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Results 141-159 of 159 for speaker:Billy Lawless

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadcasting Service Provision (2 Feb 2017)

Billy Lawless: I am delighted to hear the Minister of State's response. While he is here, will the Minister of State indicate if a decision has been taken in respect of the undocumented Irish. This matter is close to my heart and, of course, to the Minister of State's as well. Will he provide an update with regard to what has happened in the past ten days in the United States?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Broadcasting Service Provision (2 Feb 2017)

Billy Lawless: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2017)

Billy Lawless: I congratulate Mr. Groves on his appointment. I was going to say it as a young rookie but I will keep the "young" out of it. For the few months I have been here, Mr. Groves and his staff have been so courteous to me. I wish him well and his appointment is well deserved. On Friday, 27 January 2017, President Trump signed an executive order halting the entire refugee programme from Syria...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Undocumented Irish in the USA (13 Dec 2016)

Billy Lawless: I thank the Cathaoirleach selecting this Commencement Matter and welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McHugh, to the House to discuss this important issue. These past few months have proved that we do indeed live in very uncertain times as witnessed by the Brexit result in the United Kingdom, the election of Donald Trump in the United States, and the recent referendum loss for the Italian...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Undocumented Irish in the USA (13 Dec 2016)

Billy Lawless: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I am delighted the Government is looking for a dedicated quota for Ireland but unfortunately we lost 17,500 visas in 1965 and we never recovered that. This is one area I would like to pursue also.Lest I forget, three years ago I lobbied for the Bill that was passed in the Senate. It was a full and comprehensive Bill that had bipartisan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Billy Lawless: I thank the Minister for his presentation. He has been a busy man in recent months. As he knows, my role in the US is to represent the Irish undocumented and try to get legalisation for them, but I have learned that Ireland has many thousands of undocumented immigrants. The Minister might help me in trying to establish the exact number. I wish to bring another matter to the Minister's...

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Oct 2016)

Billy Lawless: I am sharing time with Senator Victor Boyhan. This is certainly a day of debate on justice and equality issues. The Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, is very welcome. I commend Senator Mark Daly for bringing the Bill before the House again. It is clear that he has shown great commitment to this most important cause. The Bill is primarily about equality, ensuring equal...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (Resumed) (12 Oct 2016)

Billy Lawless: A total of 35 million people in the US, 16 million in Great Britain, 4.5 million in Canada, 2 million in Australia and 500,000 in Argentina claim Irish heritage. Ireland is much greater than the jurisdiction of this Parliament and broader than the community of this island. Tens of millions of people around the world claim Irish heritage. I am the first representative of those interests to...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Mr. Manus Cooney (5 Oct 2016)

Billy Lawless: First, I sympathise with the family of my fellow Galway city man, the late former Deputy Robert Molloy. Mr. Cooney's visit coincides with Bobby's funeral today. A number of my colleagues from the Seanad Independent group are attending the funeral, hence their absence. Of course, many of them worked with him. He was a fine man. I thank Mr. Cooney for being with us today to share his...

Seanad: Address by An Taoiseach (Resumed) (29 Sep 2016)

Billy Lawless: I welcome the Taoiseach. Irish people who live abroad are delighted that he appointed a Senator with a specific brief to advocate for their concerns, particularly with regard to the undocumented status of many of them. Two weeks ago, I attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Harp and Shamrock Society in San Antonio. I stayed directly across from the Alamo, where many Irish people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust: Mr. Colin Bell (22 Sep 2016)

Billy Lawless: I thank Mr. Bell. The service he is providing is unbelievable. I live in Chicago and I am very involved with emigrant rights. There have been terrible tragedies in Chicago in the past number of years, including those involving the McShane girl from the North and the young O'Reilly boy from Galway. The traumatic circumstances when the parents travel over are heart rending. I am sure that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: UN Migration Summit: Discussion (28 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: I can tell Ms Suzanne Keatinge that before he ever became President, Michael D. Higgins always stood up for the underprivileged and the downtrodden. I am never surprised by what he does. I have always admired him. My adopted country is the United States of America. I have been appointed as a Senator to represent the diaspora and the Irish abroad. Reference has been made to refugees....

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: Tá an-áthas orm bheith anseo inniu. Táim trí scór is cúig bliana d'aois. Níor cheap mé riamh go mbéinn anseo i Seanad Éireann mar Sheanadóir ag labhairt ar son na mílte Éireannaigh atá thar lear, go háirithe sna Stáit Aontaithe. Is mór an onóir é sin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh mé in...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: I look forward to good conversation and debate with the Senator on the issue of reform in the coming months. I thoroughly enjoyed Senator Boyhan's words last week. I took great inspiration from his personal story of humble beginnings and self-education. I feel the same sense of pride that made the hairs on the back of Senator Boyhan's neck stand up when he first walked through the hallowed...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: We stand on the cusp of great change in this Chamber and in the way Ireland relates to its people at home and abroad. I look forward to working with every Member of this House to ensure all Irish men and women are fully represented here. I will conclude with a tried and tested quote from my good friend, Bill Clinton:Thomas Jefferson believed that to preserve the very foundations of our...

Seanad: Water Services (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (20 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: I do not live here at the moment but I come from Galway. I remember eight or nine years ago when the cryptosporidium problem occurred and there was no drinking water in Galway for four or five months in a city that depends on tourism. Since The Gathering tourism has increased by 15% year on year. A visitor cannot even get a room in Dublin anymore. Tourism is valuable and we must have a...

Seanad: Action Plan for Housing: Statements (20 Jul 2016)

Billy Lawless: I will.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2016)

Billy Lawless: I reiterate that we should remember today the terrible tragedy that occurred in Berkeley last year. It would be every parent's nightmare, of course, when their children go to the United States for summer employment on J1 visas. We all get calls and everybody tries to help. I compliment the Irish centres and especially those in California that rallied around parents when they came out last...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2016)

Billy Lawless: As someone living in Chicago in the United States, which is the city with the highest murder rate in that country, arising from gang and drug violence, I am still appalled by what happened in Orlando in the past couple of days. A couple of years ago, 91% of American people polled wanted background checks for gun control but such an initiative could not get 60 votes in the US Senate because...

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