Results 361-380 of 671 for speaker:Tom Clonan

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by H.E. Maura Healey, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (27 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: Welcome home. Fáilte abhaile. When I think of diversity and inclusion, I always think of liberty and freedom. The first shots for liberty and freedom were fired in the Battles of Lexington and Concord in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. In fact, almost 50% of the continental army of the United States in the Revolutionary War were Irish emigrants. In the field, many of them spoke...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by H.E. Maura Healey, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (27 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: It said a neighbour testified that indeed there might have been a horse of that name there but he knew no such man. Unfortunately, I do not know what became of my forebear Thomas Clonan. I do not know if he is still a horse. My journey to this House was through the experience of having four teenage and adult kids, one of whom has a disability. I have always campaigned for diversity and...

Seanad: EU Migration: Motion [Private Members] (27 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I commend this Private Member's motion from our colleagues in the Civil Engagement Group. We should all be greatly exercised by this. We all remember the name of Alan Kurdi, the little boy whose body was washed up on the beach in 2019. That image is iconic. It was supposed to be emblematic or symbolic of the end of something. We were supposed to be united in our resolve to end the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I want to raise two issues. One is the report of the national independent review panel that has brought forward a report on the rape of an elderly and vulnerable citizen in a nursing home run by the HSE on behalf of the State. Other elderly residents made complaints about sexual assaults perpetrated by the same staff member. It would appear from the report that...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (21 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: Fearaim fáilte ar ais roimh an Aire agus déanaim comhghairdeachas leis arís. I stand in this Chamber as a completely independent Senator in my own right. I am not part of any coalition of views and, despite certain graphics that have appeared online without my consent or knowledge, I am not part of a coalition of people who oppose the Bill. I want to be absolutely clear...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Protected Disclosures (20 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House. I ask him to make a statement on the publishing of the full protected disclosure investigation report on the Phoenix Park community nursing home, St. Mary's, in Dublin, the only nursing home run by the State during the Covid pandemic. I draw the Minister of State's attention to the fact we have the HSE whistleblower, Margo, here...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Protected Disclosures (20 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State. He and I both know that the correct thing to do here is publish the report in full. It is 500 pages long, so a very small executive summary is not enough. What we are talking about here is an international standard. If a report is commissioned, then its findings and recommendations must be published in order that we can learn from them and contribute...

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

Tom Clonan: I welcome my assistant Noelle today. I thank her for coming along.

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

Tom Clonan: I welcome all our guests. I echo the sentiments about Christy Dignam. As a Finglas man myself, I lament his passing. I knew members of Aslan growing up; Alan Downey on drums was a neighbour of mine.Finglas has made a huge contribution to the arts and music over the decades, for example Bono, the much maligned Paul Hewson is also a Finglas man from Cedarwood. While some people claim that...

Seanad: Gradam an Uachtaráin Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I support this in principle, although I will echo what Senator Craughwell said, in that the Bill would require significant amendment. Positive reinforcement is the most powerful learning tool for us as a species. In Ireland, as a republic, we should be confident enough to recognise the outstanding achievements of our citizenship. One of the ways I suggest the Bill be amended is to ensure...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: I second Senator Boyhan's proposals about the speaking arrangements for the incitement to hatred Bill this afternoon. I echo the condolences for former Senator Paul Coghlan and his family. One of the recurring themes in the comments made is the collegiality he brought to the Chamber. Since I arrived here, I have experienced that generosity and collegiality from colleagues. It is a great...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Disabled People's Organisations and the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (1 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe go léir chuig an gcoiste. I know Leo and Peter. Last year, shortly after I was elected, they came to visit me. The first thing that struck me was their energy and the anger they expressed in regard to the status of our disabled citizens. During our meeting in the visitors' bar, Peter and his daughter informed me they were going for a walk,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Disabled People's Organisations and the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities: Discussion (1 Jun 2023)

Tom Clonan: Unfortunately, I have to leave the meeting, but I really appreciate the witnesses' feedback. I took such comfort from Mr. O'Dea's words about not always having an inferiority complex. My hope is we will become the best country in the European Union in which to have a disability, and that is through the DPOs’ community and our community.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: I echo Senator O'Loughlin's remarks about Private Seán Rooney. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. I am thinking of his family at the moment. It is a very tough time for them. I would also like to remind the House of Private Billy Kedian who was killed in Lebanon on this day 24 years ago. I was there that year as a staff officer bringing journalists out. I am always...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: The four consultative forums are scheduled to take place in a number of weeks but we have no idea who will be speaking at them. We know there is a Chair, someone who has been very a vocal proponent of US foreign policy and who would be very supportive of Ireland becoming a member of NATO. While this is not problematic in and of itself, it does lead to the perception of an inherent bias...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: Hear, hear.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Integration and Refugee Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (30 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: I thank the witnesses. If there is an opportunity to do so, I suggest that the Department liaise with one of our universities. It would be very useful if there was a PhD student who tried to track where people who are unsuccessful go. If people are prepared to talk to Connect the Dots, they would be prepared to talk in confidence to a researcher or a team of researchers. If we find out...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Integration and Refugee Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (30 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: Not at all.

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Integration and Refugee Issues: Discussion (Resumed) (30 May 2023)

Tom Clonan: I have a very good friend who came through the full system very successfully. She is working as a teacher in a secondary school. I asked her why she picked Ireland and she laughed at me saying that she did not pick Ireland; she just ended up here. I am conscious that people who come here, whether it is for economic reasons or due to fear of persecution or whatever, they are all in...