Results 1-20 of 55 for "direct provision" speaker:Martin Conway

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security: Discussion (18 Jun 2014)

Martin Conway: ...answers but I can check the record afterwards. I wish to commend all the parties concerned for this interesting discussion. I agree with the comments of Deputy MacLochlainn and Senator Zappone on direct provision. I contend that in years to come this State will be compensating some of the people who have been locked up in direct provision. The way in which those in direct provision are...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Martin Conway: .... I am confused about where Senator Clifford-Lee is coming from because I found the Minister's speech quite informative. It gave us a synopsis of the current position regarding the whole issue of direct provision. I have criticised direct provision in the past. During the early part of the last term, I joined a number of colleagues on a visit to direct provision centres organised by...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2014)

Martin Conway: ...in politics. Second, Christmas is coming and the Seanad has discussed homelessness and various other challenges many citizens face. However, another group in society in Ireland are those people in direct provision who will spend a further Christmas in that system as a result of Government inaction. I sincerely hope this will be the last Christmas in which people will suffer in direct...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (22 Oct 2014)

Martin Conway: ...it plays in terms of highlighting this issue. I commend my two colleagues, Senator Ó Clochartaigh and Senator van Turnhout. They were involved in what was initially the Seanad all-party group on direct provision, which is now the Oireachtas all-party group on direct provision. Unfortunately, the Government is not in a position to support Senator Norris's Bill. This is not because...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin. He has been in office just over six months and this is probably his second or third time speaking about direct provision in the Seanad. This is an issue that is very close to the hearts of many Senators. The all-party working group on direct provision was founded from this House through Senator van Turnhout,...

Seanad: Provision of Accommodation and Ancillary Services to Applicants for International Protection: Statements (27 Nov 2019)

Martin Conway: ...our international obligations and our obligations to people who are vulnerable and who come here seeking our protection. It has been very difficult. I note that this month marks 20 years since the direct provision system was introduced as a way of dealing with this situation. Back in 2002, 3,500 to 4,000 people came to this country seeking our assistance. These are the type of figures...

Seanad: Migrant Integration Strategy: Statements (16 May 2017)

Martin Conway: ...and I sincerely hope it is achieved. Measures like 1% of the Civil Service reflecting our new ethnic communities are welcome, positive and significant. I will pick up on what Senator Lawless about direct provision. It is a disgrace. I know the Minister of State is genuine in this regard because he was chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality for five...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (4 Oct 2017)

Martin Conway: .... If that story is correct, and I do not doubt Senator Clifford-Lee's sincerity in this regard, the individual in question should hang his or her head in shame. Quite apart from the issue of direct provision, I find it unacceptable that a citizen would behave in this way. There are many countries where people are not allowed to learn. It would not be appropriate for this to happen in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2019)

Martin Conway: ...in the situation where an emergency accommodation structure is in place. What are the financial arrangements between RIA and the providers of these emergency accommodation beds? I do not mean the direct provision beds but the emergency accommodation beds. What protocols are in place to ensure basis standards in the emergency accommodation? I am trying to understand how the arrangements...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Martin Conway: ...determinations of applications within a shorter timeframe; (iv) to provide for the completion of the implementation of the recommendations of the Working Group Report to the Government on Improvements to the Protection Process, including Direct Provision and other Supports which already addresses the position of international protection applicants who are the subject of this Bill; and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (24 May 2023)

Martin Conway: ...dissemination of information from the Government to communities. It is not good enough for NGOs, council officials and local and national public representatives to become aware of the opening of a direct provision centre through the media. These are people, by and large, who want to help. NGOs, local authority officials and public representatives are there to help. I seek a debate on...

Seanad: Direct Provision System: Motion (17 Sep 2014)

Martin Conway: I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after 'That Seanad Éireann' and substitute the following:"recognising that – -the current system of Direct Provision has existed for 14 years; -that the Minister and the Minister of State in the Department of Justice and Equality having visited several centres both agree on the need to review the current system; and -that a key concern...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Apr 2014)

Martin Conway: ...other schools coming up here, so it is fitting that this school visit occurred today. Today is International Human Rights Day and many human rights issues need to be addressed, including the area of direct provision in particular. It is 15 years to the day since the direct provision system was established here, but it is broken and is not working. The Government has failed in its human...

Seanad: Adjournment Debate: Direct Provision System (19 Nov 2013)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, to the House. I am not a wholehearted advocate of direct provision as a means of housing people who are seeking asylum in this country, many of whom are in a distressed state. I have been to two of these centres and was not at all impressed with what I saw. We have responsibilities and duties as a State to respect and protect people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Direct Provision and the International Protection Application Process: Discussion (Resumed) (19 Jun 2019)

Martin Conway: ...the presentation from RIA. In some centres, children are accepted into the local national school, but the support and services made available are very limited. In other situations, children from direct provision centres are not accepted into the local primary schools. The protocol should be that local primary schools are obliged to take children from direct provision centres and should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund: Motion (5 Dec 2018)

Martin Conway: I welcome the Minister of State. He may recall that when he was Chairman of this committee, we visited Portugal to see how it dealt with reception centres. Back then in 2013 or 2014, direct provision in this country was different from today. Today some of our reception centres compare favourably with what we witnessed in Portugal. Engagement with NGOs has borne fruit. There is probably...

Seanad: Employment Permits (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (9 Jul 2014)

Martin Conway: ...-language schools closing and foreign students being left high and dry. That situation might need to be tightened up in future legislation. We have also discussed ad nauseamthe issue of people in direct provision centres around the country. If people in direct provision have a skill to offer, they should be able to work and make a contribution to society, as well as paying their taxes....

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (22 Dec 2014)

Martin Conway: We have had many debates in the House on direct provision, and there have been review groups and so forth-----

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (6 Mar 2018)

Martin Conway: And the opening of the direct provision centre.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme and International Protection Applications: Discussion (11 Jul 2018)

Martin Conway: I would love to develop the point but unfortunately I have to leave at this point. I will ask a number of questions on direct provision if I get an opportunity to do so when I come back.