Results 1,741-1,760 of 2,145 for speaker:Emer Currie

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Faith Leaders (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: Reverend Hamilton argued that the governments must agree an adequate, if not perfect, working descriptor of reconciliation but surely that should involve the stakeholders - all parties - and not just the governments.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Dr. Stephen Farry (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: Thanks a million to Dr. Farry and Mr. Campbell. It is always good to see them. I thank them for their submission. Have they any thoughts about what this could look like? There was mention of whether regional devolution would still be there and a continuation of regional devolution in Northern Ireland. They are raising lots of the things that need to be addressed but what thoughts do Dr....

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Unionist Community (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank the witnesses for their powerful contributions. I am not surprised by anything they have said and I am up for having these conversations. The witnesses spoke about assumptions they feel people make about unionism. There are also assumptions in the other direction. I imagine that I have very different views on certain issues to my colleagues, Senators Black and Ó Donnghaile,...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Unionist Community (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: What process is Mr. Graham talking about?

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Unionist Community (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: We have not spoken about this in detail and we were more concerned about getting as many people with as many different views into the room. I would like a framework in my head of how much work is involved in this, with all the issues that need to be interrogated, together with all the options of what it could look like. We have had people who talked about a unitary state, federalism,...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Other Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Unionist Community (14 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: Everything the witnesses said is still percolating in my head. Today is about listening and it is very important for us to listen to them. I am struck by what Professor Shirlow said about how he is engaging with the conversation. He is here and unionists are engaging with this. At the same time, reading what he wrote, it pointed out all of the reasons it should not be happening. There...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (13 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I welcome the Minister of State. I hope she can catch her breath now. In August, it was announced that a new multidisciplinary primary care assessment hub for children under the progressing disability services, PDS, programme was to open in Castleknock. That is very good news and is much welcomed. Obviously, it has prompted a lot more communication from parents to me about the children's...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Disability Services (13 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I would like to see the progress the Minister of State is seeing. I do not know how I will get to see that by tabling a parliamentary question to the Minister every month. I need to see it so that I can tell the parents who are in contact with me. The communications they are receiving indicate it will be three years. They are not getting the communication they used to have and need and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: Last night, I felt so much pride as an Irish woman and as a mother of two girls to see Ireland's women's football team reach their first ever world cup. It was touching that a Donegal woman scored the goal. It came against the backdrop of one of the most traumatic weeks that we have experienced in a long time. We saw the PSNI and Garda working side by side in Donegal, we saw emergency...

Seanad: Breastfeeding: Motion (12 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank Senator Pauline O’Reilly for this motion which I wholeheartedly support. The figures really illustrate how startlingly different Ireland is when it comes to breastfeeding rates. At birth, the rate here is 62% but in the UK it is 81%, in the US it is 79% and in Australia it is 90%. By the time women leave hospital, the rate has fallen to 37% but the fact that at three months...

Seanad: Consumer Rights Bill 2022 - Second Stage (11 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I am standing in for Senator Ahearn who has been leading on this legislation in the joint committee. As the Minister of State noted, this is a good day for consumer rights with regard to goods and services, and also digital services. I hope today is the day our consumer rights catch up with the digital transformation. This Bill has been a long time in the making. As the Minister of State...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I agree with my colleagues that the standard of the contributions has been incredible. It shows once again that the people, especially young people, are ahead of the politicians. Reference was made to the importance of getting the Assembly up and running. We talk about how we can work more closely together on North-South and all-island issues and that is not helped when the institutions...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank Evan, Niamh, Karina and Ashling. I totally agree with Niamh about digital transformation. I do a lot of work on creating digital first workplaces so that we can allow people to work remotely, empower our local villages and create hubs and opportunities throughout Ireland. This democratises the workforce and is better for equal opportunities and for people who have difficulty in...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Young Voices on the Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank Kim for putting the important issue of direct provision firmly on the agenda today. I do not think anybody wants to see the direct provision system continue. Direct provision does not work and that is why we need to change it. In addition, we must look at it in the context of now and the bigger picture. All the witnesses spoke with so much pride. It was good to hear that there...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland - Public Policy, Economic Opportunities and Challenges: Discussion (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I will not overwhelm the witnesses with questions. Could Dr. McGuinness elaborate on what he said about the peace dividend? How much of a peace dividend has there been? On the subvention and trying to pick into the subvention, I have read lots about how it is not €15 billion and about removing parts of it like the defence spending. When it comes to the debt, is there a risk that it...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland - Public Policy, Economic Opportunities and Challenges: Discussion (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I am still cooking my questions. I thank Mr. Thumann and our other guests for their remarks, the feedback on debt and subvention, pointing out that there is so much we can remove and that, from a historical perspective, the precedent is there in respect of debt. My question relates to citizens' assemblies. In the view of Professor McEvoy, what is the best approach, taking on board that we...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland - Public Policy, Economic Opportunities and Challenges: Discussion (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I have two practical questions. What are the differences in the age demographics? We are we 25 years into the Good Friday Agreement. The progress we have seen has been very positive and I do not want to appear to be criticising it. Professor Heenan referred to the people who are doing that incredible work such as the all-island cancer strategy and initiatives like that, the work in...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland - Public Policy, Economic Opportunities and Challenges: Discussion (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I have a question for Mr. Carlile. I congratulate him. I was there on Saturday. Does he distinguish between the language of calling for a border poll and planning and preparing for a constitutional change in the future? Does he understand why the former is something that people can have fears or be hesitant about but that having a conversation about constitutional change is different to...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: Constitutional Future of the Island of Ireland - Public Policy, Economic Opportunities and Challenges: Discussion (7 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank the guests very much. In response to the last two contributors, I agree that language has to be protected, obviously along with gender rights, equal rights, climate justice and access to education. They all made really good points. We have an opportunity to make sure, from a trade union and employment perspective, that we deliver in a better way. I do not want to ask any more...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Psychological Services (5 Oct 2022)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister of State for stepping in today. This is a Commencement matter on education addressed to the Minister for Education, Deputy Foley. I hope the Minister of State can relay my messages back to her. We need more psychologists in the HSE. We need them working in schools, in primary care, in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, and on our children's disability...