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Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Catherine Murphy: There are aspects of the Bill that we can support and other aspects about which we have concerns. If we were to ask the average person on the street whether they see this as something that applies to them, they would say it does not, not because they fear their reputation being defamed but because there is a perception and reality about the cost of taking legal proceedings. It would only be...

Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Jul 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I have listened very carefully to the arguments that have been made. Before every recess we have last-minute legislation and things that are rushed. It is possible to get one's head around some of the things that are rushed, but this Bill has potentially very serious consequences and I am not satisfied at all with being told that it is like a pat on the head and that it will only affect a...

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jul 2024)

Catherine Murphy: The State has a central responsibility to put systems in place to protect its citizens as much as possible. In this House, we pass criminal justice legislation and rely on the criminal justice system to do its work. There has been a concern about the consistency of sentencing and the Judicial Council Act was passed in 2019. One of its stated aims is public confidence in the Judiciary and...

Inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell: Motion [Private Members] (9 Jul 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this really important motion tonight. Like others, I welcome the O'Farrell family and say I am sorry that you must continue to campaign for justice for Shane. I could begin by saying "I know that you were forced to endure a living nightmare which began when your loved ones were so cruelly snatched from you" but I must confess they would not be my...

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (27 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the invitation. Prior to my election to the Dáil in 2005, I had been a county councillor since 1991 and a town councillor since 1988. If Deputy Canney is feeling old, he can imagine how I am feeling. I have come to the very firm conclusion that there cannot be Oireachtas reform without local government reform. A piecemeal approach cannot be taken; the...

Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 and Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motions (25 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: This annual motion without change happening in between continues to be completely unsatisfactory. Last year's debate occurred very shortly after the independent review that resulted in both the minority and majority reports being published. That review had been ongoing since 2021, as the Minister stated. The six-member group voted four-two - majority-minority. The independent review group...

International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Motion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: This debate is a facade. The Government will be able to point to it to claim there was a debate in advance of the Government opting in, which it has already decided to do. It will be in advance of the various legislation that will be required. When we talk about legislation, there are five Stages to Bills, the first of which is when a Bill is published and considered in advance of...

Digital Services (Levy) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I welcome the opportunity to speak to this legislation and the Social Democrats are happy to support it. The Bill gives me an opportunity to return to the Digital Services Act, which we debated late last year. At that time, it was stated that Coimisiún na Meán was funded to the tune of €6 million for 2024 despite a business case that had been developed by the commission for...

Hospitality and Tourism Sector: Motion [Private Members] (19 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: The Social Democrats recognise that some indigenous businesses are struggling and we support a targeted approach for providing support to them. In addition to the hospitality sector, some smaller retail outlets are under pressure. We are losing vibrancy in our cities, towns and villages, seeing buildings becoming redundant and that leads to dereliction. In turn, that puts other businesses...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (13 Jun 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I can see it being a case of pass-the-parcel here. We will hear: "It is not mine; it is the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science". If we go to that Department, it will say it is nothing to do with it. I can see it will be a case of pass-the-parcel. There must be some combination of Departments involved here. As Mr. O'Connor says, there is work to...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (30 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: It seems like 4,000 out of 5,560, and even at that there are 1,500 that have not got to the threshold that are completed. There are 4,000 rooms where there is still quite considerable work outstanding, even if it is only 10% or 15% of the work. Is February of next year optimistic?

Extension of Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2021: Motion (29 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I would like to follow on on that theme. Every six months we deal with this motion and have been told today that the initiative is part of business support. I feel sorry for the Minister of State. He is standing up here and trying to say something different but it is pretty difficult to do that. We know this is a temporary provision and none of us will oppose it, but neither do we find it...

Business Support Package: Statements (23 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. One of the things business people will tell you is about the high input costs, including, for example, energy. We have some of the highest energy costs in Europe. It depends on the particular business but they will tell you about insurance costs. They will all talk about them but some businesses are particularly impacted by it. The...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 26 - Office of Minister for Education (16 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: ...hall as a consequence of being accommodated in prefabs. There is somewhere in the region of €400,000 per year being spent on security for the site. It looks from the outside and from a distance like the school is complete, but it is the fit-out and the internal work that need to be done. When does the Department expect the school to be open? Are there other situations where...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 26 - Office of Minister for Education (16 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: We know Caranua was a finite organisation and it has completed its work. There are, however, still a small number of outstanding clients. There is one particular gentleman in Limerick who had a builder walk out of the site and it has been a building site for the past few years. Are there others like that? When do the witnesses expect to have in place the legislation needed to wind Caranua...

Road Safety and Maintenance: Motion [Private Members] (15 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: The number of people killed in incidents on our roads is an issue of major concern for all of us. Speed, together with the consumption of alcohol or drugs and distractions such as mobile telephone use, is most definitely a factor in some collisions. The reduction in the numbers involved in the traffic corps over the past few years rather than in increase is relevant when we consider...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: My question is the one the witnesses are expecting me to ask them. It relates to the bolt-on process, or likely bolt-on process, with regard to Kilcock and DART+ West. Is the NTA working on a bolt-on process? As the witnesses are aware, there will be big railway sheds in Kilcock. The train is coming to Kilcock but people cannot get on or off and the railway station is only a few hundred...

Public Accounts Committee: Financial Statements 2022: National Transport Authority (2 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: Finally, I want to ask about the L58. I am not talking about taking a service away from people but I told the NTA it would not work before it was introduced. I do not think it was the original plan and it is not meeting people's needs. The service is there but obviously people are not using it. That said, we cannot leave people stuck either. There is a big industrial development planned...

Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (1 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I welcome the fact that the Minister of State listened to the arguments we made. I take at face value his statement that the changes will be made and I appreciate that there have to be safeguards. There is no doubt that we have to allow for and expect bad actors. The intent of the Bill is primarily good. It is to address harmful gambling, which we know destroys lives. It is good that the...

European Union Migration and Asylum Pact: Motion [Private Members] (1 May 2024)

Catherine Murphy: I too express solidarity with the Minister and her family. There has been discussion in this House over the past few years about the coarsening of debate. We are seeing that going to another level now where we are seeing things falling into the criminal code. There is a real need for leadership right across the House on that. We need a well-managed asylum system, irrespective of the...