Results 21-40 of 55 for "direct provision" speaker:Martin Conway

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

Martin Conway: ...the Department stating it had no application on file. Clearly, the information that had come from it was not correct because there was an application on file. A contract has been signed for a direct provision centre in Lisdoonvarna which is about three or four miles from Doolin national school. I have no doubt that some of the children who will live in the centre will be seeking...

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

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

Seanad: Reception Conditions Directive: Motion (23 Jan 2018)

Martin Conway: ...to address the very technical and detailed questions posed to him. The Minister would be the very first to accept that this is not a panacea to resolving all of the many challenges associated with direct provision. On numerous occasions in the past, I have said this is probably something for which a future Taoiseach will have to apologise in the Houses of Oireachtas, in particular in...

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: 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...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (20 Jun 2017)

Martin Conway: ...as I know it is about to happen. I wish him well. I think I speak for all my colleagues in saying we will co-operate with him in any legislation he feels is necessary to deal with issues such as direct provision and the migrant crisis. This is this third or fourth year in which I have supported the provisions of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998. I do so against the...

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...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Immigration and Refugee Crisis: Discussion (14 Dec 2016)

Martin Conway: ...now been asked by her. I have a brief comment to make and a question to ask. The previous justice committee did a great deal of work in this area. I have been a member of the ad hoccommittee on direct provision. The situation in respect of direct provision has certainly been a very shameful for this country. I have always believed that a figure of 4,000 was not enough. During the term...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Suspended Sentences of Imprisonment) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (30 Nov 2016)

Martin Conway: ...record of raising issues that, although they might not necessarily get headlines, are important to many communities. I wish the Minister of State well in his endeavours to improve the plight of people in direct provision. As a policy, direct provision should be abandoned, but we are a long way off that. While the Minister of State was Chairman of the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence...

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Martin Conway: ...to support it. It is the right thing to do. This House has a tradition of coming together when something is the right thing to do. In the previous Seanad there were motions on important issues like direct provision and I am glad we are coming together to support this motion and send a clear message to Government that this is an issue about which Seanad Éireann cares and in support...

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: Direct Provision: Motion (27 Jan 2016)

Martin Conway: ...allowed to demonstrate their talents, contribute to society, build our economy, be part of our future, help us to carve it out and sculpt how this country sees itself in future. There is talent in the direct provision centres. I have visited a number of them with my good friend Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh who has excelled himself on this issue and who often makes some of us...

Seanad: International Protection Bill 2015: Second Stage (2 Dec 2015)

Martin Conway: ...to dealing with this issue.At that stage the Government reaffirmed in a very real way its commitment to dealing with this issue. I hope no one in this society would defend the current system of direct provision where people are within a structure or system for up to nine or ten years. Often, the reason is that people are appealing decisions that do not grant them permission to stay....

Seanad: European Council Decisions: Motions (1 Oct 2015)

Martin Conway: ...and what should be the response. Two years ago we would not have envisaged this situation. We have been accepting people into this country for many years. Currently, there are 4,000 people in the direct provision system, which can only be described as inhumane. Calls for change have been made since the start of this Oireachtas. With Senator Ó Clochartaigh and others, I have called...

Seanad: Harmful and Malicious Electronic Communications Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (1 Jul 2015)

Martin Conway: ...Stage where their concerns can be addressed. This is an example of where the Seanad can make a difference. The Seanad has proven itself to be a formidable force in many areas, one such area being direct provision, which Senators Ó Clochartaigh, van Turnhout and others, including myself, have been battling for some time to have addressed. I note a report on that matter has been...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2015)

Martin Conway: ...country. We have saved the lives of 1,000 people. Let us now give them a life and welcome some of them to our shores. However, before we do that we need to get our house in order when it comes to direct provision, because that is something we should be ashamed of. Certainly, we could not be proud of it. I agree with my colleague on the other side, Senator Byrne, in terms of IBRC. We...

Seanad: National Integration Strategy: Motion (1 Apr 2015)

Martin Conway: ...promote the circumstances that create tolerance, integration and the type of society where everybody lives together in harmony supporting each other. I have spoken regularly about the disgraceful situation that is direct provision here. Frankly, the Government did nothing about direct provision until the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, became Minister for equality and...

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: 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: 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...