Results 1-20 of 641 for speaker:Tom Clonan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. First, I wish to thank my cousin, Senator Norris, and remind him that we had a secret pact never to mention General Sir John Maxwell. We said we would claim one another, but would not claim him.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: Granny came to live with us when she retired. I was born in 1966. Granny, my nana, kind of spoiled me. She used to call me "an gamhain breac", the speckled calf, because of my freckles. She was the only adult I knew who would allow me to drink as I wished, including seeing how much lemonade I could drink before I felt sick. What a granny. I grew up in a matriarchal household with my...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: One of the wonderful features of that election contest was that I made so many new friends, and I count Senator Ruane among them. In many ways, she reminds me of my grandmother, because she has the same pioneering spirit. I admire the work she is doing in respect of the drug task force in Tallaght and her new blog. I admire all the work she does. Aideen and I have four kids. Eoghan, who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: The Senator has left me with the smoking gun. I thank Senators for their very kind welcome. We are exceptionally honoured and humble to be here. I am very grateful for the extraordinary community of Trinity College Dublin graduates. I am privileged to be a member of that community. I grew up in Finglas, went to the Christian Brothers and was very fortunate to go to Trinity College...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: -----so I think that helped us to connect. Eoghan was diagnosed with a neuromuscular disease at 18 months old. He had a normal delivery and hit all his developmental milestones, but then at 18 months we had this awful moment where he was diagnosed with a rare neuromuscular disease called Pelizaeus-Merzbacher disease. Eoghan is a wheelchair user and partially sighted. Like all families...

Seanad: European Union Regulation: Motion (6 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: Thank you. I will be brief. I thank the Minister for the clear opening statement. My understanding is that, notwithstanding events in Ukraine, the greatest threat to the security of the State is the proliferation of organised crime gangs and the terrorist networks with which they operate hand-in-hand. They operate globally and they are very sophisticated in their activities. Anything...

Seanad: Defence (Restriction on Use of Certain Titles) Bill 2021: Second Stage (6 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I was not aware that I would have an opportunity to speak. I welcome the sentiment contained in the Bill and I thank the Minister for setting out his concerns clearly in this regard. We live in an era of disinformation and propaganda. In 2014, we saw the Russians elide their activities in Donbas by referring to their own troops as "little green men"....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for setting out the Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill and for informing us of the significant amendments that are to follow. It being my debut in the House, I cannot comment in detail on the proposed amendments and the discussion that will follow. Anything that ameliorates and fast tracks our response to the housing crisis is very welcome. I...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2022: Second Stage (6 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: I will have to do my research. I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving me the opportunity to speak. I thank the Minster of State for setting out everything so clearly.

Seanad: Safe Access to Termination of Pregnancy Services Bill 2021: Report and Final Stages (7 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: My daughter, Liadain, would have been 19 now. I thought of her last Thursday on count night. I remember feeling her kicks and movements before she was born and the final moments when she went still. She was stillborn as a result of a cord accident at birth, which is very unusual but it can happen. Let me be clear about this, I took my precious little daughter and put her in a little box...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (27 Apr 2022)

Tom Clonan: I thank Senators Doherty, Pauline O'Reilly and Chambers and commend them on the Bill. As we know, there is a serious level of underreporting of gender-based violence, sexual assault and rape. A high threshold, or momentum, is required to report it. I am mindful of my experience as an officer in the Defence Forces investigating the experiences of my female colleagues, through which I found...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Cathaoirleach. There is mention in the Order of Business of war crimes and genocide within Europe. It is very timely we discuss that in the context of the events in Ukraine. This week we were all treated to a graphic courtesy of Russa-1, Moscow's state television, in which we were shown an infographic purporting to show a submarine nuclear drone that would...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: It has been widely reported that the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O'Gorman, will come to the House at 6.30 p.m. and that prior to his discussion of the Birth Information and Tracing Bill, he will apologise on behalf of the Government to those affected by illegal birth registrations. While I welcome this apology and what I am about to say is not a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: I absolutely respect his utmost good faith-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: -----but I think it would be great for the country if the Taoiseach would do that.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: I am sure Micheál Martin would have no problem with that.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (10 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Europe Day 2022: Statements (11 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: I will not keep the Minister of State long. I will be brief. I was born on the 50th anniversary of the 1916 rising. Fifty years on from that I was born into a republic that could have been characterised as one of a pitchfork and candlestick. Ireland was quite a poor country in European terms. In the 1970s after we joined the European Economic Community, as it was then, it transformed...

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Motion (11 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: I wish to thank Sinn Féin for proposing this motion. In a previous life, I worked on the hard Border in the early 1990s prior to the ceasefires in armed support operations for An Garda Síochána. As a young man from Dublin with no experience of living along the Border, it was immediately apparent to me that any border on this island makes no sense for socioeconomic or cultural...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 May 2022)

Tom Clonan: In the last couple of days I have been reflecting after the visit of my great friend and colleague, Senator Ward, and Senator Ahearn to Ukraine. There is particular risk for Members of the Oireachtas participating in these visits. I am concerned about depleted uranium, which is a by-product of nuclear enrichment after uranium-235 is extracted. The remnant uranium is widely used as armour...