Results 121-140 of 860 for speaker:Erin McGreehan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: It is lovely to be here in the Seanad. As other new Senators have said, it is a regret that we have not shared the experience of having Senator Norris in this Chamber for longer and as often as we wanted to hear from him. In April 1987, I was four years of age. He has been my normal. His representation, his flamboyance, his speaking skills and his pride in who he is have been my normal,...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I welcome the Minister to the House. There is a lot of stuff going on that I would like to digest. I very much welcome the proposed change in the referendum. I welcome that the Government and the State are at a point of recognising that not all families are based on marriage, that there should not be a tier or a hierarchy of family, and that families like Senator Garvey's and mine should...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I very much welcome the fact that we are here today discussing what is a very fundamental change and an acknowledgement that this country is growing, that it is progressive, and that we are changing. One of the great things about our Constitution is the fact that we can change it. I very much urge people to come out and vote "Yes" and "Yes" on 8 March. It is no gimmick to update and...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: The Minister is welcome to the House to discuss this Bill. I very much welcome it. It is important that we modernise our Constitution. The proposed new article is a continuation of the previous article and proposes to extend what the family means, lay down the importance of the family unit and acknowledge the differences in our new modern families. We will extend what care means and what...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: Senator, we can thrash this out tomorrow.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: Allow Senator Garvey to continue, without interruption.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: We will move to the next speaker, who is Senator Seery Kearney, and we will hear the Senator without interruption.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I ask the Senator to speak to this Bill.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: We have failed to contact the Leader or Deputy Leader to extend the time for today's business. I ask that Senators Currie, Sherlock, Craughwell and Mullen confine their contributions to five minutes each. I apologise for constraining the debate but I hope they will be able to speak again in the coming days.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: That was not agreed as part of the Order of Business, which has been set. I hope Senators will agree to give everyone an opportunity to speak. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I call on the Minister to reply. He has ten minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: PEACEPLUS Programme: Special EU Programmes Body (18 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the committee for the opportunity to contribute today. I welcome the witnesses. It is always great to have them here because it gets us thinking about what we can do for our communities and see how we can get more money for things. The debate here is always really positive and we learn so much. I want to go back to what Senator Currie said about not having the Executive up and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: PEACEPLUS Programme: Special EU Programmes Body (18 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: Much the stuff that I wanted to ask about has been covered. Ms McIntyre spoke about the areas of deprivation and how different moneys was awarded to different areas. If there was an area that did not actually submit a grant application for anything in the PEACE funding, is there an avenue for an intervention, let us say, for an area, and we recognise a place, that did not have the capacity...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: PEACEPLUS Programme: Special EU Programmes Body (18 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: Theme 1 seemed to me to be the most open for community groups with the reimagining communities initiative. I know the closing date for it was last September. Senator Currie touched on this as well. It seemed to be a really positive avenue. A few groups locally in Louth have come to me about this. They say that they fit into certain boxes and have the potential for cross-community and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: PEACEPLUS Programme: Special EU Programmes Body (18 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I thank Ms McIntyre very much and wish her the very best of luck.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I will keep going in that case. We heard earlier that someone living at home with an elderly parent or other family members knows that their living arrangement will need to change in time, whether because the parent or carer dies or whatever the case might be. At the moment, people must apply for HAP. Members go through the process of getting that person on the list and there are various...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jan 2024)

Erin McGreehan: I thank the Cathaoirleach and all of our witnesses are welcome to our meeting this evening. They may be in Carlow but I hear the Louth accent coming back at me. It is always lovely to hear someone I recognise. The witnesses are all very welcome. It is great to have both organisations in the room. The responsibility that is lined up in front of us is huge, and all those in both...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Dec 2023)

Erin McGreehan: I, too, want to wish Tom Hickey the best of luck in his retirement. I wish him and his family all the best in the years ahead. We thank, and are very grateful for, the staff we have in Leinster House, including the Cathaoirleach and his staff, those in the Leader's office and all the staff around the House. Next week we finish up for Christmas and we are very grateful for what we have....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Wastewater Treatment (28 Nov 2023)

Erin McGreehan: I welcome the Minister of State. I am sure he will read a statement from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and highlight the fact that the Department has recently changed the grants for septic tanks. This changes, which are very welcome, include increasing the maximum grant from €5,000 to €12,000 and removing the requirement to have previously registered...