Results 1-20 of 308 for likes to work speaker:Catherine Connolly

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Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (26 Jun 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I, too, have serious concerns about this. On first reading of the Bill, you would think it is fairly innocuous, in that we are going to punish the receipt of training for terrorism, and travelling and organising it. Then you look at it more clearly and you will see we are amending legislation from 20 years ago to make it stronger. We are doing it on the basis of a directive that we were...

Fisheries: Statements (12 Jun 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I reiterate what the previous speaker said about copies of the Minister of State's speech. It is very handy to have a copy of the speech and I looked for it. It is slipping in gradually with various Ministers whereby we do not get the speech. It is very useful to have it. I want to use my time, as I have done repeatedly since 2018, to discuss this matter and I want to focus on sprats....

Ending the Central Bank’s Facilitation of the Sale of Israel Bonds: Motion [Private Members] (11 Jun 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I have no doubt the Minister has feelings of horror like we have and like he expressed. My difficulty is that he is demonstrating a classic case of cognitive dissonance because he holds beliefs in his head that are clashing with each other. While his feelings are the same as ours, his actions are different. In doing those actions, he seeks to rationalise them, which is the classic way of...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: Can I speak on this? I was not sure what the format was. I want to support any Bill that gives supports to survivors. I am now in a dilemma as I cannot support this Bill. I will outline why this is the case. I will go back over 22 years of apologies. As usual, I thank the staff in the library for their wonderful work setting this out. I recommend it to any new TD. The library can set...

Apology to Shane O'Farrell and his Family: Statements (27 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome the family. I wish we did not have to welcome them here. I welcome the apology and I welcome the changes that are proposed for a review of the bail laws, particularly that relating to a four-month time limit. I welcome that there will be a change in legislation regarding a direction from a judge to allow lesser charges to be put. I welcome that there has already been a change to...

Fair and Sustainable Funding for Carers, Home Support and Nursing Homes Support Schemes: Motion [Private Members] (21 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: ...;ire, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an ngrúpa teicniúil. I thank the technical group for once again putting the spotlight on the absence of services and the failure of successive Governments to recognise the invaluable work that caregivers give us. I am not going to use my own words. I am going to use the Policy Statement on Care published by the Irish...

Assessment of Need: Motion [Private Members] (20 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: Every single member of the Opposition has put their name to this motion. I welcome Cara and her father. It is an indictment of this Government and previous Governments that Cara Darmody, a young teenager, has had to come back two years after she addressed an Oireachtas joint committee in November 2022. At that time, she said, "I am here to tell you what it is like to live in a family that...

Power of Higher Education, Research and Skills as Economic Enablers in a Changing World: Statements (13 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this topic. The last occasion I spoke on it was, I think, February 2022 in relation to the Higher Education Authority Bill. I had a lot of time then to discuss where we were going with third level education. I welcome the Minister's speech and the priorities it set out. However, I have a huge problem with the title, "Power of Higher Education,...

Report of the Farrelly Commission: Statements (1 May 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I came in especially to listen; I did not think my turn would come up today. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for his contribution and dedication on this, as well as the Acting Chair who took over, Deputy Fleming. I thank the whistleblowers. I thank the Minister for rearranging the debate. In her opening speech, she said at the heart of the report was Grace. I cannot think of...

Tariffs: Statements (9 Apr 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I would like to pick up on the comment about seismic change that the previous speaker referred to. We were warned about this for a very long time. When climate change was declared as being real, we were told that the model of business as usual could not continue. We failed to take on that warning. Then we had Covid and we continued on with the same business model. Then, more than ten...

Triple Lock Mechanism and Irish Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (26 Mar 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this timely motion, which I support, but it is probably too late. Judging by the Government's behaviour yesterday, when it rammed through Standing Orders, it appears that it will do exactly the same with this legislation. I have no faith in the Government and I say that as a committed democrat in the Dáil. I will quote from the...

Social Housing Tenant In Situ Scheme: Motion [Private Members] (19 Mar 2025)

Catherine Connolly: .... D'ardaigh mé é mar cheist ar sonraíodh uain di, mar Shaincheist Thráthúil agus ar urlár na Dála, agus ní raibh mé in ann aon soiléireacht a fháil. Bhí an Taoiseach ag caint as dhá thaobh a bhéil maidir leis an scéim seo, ag rá nár cuireadh ar fionraí í agus go mbeadh scéim nua i gceist....

Programme for Government: Statements (Resumed) (12 Feb 2025)

Catherine Connolly: There are many matters I would like to discuss regarding the programme for Government, ranging from housing to climate change but in the time available I am going to zone in on just one discrete item that has huge implications for future generations, which is the undermining of our neutrality, spelt out in black and white. Before I come to that, it is significant that words like "progress",...

Response to Storm Éowyn: Motion [Private Members] (11 Feb 2025)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome this opportunity to contribute. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward the motion in its Private Members' time because it allows me a little more time today than I had last week to go back on some of the topics. This is very important. The motion and, indeed, the amendment, in part, are good in that we have acknowledged all the good work on the ground. That has been set out...

Carer's Allowance: Motion [Private Members] (6 Nov 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...no timespan has been given for the abolition of the means test. It is the most basic thing we should do in our Republic, along with having a payment for disability. Those would be two practical measures to show we are serious about living as a republic. This debate takes place in the context of many reports. In 2022, the Joint Committee on Gender Equality made the recommendation...

Affordable Housing: Motion [Private Members] (22 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I thank Sinn Féin for this opportunity but share the same concerns as my colleague, Deputy Collins, about the particular motion. I welcome Sinn Féin's work on this and the opportunity to speak on it. If we take any report, such as the Housing Commission report, they ask for a reset of policy. We have never discussed this. I will take more recent reports, such as the report from...

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: ...an deis cúpla focal a rá faoin ábhar seo. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach. Aontaím leis an mBille agus aontaím go bhfuil gá práinneach leis an mBille a chur tríd an Dáil. I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this. The Minister has my support with regard to passing this legislation as speedily as possible. I have...

VAT Rate for Hospitality Sector: Motion [Private Members] (16 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I thank Deputy Fitzmaurice and his office staff not just for their work on the motion but for giving us the opportunity to put a spotlight on this area. I appreciate and acknowledge all the help that is being given to the different sectors. However, since I was elected, I have looked for long-term, sustainable solutions. The lack of...

Disability Services: Motion [Private Members] (15 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Here we go again. Since I was elected in 2016 I do not know how many times I have talked on these budgets and on these motions. Tonight we say we have been talking for a few years. Actually we have been talking for a very long time. The disability capacity review is a good place to start. The Minister of State did one of the introductions on that, along with the senior Minister and the...

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome a second opportunity to make a contribution on the budget. I also refer to the fact that we have had a chance to reflect on it. With the size of the budget and the money involved we will need a lot more time. Again, to quote Social Justice Ireland, this budget will leave a "regressive legacy". It welcomes the good things, as do I, but overall it points out that a couple with...