlines yesterday and read, "Woman in hospital after assault in broad daylight in St. Stephen's Green" and "Gardaí identify boy (13) as person of interest in attack on woman in Cork". I thought, "What on Earth is going on? What has become of this country?" However, I remembered that we, luckily, have...

Seanad: Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (3 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I am delighted to see the Child Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation Material (Amendment) Bill 2022 before the House today. I support my colleague Senator Flynn in proposing it. A number of terms have been used to replace the term "child pornography", such as "child sexual exploitation material", "child sexual abuse material" and "child sexual abuse imagery". Such phrases go to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I want to raise the issue of unmasking schoolchildren. When the National Public Health Emergency Team, NPHET, decided that primary school children should be masked back at the start of December, the National Parents Council was flooded with calls from concerned parents. They did not feel that they had been given enough information to understand why their children now needed to wear masks...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: And admitting to it.

Seanad: Search and Rescue Policy: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I second the motion. I do not wish to take too much away from Senator Craughwell. I commend my good Independent colleague on his tenacity and doggedness in pursuing this issue. "Doggedness" is the right word because he is a dog with a bone, an army attack dog, and he has not let go of this issue despite all the obstacles and opposition he has faced. I am sure there are people who would...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Minister to the Chamber for what was introduced as a most important matter - so much so that the Government benches are almost empty. Indeed one could say that this is parliamentary party business masquerading as parliamentary business. I thank Ms Siobhan Byrne and all the staff in the passport service and recognise the incredible pressure they are working under. A number of...

Seanad: Passport Office Service: Motion (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: It probably will.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Potential Russia-Ukraine Conflict and the Role of the European Union: Discussion (2 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I am not too sure I can comment on Professor Tonra's last statement regarding our fishing men and fleets and their take on the recent events. I thank our guests for their presentations. It is clear that the EU lacks real hard power or any diplomatic muscle here. What role could an autonomous EU military capacity play in combating Russian aggression in Ukraine? What framework would have to...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Rights of the Child in respect of Domestic and International Surrogacy: Discussion (1 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: This is a topic I really was not very familiar with at all. I thank everyone for sharing their experiences. Each one of them has made me think about the challenges they face. This can be a very contentious issue and it evokes very strong emotional reactions. The idea of a woman undergoing pregnancy to give birth to somebody else's child challenges all our traditional notions of what being...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Rights of the Child in respect of Domestic and International Surrogacy: Discussion (1 Feb 2022)

Sharon Keogan: Guardianship, and I speak as a foster mother, does have challenges. Even to go outside the jurisdiction, to go up North, you have to have permission to take the child out of the Irish jurisdiction, so it can be difficult. How are the birth mothers of the surrogates looked after emotionally after giving birth to a child?

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Stalking) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (27 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, to delete lines 1 to 4 and substitute the following: “(3) In this section ‘stalking behaviour’ means persistently engaging in one or more than one of the following: (a) following, watching, pestering or communicating by any means of communication with or about a person;”. This amendment moves the word "persistently" up...

Seanad: Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) (Stalking) Bill 2021: Committee Stage (27 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I thank Senator Chambers. I honestly do not want us to have to come back to amend this legislation, as we had to do with the Children Act 2001. That is why I pointed out this potential issue. If the Senator is confident that what is in this legislation is adequate, I will withdraw my amendment.

Seanad: Violence Against Women: Statements (27 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister for her statement today. I spoke after our recess about how the media coverage of the senseless murder of Ashling Murphy caused so many people to be aware of it and started so many national conversations around the treatment and experiences of women in this country. The flipside of this, of course, is that so often the long-term issues and the constant problems do not...

Seanad: Broadband Roll-out: Statements (26 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: The Minister of State is very welcome. It is good to see the recent statement from NBI on the progress in surveying homes in Donegal. I hope that in the coming months people will be able to experience the stated benefits of broadband in rural areas, from mobile working, e-learning and mobile banking, to digital tourism. It is important to recognise that progress is being made.However, for...

Seanad: Local Government (Surveillance Powers in Relation to Certain Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (26 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for letting me speak at this point. I have to leave early so I will not be here for the Minister of State's reply. I support the Bill and thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for bringing it to the House. Three great loves of mine are empowering local government, being tough on crime and good data management. I supported the Labour Party's Local Government (Use of CCTV in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister for coming in this morning. I am familiar with Gina McIntyre and her staff in the SEUPB. She currently has 57 staff. The Minister has just stated the money is doubling. Therefore, we are going to have to have more staff there. Will there be more staff allocated to that body but also to local authorities that may be administering the programmes, and to Pobal as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: Does the Minster know of any money from the last programme that went unspent and was returned to the EU? Does he have any knowledge of that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Special EU Programmes Body: Engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (26 Jan 2022)

Sharon Keogan: All right.