Results 21-40 of 666 for speaker:Emer Currie

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. We have spent a great deal of time post the events in November focusing on law and order. It is timely that we come back to discussing that issue now in order to ensure that we are still all on the same page. I believe that we are. I thank Members of the Seanad for also putting forward amendments to the motion. I commend the...

Seanad: Community Safety and Investment: Motion [Private Members] (28 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: A great way to do that would be to take over a retail unit with the local safety partnership, like there is on Foley Street, to ensure a Garda presence in those communities where people are working. It would bring reassurance to those communities about visibility on their streets.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: There are myriad interconnected issues that are contributing to our fragile childcare system. Let us be in no doubt the Government is working to address them all, one by one. I want to take a look at core funding. The pay freeze has undoubtedly worked for parents and we are very grateful for it, with a reduction of 25% in fees to grow to 50% in September 2024. That is reforming policy....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education (22 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: The Minister of State will have noted that in my opening remarks, I congratulated the Minister on the concept of core funding because I think the concept does work. There are issues on the ground, however, and they need to be addressed for people in this sector of the industry to have the stability and security they are looking for. There does need to be an ongoing partnership with them...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I too wish to be associated with our condolences and sympathies with the family of Michael O'Regan. I did not know him myself but I followed him on Twitter. He had some very nice things to say about my father over the years, which I am always grateful to read. He struck me as part of that generation of journalists who never took peace for granted on this island. It was in that context...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I welcome this morning's news about shared island funding. A total of €800 million in multi-annual funding was announced. The A5 road seems ancient whenever I travel it.It is absolutely dangerous. It feels like it is from another time and another era because it has been so poorly invested in. I am thinking today of the many campaigners over the years, particularly the families I...

Seanad: Situation in the Middle East: Statements (20 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Tánaiste for his strong speech. We will debate the motion from the Civil Engagement Group tomorrow but I welcome the statement he has shared with us today. Like so many other people, I feel utterly helpless. Many Irish people feel this way and are expressing it by the sharing of emails and so on. The platform this issue has in Ireland is notable compared with what is...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I make an appeal for Members to stop using the catch-all title of "immigration" in this House, in the media, in commentary and in news items when we are talking about criminal and threatening behaviour in communities. Immigration should not be the headline topic. It should be racism and xenophobia.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: Language is important. If Members want to talk about illegal immigration and the systems in place to protect society from illegal immigration, let us do that. If they want to talk about international protection, a human rights obligation to give shelter to people who are running from persecution, then let us do that. If they want to talk about the critical skills list and the workers we...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (7 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the Minister of State for being here. I very much welcome the re-establishment of Stormont at the weekend. I congratulate the First Minister, the deputy First Minister, the other new Ministers and the MLAs as they take up their positions. They certainly have a long to-do list. However, it is our to-do list I will talk about today. Careful examination of the language as well as...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (7 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: The Minister of State is absolutely right in saying we need to protect our trade links. The reality is that the extent of those trade links and the all-island economy has been vastly overstated. The potential of our shared economy is what is important and should be promoted. For instance, we talk about the importance of the all-island economy when it comes to tourism. That is under threat...

Seanad: Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I want to pass my condolences on to the entire Bruton family: Finola, Matthew, Juliana, Emily, Mary-Elizabeth, our wonderful colleague Richard, and his and John's sister Mary. I am really so sad about losing John because he has gone too early at 76. John was the kind of man who would continue to contribute at any age and he is a huge loss to the party. John was hugely generous both in...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: It is great to hear the rallying call of the civil rights movement, "we shall overcome", live on. This morning, I want to call on the Minister for Foreign Affairs to come to the House next week to update us on developments in the North, which we hope are going to accelerate over the weekend with the restoration of Stormont. However, there are aspects of the command paper that was released...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: It is nice to meet Dr. Mathieson and Mr. Robinson. Have either of them have had the chance to read the command paper from yesterday and the references to the all-island economy? I very much welcome the developments and the fact that we are seeing a path to the restoration of Stormont very quickly. This is very good news for InterTradeIreland and the North-South Ministerial Council. Let me...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: Would I be right in thinking that because the all-Ireland economy is performing so well, with a figure of €10 billion for goods and other €2 billion when services are included, which is happening through business and supported by InterTradeIreland, the measures do not represent a threat to the all-island economy in any way?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I hope InterTradeIreland takes it as a compliment that there will now be an InterTradeUK.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: InterTradeIreland’s document states that, since 2016, its work has been affected by the stopping and starting of the North–South Ministerial Council. Could Mr. Robinson elaborate on that and speak to the impact of not having a Minister in place in Northern Ireland to make decisions with him and for the work he does? How has this affected the organisation? What is now on top...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: When InterTradeIreland has an opportunity to go through the command paper in detail, it will note a couple of points that struck me in regard to the all-Ireland economy, one being the reference to the red lane and the limitation to 20% freight passing through Northern Ireland. I do not know how that would work. I would welcome the witnesses' views on it. Another aspect was a reference to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: All-Ireland Economy: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2024)

Emer Currie: I thank the witnesses for all the work they are doing.