Results 1-20 of 52 for speaker:Patricia Stephenson

Seanad: Parole (Special Advocates) Bill 2024: Second Stage (13 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister for coming to the House. It is great to hear how willing he is to have a meaningful debate and discussion on the Bill. I thank Senator Ruane and her team for bringing it forward. I will echo a lot of the words that we have already heard today around what justice and democracy are and how, to have a democratic society, we must have fair justice. A major part of a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Last weekend, Dr. Mike Ryan of the WHO said that if you are not angry, you are not paying attention; if you are not doing something about it, you are complicit in genocide. Last weekend, the Tánaiste said that the world is not doing enough. We have known that the world is not doing enough for the past 20 months and for many years before that. I welcome the well-intentioned and sincere...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House today. A few weeks ago, during a discussion on women's health in this Chamber, I spoke about women not being believed in the healthcare system. Following that, I received hundreds of messages from women speaking about their own experiences of medical gaslighting. Reading those experiences that women chose to openly share on social media...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Women in Ireland deserve better. They deserve to be heard. In addition, they deserve to be believed and treated with dignity in the healthcare system. That is not happening right now.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Services (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I appreciate all of the different actions and steps and I know that women’s health is coming along in Ireland. I have questions around things like gender sensitivity training. Are all staff receiving that in the new systems and units that we are opening up? Will there be a subsequent plan? This might not be something the Minister of State can answer today but the Minister for...

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am sharing time with Senator Harmon.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Robert Schuman laid the foundations of a Europe built not on war but on cooperation and multilateralism. His vision was clear, that by sharing resources nations could ensure peace and prosperity for generations, which I acknowledge has been said by the Minister of State already.On Europe Day, while we celebrate the values of peace, unity and democracy that underpin the European Union, we...

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: No. Let me finish. I am on my time. That is the move we are seeing in Europe.

Seanad: Europe Day 2025: Statements (1 May 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I have spoken about this before. If we lead and if we get engaged in militarisation, we will be losing our credibility around peace. Ireland has such a profound role to play as a leader in peace, whether that is in Gaza or in Ukraine or whatever conflict we do not know is coming. We have had comments from Ministers - not in this Government but in the previous...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: This week we will celebrate May Day and, as we all know, 1 May is International Workers' Day. In this context, the recent decision by the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and the Government to row back on the commitment to a living wage for all workers is particularly disappointing. This is not just a policy shift but a real message to workers that they do not matter to this Government. A...

Seanad: Protection of Retail Workers Bill 2025: Second Stage (30 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am very happy that this Bill has come forward. I am delighted Fianna Fáil introduced it. I support the intention and essence of the Bill. As Senator Nelson Murray said, it would be fantastic to see it extended to hospitality workers. There are lots of data available to us. For example, a study from Galway indicated that 76% of hospitality workers experienced verbal abuse, 64%...

Seanad: Diverting Young People from Criminal Activity: Statements (30 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I certainly echo a lot of what Senator Cosgrove has said. Youth diversion from crime is fundamentally about prevention and addressing the root causes. I spoke earlier in the Chamber about root causes that can lead young people into criminality. We have to look at the root causes of any issue to actually solve it. Often these root causes are poverty, marginalisation, addiction, social...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (29 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Many of us were deeply disappointed by the findings of the Farrelly commission on the Grace case. Grace is a 40-year-old woman living in the south east. A lot has been said about her in the media over the last few weeks. I take the opportunity today to speak directly to Grace, who is often missing from this discussion, despite the fact that she is central to this issue. Grace, you were...

Seanad: International Trade and International Relations: Statements (3 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister of State for joining us today. As the Tánaiste said, we meet at a time of great global instability, not least because of the tariffs announced yesterday, because of ongoing conflicts and, as Senator Andrews highlighted, because of the genocide we are seeing unfold before our eyes. It is within this context that I reaffirm the importance of Ireland's commitment to...

Seanad: Childcare: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister. After all the interventions we have heard here this afternoon, we can say the situation for childcare and for families is really bleak. I have spoken to women who had to put their child's name on the waiting list when they were four months pregnant. I have spoken to a plethora of women my own age who are delaying having their first child or subsequent children because...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (2 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I thank the Minister. The housing challenges are widespread. We have heard that we are living in a housing emergency. Over 15,000 people are homeless, including over 4,600 children. We have a massive challenge around short-term lets. Airbnbs are blocking people from accommodation. We had the disastrous decision to remove the tenant in situ scheme. As the issue is so broad and given...

Seanad: Air Navigation and Transport (Arms Embargo) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (2 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I very much support the Bill the Civil Engagement Group has introduced. It puts Ireland in line with its international obligations. We would just be meeting standards by passing it. The permitting of the passage of weapons and ammunition through Ireland is quite disturbing and represents a potential facilitation of the genocidal actions of the Israeli state. Let there be no doubt about...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I support Senator Ruane's intervention. I would also like the Minister to furnish us with a report on the cost-benefit analysis of using this type of appalling, heavy-handed policing tactics versus using a community mediator in instances like this. This type of policing is morally wrong but I also suspect it is more expensive for the State. The issue I want to speak on today is to do...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: Yes, I second Senator Harmon's proposal.

Seanad: Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (Amendment) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (1 Apr 2025)

Patricia Stephenson: I am very supportive of this Bill, by and large, but I wish to raise one major issue. It pertains to forcing survivors of domestic violence to obtain the consent of their abusers. I know the Minister of State is aware of the point, as I followed the debate in the Dáil. The current process forces survivors of domestic violence to obtain their abusers' consent to file complaints about...