Results 1-20 of 669 for speaker:Grace O'Sullivan

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: It is a great honour to serve in the Twenty-fifth Seanad and this is my first contribution. I acknowledge the work of the carers in society. This is carers' week and, as my Fianna Fáil colleague said, there are long waiting lists of people applying to be carers. It is slowing down the system and it is not helping carers, families or children. It is time that steps were taken to work...

Seanad: Waste Management: Motion (22 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister, that was very useful. I still find it shocking that our country lacks an effective responsible waste management policy in this, the 21st century. We need a waste management policy that operates in the best interests of our economy, citizens and environment, and a policy that treats waste as a potential valuable resource that can be turned around creating indigenous...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: The Leas-Chathaoirleach might be aware that a number of US Representatives and Senators have begun a sit-in at the US House of Representatives. They started yesterday and the aim of their effort is to force Congress to finally consider introducing stricter gun controls. I offer my support to them in making their request, remembering, in particular, those who died in Orlando and, closer to...

Seanad: United Kingdom Referendum on European Union Membership: Statements (28 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister, Deputy Flanagan. The term "political earthquake" is often used to describe moments of great upheaval in domestic or international affairs. Never has a term been more appropriate in the context of describing the outcome of the UK referendum. We are all still reeling in shock at the consequences. By and large, the people did not expect the outcome. I refer to the...

Seanad: Request to move Adjournment of Seanad under Standing Order 30 (29 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: What is the alternative?

Seanad: Request to move Adjournment of Seanad under Standing Order 30 (29 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I invite the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to come to the House to explain the situation with regard to Ibrahim Halawa who this morning has been detained once again in an Egyptian prison. On that basis I would like to know what the Irish Government is going to do to resolve the situation where for the past three years an Irish citizen has been detained in Egypt. Ibrahim Halawa has...

Seanad: Request to move Adjournment of Seanad under Standing Order 30 (29 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: That is it.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: Yesterday the European Commission decided to issue an 18-month extension to the approval for the sale of products which contain the chemical glyphosate. This chemical is used by the Monsanto company in its common weedkiller Roundup. There are serious concerns about the cancer causing properties of glyphosate. The Commission announced some new, non-binding restrictions on the use of...

Seanad: Delivering Sustainable Full Employment: Statements (Resumed) (30 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: A week is a long time in politics, and events over the last few days have certainly proven that old saying. Only one week ago I was considering the new optimism in the air. There was much talk in the media - and indeed in this neck of the woods - of the so-called turnabout in the economy, the abundance of jobs already created, jobs soon to be created and even so-called sustainable jobs....

Seanad: Ibrahim Halawa Case: Statements (30 Jun 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank Senator Buttimer for facilitating the debate and I am grateful to the Minister for attending because this is an important debate. I join previous speakers in expressing utter condemnation of the 14th deferment of Ibrahim's trial and the apparent restarting of the entire process. It is 1,046 days since Ibrahim was first incarcerated in Egypt. He was aged 17 when he was arrested and...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I refer to the report that the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Heather Humphreys, is proposing to de-designate 46 raised bogs as natural heritage areas. We need to speak urgently with the Minister on her plans. She is focusing on addressing a specific challenge by abandoning completely any attempt to address the national and international importance of our bogs. As a...

Seanad: Communications, Climate Action and the Environment: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister, Deputy Denis Naughten, for coming to the Chamber. This is my first opportunity to congratulate him on his appointment and wish him well in his brief. Let us be under no illusions. The role he has accepted is one of the most challenging. With poverty, both at home and abroad, social exclusion and disadvantage, we can rank the climate change catastrophe as representing...

Seanad: Farm Safety: Statements (6 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister, Deputy Creed, for coming to the Chamber. I will take a different tack. The use of the chemical glyphosate as a herbicide is a matter of extreme importance to farm safety. Glyphosate is probably the most prevalent chemical in the world that is used as a herbicide weedkiller. It is most commonly available in Monsanto's product Roundup. As Members are no doubt aware,...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank all Senators who have signed a motion calling for the release of Ibrahim Halawa. In particular, I recognise the work Senator Mark Daly has done in the past three years and continues to do to try to secure Ibrahim's release. I would also like the Seanad to acknowledge the great efforts of Lynn Boylan, MEP, as well as former Minister, Mr. Alan Shatter. Today marks the 1,055th day...

Seanad: Ibrahim Halawa: Motion (7 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I second the motion.

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I second the motion. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak on this important motion and I urge all Senators to come on board and allow it to pass today. I thank Senator Dolan for introducing the motion, which is based on his considerable professional expertise. Regrettably, I was unable to speak earlier on the Seanad Bill, but I do want to briefly note that it is this kind of...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I know many Senators hail from coastal communities around the country and I am from Tramore, County Waterford. I bring the Leader's attention to a serious failure in policy that is having an impact on the sustainability of livelihoods in coastal communities and has implications for biodiversity and marine habitats. Ireland signed up to the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive in 2008 and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Ervia: Chairperson Designate (21 Sep 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: I thank Mr. Keohane for attending. The other speakers asked on specifics but I would like to ask about Mr. Keohane's vision for the next three to five years and how he sees the whole energy market in Ireland in terms of supply and, in particular, efficiencies. The other speakers also talked about the challenges. For me, one of the greatest challenges in the coming years is the whole issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Ervia: Chairperson Designate (21 Sep 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: Does Mr. Keohane mind if I ask him about his international experience prior to his appointment? It would give us an insight into his experience in terms of his new portfolio.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2016)

Grace O'Sullivan: It is lovely to be back in the Chamber again. The summer recess was far too long and I feel we should all have been back a few weeks ago, getting on with the hugely important issues facing citizens. Today, the Green Party published legislation on microbeads, which are small plastic beads found in soaps and cosmetics. They are causing contamination in our marine environment, as well as...