Results 161-180 of 793 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore in 'Dáil debates'

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I welcome the opportunity to have this discussion. First, I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State and of the Department on biodiversity. Compared to previous Governments and previous Ministers, the Minister of State has really tried to grab this issue and make substantive changes. The reform of the national parks is one of those changes. The staff of the national parks are all...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Article 17 specifies what the proceeds from the temporary solidarity contribution will be used for. It does not specify any reporting mechanisms, from what I can see. It refers only to using it for final energy customers and the other provisions the Minister of State read out. My amendment relates specifically to reporting to this House on what the temporary solidarity contribution has...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: At no point has the Minister of State mentioned that there will be requirements for him or the Department to report to the Dáil. The EU will not tell them they have to report to the Dáil. There is an understanding of subsidiarity here. The EU will not tell the Government what it has to come in and tell us. The Minister of State will not be reporting to this Dáil on this...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I will wait to speak on my amendment, which I think is next anyway.

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 3: In page 7, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “Reporting 4.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the application of, including the use of the proceeds from, the Temporary Solidarity Contribution.”. This is my only amendment, unfortunately, because...

Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Second Stage (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I welcome the debate on this long-overdue legislation which the Social Democrats will be supporting. I acknowledge the work done by abortion rights campaigners to get us to this point, particularly Together for Safety. Without their tireless campaigning for safe access zones, I believe this legislation would have fallen off this Government's agenda and would have been delayed even further...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (5 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I believe I am speaking for the majority of parents of secondary school children when I say we are sick and tired of forking out huge amounts of money each year for school books. We are tired of having to recycle perfectly good books and of buying electronic codes that cannot be transferred between siblings. It is hugely costly and wasteful. There are hundreds of thousands, if not...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (4 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Apparently, it is ultrasounds one would need.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (4 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Yes.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (4 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I believe that we, the Department and the Minister should refuse to grant licences for the upcoming hare coursing season. It will come as no surprise to anyone that I am strongly opposed to hare coursing. I am strongly opposed from an animal welfare perspective and also from the perspective of the protection of our biodiversity. The hare is a protected species under the Wildlife Acts. I...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (4 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: It is under condition No. 10.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (4 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Under the licence, what those involved in coursing are required to produce is information on when the hares were captured, the number of hares captured, if they were injured and whether veterinary care was required. They are not required ascertain the sex of the hare. In all the details contained in the reports, I cannot see any reference to male or female. I went through 20 reports of...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Before I get into the specifics of this Bill, I want to raise something frustrating and concerning with the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth. Yesterday at 4.10 p.m. we received an email from the Bills Office to tell us that amendments to this Bill had to be tabled by this morning at 11 a.m. We are still debating this Bill. That is an unacceptably short timeframe for which to have a...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Yes, please.

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister of State. Hopefully, it will accede to that. On the specifics of this Bill, on Tuesday I said we welcome that a windfall tax or a temporary solidarity contribution is being put in place to deal with the energy companies. There are specific issues, though, in relation to the application of that, which I will now go through. I have concerns about the number of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: Today, the European Court of Justice found Ireland guilty of failing to protect nature, failing to provide legal protection for 217 of 423 sites identified as special areas of conservation, failing to define detailed site-specific conservation objectives for 140 of 423 sites and failing to provide adequate conservation measures. This is an absolute disgrace. It has been ongoing for 20...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: The European Court of Justice says differently.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: As a former GP, the Taoiseach will be aware of endometriosis. The latter is a disease in which tissue similar to the lining of the womb grows outside the womb. It is a chronic, painful and debilitating disease which means that women have to put their lives on hold. It is very difficult for them to have a normal life when they are suffering with the disease. As endometriosis impacts one in...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (27 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Social Democrats welcomes this Bill and the movement on the temporary solidarity contribution. We acknowledge that this is retrospective legislation which will deal with the windfall profits accrued by companies for 2022 and 2023. Is that correct? The Minister of State is looking confused there. Okay. I acknowledge that this levy will be set at 75%. A company that hits 20% above...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I absolutely agree with the Minister that the report that was released on the sexual exploitation of children in care in this country is deeply shocking and disturbing. However, this is not the first time this issue has been raised. It was first reported last year in The Irish Timesand social workers in Tusla were aware of this since 2020. This is not something that has come to light...