Results 1-20 of 1,919 for speaker:Chris Andrews

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: The Dublin City Taskforce should really be renamed the "north inner city Dublin task force" because it will not actually impact the south inner city. For instance, Pearse Street and Kevin Street are very important parts of the city and the task force will have no impact there. Dublin City Council has been appointed to head up this new task force and to regenerate the inner city. It is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: There seems to be one law for Palestinians who are applying for visas in Ireland and one law for Israelis applying for visas in Ireland. There are no restrictions on Israelis applying for visas here. Looking at the recent example of GAA Palestine trying to bring 33 children here to Ireland to play GAA - Gaelic football and hurling - it would be a huge opportunity for the children and...

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I am sharing my time with Senator Collins.

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Sport is the bedrock of many communities across Ireland. It is so important for physical and mental health. GAA, soccer, rowing, cricket, boxing and many other sports clubs are vital outlets for youth and social participation helping not only individual physical and mental health but building social bonds that can last a lifetime, tying together and supporting people of all ages. We should...

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Likewise, we can only be proud of our record-breaking Olympic team last summer and the continued success and positivity of our Gaelic games. It is worth recognising the popularity of our domestic sports. Football, hurling and camogie are essentially unrivalled in Europe where globalised sports such as soccer, cricket and rugby are the only games in town. Where else in Europe can indigenous...

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Before I call up the next speaker, I welcome visitors from Teach Oscail Family Resource Centre, Cavan, who are guests of Senator Pauline Tully. If they were with a school we would give them homework off for the rest of the week, but they are not. They are very welcome. I call Senator Joe Flaherty.

Seanad: Sport: Statements (16 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Bring her back to fight at Croke Park.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Israeli citizens can enter Ireland without a visa, yet yesterday 33 children and 14 mentors from Palestine GAA had their dreams of visiting Ireland in a couple weeks pulled from under them when their visa applications were denied by the Irish immigration service. It is a painful double standard that those living under apartheid are burdened with yet another layer of exclusion and...

Seanad: Transport Policy: Statements (10 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Public transport is a very important issue for everyone in the city and throughout the country, with thousands relying on buses and trains to get to and from work and to go about their daily lives. However, our transport network has been let down by successive Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael Governments, which have promised much and delivered little. Nowhere has this been clearer than with...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (10 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I have not met the Minister of State in here before so I will congratulate him on his new role. I welcome this opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2025. Sinn Féin is not opposing this Bill but we do have serious concerns with some parts of the legislation and with the manner in which it is being rushed through these Houses. Planning...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I support the comments of my colleague, Senator Boyhan, with regard to abuse. Tomorrow in the European Parliament, there will be a vote of no confidence in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Sinn Féin has absolutely no faith in Ursula von der Leyen to act in the interest of Ireland or working people across Europe, or to respect human rights and dignity abroad. Von...

Seanad: Post Office Network: Statements (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I have previously raised the issue of the Rathmines post office being sold off and moved to a Centra. The building that houses the post office in Rathmines was built in 1934. It is a purpose built, art deco post office. It is an absolutely incredible building. It is vital that services and infrastructure like this are maintained, and they...

Committee on European Union Affairs: Findings of the 2025 European Movement Ireland EU Poll: European Movement Ireland (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. The report is interesting. You could spend days and weeks analysing everything. What struck me were some of the poll results on Ireland's membership of the EU. It does feel like there is downward trend. I can see the reasons for the spikes but it does feel as if there is a downward trend. Between 2023 and 2025, it is down 6%. Going back in...

Committee on European Union Affairs: Findings of the 2025 European Movement Ireland EU Poll: European Movement Ireland (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: To make a very brief observation in relation to the question in the poll concerning where people get their information on EU issues, radio and television was at 48% and social media at 12%. I think that is interesting. Sometimes we over-egg social media.

Committee on European Union Affairs: Findings of the 2025 European Movement Ireland EU Poll: European Movement Ireland (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I have an observation. Initially I looked at page 16 and the question on where people get their information from about EU issues. It said social media was 12%. Question 14 B on the opposite page asks what platform people get most of their information from on EU issues. It says that traditional media is 12%, which obviously contradicts the point I found interesting. These figures are on...

Committee on European Union Affairs: Findings of the 2025 European Movement Ireland EU Poll: European Movement Ireland (9 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I see.

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

Chris Andrews: I congratulate my colleagues from Cork. The team played fantastically. It is a great team and I wish it well in the final. On a more serious issue, it is deeply concerning that the Government has stalled the evacuation of desperately sick children from Gaza due to bureaucratic visa delays. There have been almost two years of genocide in Gaza. For nearly two years, Israel has been...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Petition on Pensions and Social Security Legislation (8 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the witnesses for the presentation. As they say, it is very complex. This is my first time hearing about it. They say the legislation is clearly well intentioned and that the intent of it is very progressive and fair. They make a really compelling case for making the changes. It seems to be quite arbitrary and Senator McCarthy's questions covered that. It does seem to be...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Petition on Pensions and Social Security Legislation (8 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: Would it be worth writing, as Mr. Moran suggested, to Ivana Bacik, to ask where they got the 36 months from? It was used by the Department to justify the use of the period of 36 months. Is that something we could do?

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Control of Dogs (3 Jul 2025)

Chris Andrews: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss the matter of XL bullies. Despite recent changes, XL bully legislation continues to fall short in several key areas, particularly in fairness, due process and clarity. The introduction of a review process for private owners of dogs to seek a certificate of exemption is welcome and important, but the legislation still lacks...