Results 1-20 of 2,078 for speaker:Mary Seery Kearney

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Policy (7 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome Deputy Bacik and her guest - it is fitting that we see her here on the last day of the Seanad as we did on the first - we wish her the best of luck in not coming back here but going to the other House. I call on the Minister of State.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I echo the pain expressed about the NTA. On several occasions, I have sought Commencement matters with the Minister for Transport and he has refused to believe he is accountable for its actions. We have similar reductions in bus services across Crumlin, Inchicore and Chapelizod that have actually necessitated a huge volume of extra car journeys. I thank the Senator for reminding me. It is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister of State to taking this Commencement matter. Last July, we had a fantastic day here when the assisted human reproduction Bill was passed by this House having previously been passed by the Dáil. We had families in this Chamber, along with my own, who celebrated the fact that both parents of children had a way forward in getting the legal recognition they absolutely...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister of State. With respect, he is not the Minister who is responsible for this. My remarks are not directed at him, but that response was an absolute load of twaddle. We were of the view that this would happen by the end of the first quarter of next year. If it is now to be inextricably linked not just to the appointment of a CEO to the AHRRA but also a load of officials,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Assisted Human Reproduction (5 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I understand this but, with due respect, it is not about a plinth moment for any Minister promising families they will have their legal assurances. A promise like this has been made with a commitment on time and this has been reneged on.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I am up to my ears with work, so I was not going to come to the Chamber, but I heard Senator Clonan's contribution and felt I needed to do so. If this is going to be one of the last times I speak in this House, I need to say that whatever happens in the next Administration, the issue of the culture in the HSE has to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck. I have to hand a copy of a letter...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I applaud the task force for Dublin city centre. When this matter was first spoken about last April, I wrote to the Taoiseach because, while we have a north inner-city task force and a city centre task force, the constituency of Dublin South Central, which is the south inner city, does not have a task force but does have a lot of criminality and a lot of areas where there are no facilities...

Seanad: Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: In the course of the the most recent on the Bill in the Seanad we did not have an opportunity to speak about NDAs and I will briefly address the matter. I congratulate Senator Ruane on her considerable work over many years in bringing this matter forward and highlighting the appalling bad practice of silencing people. I want to acknowledge the people in fear who came forward to the...

Seanad: Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: Well done, Minister. This is great legislation and I thank the Minister for his thorough engagement with us. It was a meaningful conversation about what this system would look like. One of the points I took away from our engagement was that the onus to preserve to a standard that would be required in an archive may mean that organisations and institutions will hand over the information...

Seanad: Maternity Protection, Employment Equality and Preservation of Certain Records Bill 2024: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: Now.

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Motion for Earlier Signature (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I move: That, pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Maternity Protection Bill 2024 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to him.

Seanad: Maternity Protection Bill 2024: Motion for Earlier Signature (24 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: At 1 p.m. on Tuesday, 5 November 2024.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Bus Services (22 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I welcome students from Greystones Community College on their visit to the Seanad. We are having questions to the Minister of State from Senator Dolan. The Senator is expertly representing her community of Roscommon-Galway and the Minister of State is replying on behalf of the Government. I hope you enjoy your visit.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Arts Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: We have had four Commencement matters this morning relating to the portfolios of two Green Party Ministers, neither of whom has appeared. The Minister of State has the difficult task of standing in for them. If ever there was a matter that should be sung into the record, this is it. However, I will not inflict that on the Seanad this morning. I work with a man named Frank Foley. He is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Arts Policy (22 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I note the last paragraph which refers to meetings this summer with the Drama League of Ireland, the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland and the Association of Irish Musical Societies. The three of them are listed there. However, when it comes to the provision of funding, only two of those three entities are named and the one that is left out is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2024: Second Stage (22 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach, and well said. I messaged the Minister the minute I heard that she was retiring to say, "Congratulations". It is a very brave decision for her to make to choose to be with her family. I am empathetic towards her family, who have been without her and who have made sacrifices as a result of her being here and giving such incredible service to her country...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Youth Services (17 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: The Minister of State is welcome. I thank him for coming. I received apologies from the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. I first encountered youth work early in my working life when I observed the youth work programme. I had the honour of working with the YMCA in the city of Dublin. I saw the extraordinary impact it had on young people's lives, not only from the point of view of activities...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Youth Services (17 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: I know the Minister of State was handed a speech and had to read it out, but it was just a litany of back-patting for the Department as opposed to an exercise in engaging with the reality of what it is to run youth services. The things listed as being provided for are what we should be doing at the very least. An exceptional report was put forward by the committee. It referred to how...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (16 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: Before I bring Senator Carrigy back in - I will give him another moment to gather his thoughts - I welcome a group to the Public Gallery in the Seanad today. It is great to have them with us to see how our questioning and democracy works in the Seanad. What is ongoing here is called a Commencement matter. Senator Carrigy is passionate about funding for local authorities, including his home...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2024)

Mary Seery Kearney: My thoughts are with Senator Ardagh. It is a disgrace. I am bringing a Bill next week to address that very issue and will be looking for the support of the House on it. I also want to add my condolences to the family of Councillor John Naughten. We attended the funeral last week. It was incredibly sad. What an amazing tribute to a man who spent a life in public service. I am rising...