Results 41-60 of 71 for speaker:Elisha McCallion

Seanad: HSE Winter Plan: Statements (7 Oct 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I welcome the Minister of State. She is here to present the plan but it is a little late in the year to be doing so. She is aware that Sinn Féin made proposals in August and there are many people wondering why months were allowed to elapse over the summer when this work could have been done. The plan has some good points but it appears that these are mostly aspirational rather than...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (30 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I welcome the Minister of State. There is no doubt that it is an extremely busy time for him and his colleagues so I appreciate his coming here today to discuss a very important issue. The Minister of State will know too well that the New Decade, New Approach agreement that was signed in January comes on the back of intense and sometimes painstaking negotiations that had been taking place...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Northern Ireland (30 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: In relation to the expansion of the Ulster University Magee campus in Derry and the possibility of the Government working with the Executive in the North, I ask that the issue be placed on the agenda of the next North-South Ministerial Council. There is continuing engagement between Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the further and higher education establishments in the north west but...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: Michael Kelly was 17 years old when he and 12 other people were massacred by British Army paratroopers on the streets of Derry on Bloody Sunday 1972. In total, 13 people were shot dead. John Johnston died later from his injuries and a similar number received serious wounds. Michael's brother, John, has campaigned for truth and justice for almost 50 years. Responding yesterday to the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: People are asking why, if there is enough evidence for one prosecution, there is not enough evidence for more. I ask this Government to publicly state that it will continue to support the families of the Bloody Sunday victims and that it does not accept any attempt by the British Government to give immunity to any British soldier who is found guilty of committing crimes in Ireland.

Seanad: National Screening Advisory Committee Bill 2020: Second Stage (30 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I begin by again welcoming the Minister to the Chamber. It has not gone unnoticed that this is the second time he has been in the House in a matter of weeks. We should all acknowledge and appreciate that given that this is an extremely difficult time and also the large amount of work in which he is involved.I also thank Senators Norris, Boyhan and Craughwell for bringing forward this Bill....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (29 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: Senator Elisha McCallion of Sinn Féin.

Seanad: Safe Reopening of Tertiary Sector and Key Priorities for Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Statements (24 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I thank the Minister for attending. I look forward to working with him and his officials over the coming weeks and months. I wish to put on the public record our thanks and appreciation to him, his officials and the further and higher education establishments, which have been doing fabulous work over recent weeks. I note with some concern reports yesterday that the individual action plans...

Seanad: Withdrawal Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Motion (23 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: This Private Members' motion is both timely and absolutely necessary. It is timely because friends of Ireland across the world in America and in Europe are standing behind us, united as one, to try to protect peace in our country. It is necessary because the British Government must feel the pressure of a united front defending the peace process and all of the Good Friday Agreement. It is a...

Seanad: Withdrawal Agreement Between the United Kingdom and the European Union: Motion (23 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: One might ask "Why?". It is because the British Government has been breaking the law in Ireland for centuries. It should come as no great surprise to anyone in this Chamber that I have very little faith in the British Government acting in good faith for Ireland or its people, North or South. Westminster never has and never will serve in the interests of anyone in Ireland. Conferring...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I bring to the attention of the Leader a matter on which I have written to the Minister for Health and which colleagues in the North have also raised. Issues have arisen with tracking and tracing of cross-Border workers. I ask that we immediately find out for employers what the current protocols are for employees who reside in the South but live in the North and vice versa because there...

Seanad: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (18 Sep 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I second the motion.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I welcome the fact that tomorrow we will have the first meeting of the North-South Ministerial Council. It is a very important meeting, as everyone will agree, and an important forum as part of the all-Ireland framework as together we try to deal with the many issues that face us on an all-Ireland basis. Not least of those is the current pandemic and what seems to be the strong possibility,...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I extend my welcome to the Minister to the Chamber and wish her well in her job in the time ahead. The Bill is designed to legally regularise assistance for the many people who have lost their jobs or whose jobs have been put on hold due to the pandemic. Of course, we want the payment to be put on a strong, statutory footing, and with that in mind, we will support the Bill.The Government is...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to speak on the proposed amendments. The ignorance across the board as to how the North is actually governed is somewhat shocking. I am really shocked that the Minister does not even know the currency we use in the North. We use sterling.

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: She referred to euro amounts on several occasions. She should also know that, unfortunately, the British Government sets the rates, much to my pain. If we continue the conversation about the need for the long-overdue reunification of this country, that will be sorted in the future. The ignorance in this Chamber is startling. It scares me but it does not surprise me. It does not surprise...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: Will the Minister check this information? The information we obtained from the European Commission two weeks ago states very clearly it is within the gift of the member state to make the payment. I ask the officials to look at this again. Certainly as far as Europe is concerned, if there were a willingness from the Government to make a payment, it would have no issue with it. What seems...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: In order that the matter is not closed off, if it is the case that what I am saying is correct, can we then look at some sort of regulation that can be brought in after the legislation is passed to ensure that these people actually get a payment?

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: If they-----

Seanad: Social Welfare (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (29 Jul 2020)

Elisha McCallion: The Minister is telling me that if it could be done she would have done it. If I can prove to the Minister that it can be done can we then do it?