Results 1-20 of 338 for likes to work speaker:Rónán Mullen

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Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 May 2025)

Rónán Mullen: ...as we all know, not least a lack of oversight of children's healthcare, the scoliosis issue and the endless saga around the national children's hospital. There are a range of issues that should be top priority, but when one looks at some of things that have been prioritised, it should really make us all wonder. Last year, the Department of Health pushed through assisted human...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport: Business of Joint Committee (14 May 2025)

Rónán Mullen: I am an Independent Senator for the National University of Ireland. It is my first time on this committee and I am very glad to be on it and working with members. Areas of particular interest to me that might be connected with this committee in recent years include remuneration issues. With regard to RTÉ, I brought forward Private Members' legislation looking at the issue of keeping...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 May 2025)

Rónán Mullen: This day last week the name Robert Francis Prevost would have been known to very few people in this House or elsewhere. A week on, he is arguably the most famous person in the world as Pope Leo XIV. He has certainly relegated you-know-who to the position of only being the second most intriguing and interesting person in the world and that is probably no bad thing in most people's view....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Rónán Mullen: In the context of congratulating our young friends from Birr a few minutes ago, I had a conversation with them, which turned to the topic of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, in which many of us have a great interest. We have our own very fine walking routes in Ireland, such as the increasingly popular St. Declan's Way between counties Tipperary and Waterford. There is also the famous...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2025)

Rónán Mullen: It is about nine years since we presented in this House the Human Dignity Award to Gina Herrity, an heroic woman who has been working in Our Little Brothers and Sisters orphanage in Haiti since 1993. She has suffered violence in that chaotic country. She wrote to me last week and what she had to say was terrifying. She is asking people to give attention to what is happening in Haiti. She...

Seanad: Forestry Sector: Statements (29 Apr 2025)

Rónán Mullen: ...the assistance received from the Department. I acknowledge Mr. Delaney in this regard and also the Minister of State. As is often the case when you are more directly involved with a matter, you come to realise the many issues people face. I have had occasion to speak to people in forestry. I thought I would take this opportunity today to put on record some of the concerns I am...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Mar 2025)

Rónán Mullen: I have a few matters I would like to raise with the Leader. He will be very familiar with the place I refer to first. Just seven miles from Galway city, a friend of mine from Corcullen contacted me to ask me to highlight that they have had no broadband service since the storm two months ago.I had to read the message twice to see if this could be true. Many places in the country were not...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Feb 2025)

Rónán Mullen: Following on from what my colleague, Senator McCarthy, said a moment ago, it strikes me that there are so many things coming down the tracks at us from the new Administration in America that it is difficult to know what is going to lead to disaster and what might have a grain of positivity. One thing I am fascinated by, and I think many people in Ireland would be fascinated by, is the idea...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Oct 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I welcome the Minister to the House and I thank her for taking on board, in part at least, the criticisms of the Bill that were made in this House. It is fair to say that if it was not for the Seanad, we would not be in the place we are in today. The Government has taken on board, at least temporarily, the serious concerns people had about this legislation in its original form, as passed by...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I welcome this reforming legislation but I am reminded, as I have so often been, of a story. There are different versions of it but it is about the old man in Connemara. Some tourists stop the car and ask for directions to Dublin. After scratching his head, he says: "To be honest with you, I would not start from here at all." Frankly, when I look at this...

Seanad: Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Rónán Mullen: ...for our democratic engagement with each other and our civil society needs and rights. However, I have always been clear that I am not a freedom of expression absolutist. Certainly, when it comes to the kind of freedom of expression involved in the purveying of pornography and pushing it at children, I have very strong feelings indeed, which I think are shared by the vast majority of...

Seanad: Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Rónán Mullen: ...buíochas léi as ucht teacht anseo don díospóireacht. We are all aware of the increase in sexual crime, including sexual violence, in our society. Some, but only some, of the increase is due to a greater readiness to report such crime. Due to high-profile cases, there is heightened awareness that we need to do something, yet people are afraid. Women are afraid....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 Jun 2024)

Rónán Mullen: .... In the group was my friend from my own home parish, Mattie Kilroy, and his wife Kathleen. Mattie Kilroy is one of those men who really deserves great commendation for being one of those people who greatly contribute to the social capital in our community. This ranges from his work as an educator over the years to being very well known in GAA circles and being responsible for the...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (26 Jun 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I realise this is very difficult and the Bill runs to almost 200 pages. This is why we really should have a separate Report Stage. If the Minister were to come back with something on this that would make me want to table a specific amendment on Report Stage, by passing such an amendment now, we are not likely to get to a Report Stage or certainly will not be in a position to table an...

Seanad: Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (20 Jun 2024)

Rónán Mullen: ...a commodification of children, as many people see it, and a deprivation of the rights of women. I realise we are talking in the context of domestic surrogacy but some of the same principles apply to the dangerous area of international surrogacy. It is important, and we had a discussion about this to some degree last week. My friend and colleague, Senator McDowell, disagrees with me on...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: ...question of how decisions are made on wildlife and hunting issues and whether rural interests are properly consulted and included in the process. I am talking about farmer representatives and the likes of the NARGC. I think this organisation is the leading voice of the sports and rural pursuits sector, with a membership of some 25,000 people. As with the recent issue I raised about the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I concur with what Senator O'Loughlin had to say about the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. It does very important work and I look forward to supporting it this morning and at other times. Its work is to be greatly commended. On 7 May, the Minister for agriculture announced his decision to ban the use on dogs and cats of so-called electronic shock collars operated by handheld remote...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I point out to the Cathaoirleach I am responding to the Minister's points very directly here, because as I was saying, a person nearly lost their life. The reason this nearly happened is because it is not in any way required as part of the provision of abortion services that ultrasound would be offered. That amendment was tabled at the time of the abortion legislation. The party of which...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Apr 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I join in the tributes and words of sympathy to the Dowling family. We should not be surprised that it is an onerous task to be a Senator on the Labour Panel. It is certainly a laborious task anyway. I make the point to the Ceannaire Gníomhach, Senator Seery Kearney, that it is about ten months since the scandal of the secret payments at RTÉ emerged, causing the State...

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I do not intend to take up the full ten minutes allocated to me. There are just a few issues that I want to raise with the Minister. He has already addressed several of the matters I had hoped to raise. I do not know if the Minister has had a chance, in this House or elsewhere, to acknowledge the very tragic passing of Paddy Dunican, the manager of...