Results 1-20 of 921 for and speaker:Sharon Keogan

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I also express my sympathy and outrage at the attempted assassination of the Slovakian Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and the very serious threat of life to Malachy Steenson, who is a candidate for the EU elections.I want to raise my concerns again about the WHO pandemic treaty, particularly in light of pharma giant AstraZeneca requesting that its Covid-19 vaccine be withdrawn by the European...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (16 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023. It proposes key reforms that will benefit An Garda Síochána in its work of policing human trafficking and exploitation. Making the national referral mechanism for victims of human trafficking a statutory provision will be of huge benefit in bringing those who perpetrate these crimes to justice. This...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I wish to raise points related to the continued migration crisis in Ireland. The latest immigration figures show that 8,100 people have applied for asylum or refugee status to date in 2024, which is approximately 61 people per day. If this rate of application for international protection continues, Ireland will reach 22,000 applications this year. We already have more than 27,000 people in...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: The Gambling Regulation Bill 2022 seeks to establish the gambling regulatory authority of Ireland for the purpose of licensing and regulating betting, gaming, certain lotteries and the sale and supply of products and services relating to gambling. When it comes to extending powers of regulation in the private sector, as lawmakers, it is incumbent on us to be conservative in the constraints...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Immigration Policy (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister of State. After the two recent referendums, we know we cannot trust the Government to be honest about the legal advice it is receiving. To quell the concerns of the Opposition and the public, will the Government publish the Attorney General's advice on the EU migration pact? It is a comprehensive document that runs to over 1,300 pages. It contains various categories...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Immigration Policy (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Minister of State. To be quite honest, I am very disappointed. While the Minister of State said that legal advice is provided to a private client, the citizens of Ireland are his clients. The citizens of Ireland need to know what the Attorney General's advice is. The Minister of State is the servant of the people of Ireland. They are the most important people when it comes to...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Kenyan delegation here this afternoon. My late uncle, who only passed away in the past couple of weeks, served as a Kiltegan missionary in Lodwar and Kataboi around the Lake Turkana area. He set up the fishing industry there. His name was Fr. Jim Brady. I welcome the European disability and parking card, which passed in the European Parliament. This card will allow for...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I welcome the Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023 and the importance of this legislation regarding people with disabilities. I commend Senator Clonan on being the driving force behind this and I was happy to move this Bill into the House in its initial Stages. This Bill would create a legal requirement to provide all supports listed in an assessment of need. It is highly...

Seanad: Disability (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities being violated. A UN committee would also be responsible for overseeing, over which the Irish Government would not be able to appoint people and this would create an accountability mechanism. The Government also published a Green Paper on disability allowance that would introduce a tiered system for disability payments. I note...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: 20th Anniversary of the 2004 EU Enlargement: Mr. Bertie Ahern (8 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Cathaoirleach very much. I will try to make it short and sweet. I will go back to something Deputy Howlin said about when Poland joined 20 years ago. Quite soon after that, approximately 140,000 Polish actually did come and they have contributed massively to our economy in this country. Many of them came to my community and many of them are registered to vote. They are full,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: The scenes on Mount Street yesterday were nothing short of a farce. They were the epitome and embodiment of the mismanagement and failure of the Irish asylum system. Only hours after the tents were removed from outside the International Protection Office, IPO, up to 50 new arrivals awaiting processing were then turned away. They were told there was no accommodation for the night, the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I want to raise the issue of the Policing Authority Assessment of Policing Performance 2023, with a particular focus on child sexual abuse and child safety. As outlined in this policing report, the strategic approach to addressing domestic, sexual and gender-based violence has seen a significant transformation in the past few years. The establishment of the divisional protective services...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...general practitioners who do not wish their GP surgeries to automatically become a safe access zone by notifying the Minister of Health. We are aware that most GPs do not want to provide abortion and the majority are not offering abortions at the moment by exercising their right to conscientious objection. Therefore, I find the automatic inclusion under this Bill of all GPs, including...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...weekend. There is legislation to deal with people behaving badly within society. They can be dealt with if it is turning violent in some way but these protests are not violent. They are silent and prayerful. I am a little disappointed with the Minister that we are not going to have a respectful debate for the next hour and a half. There is a refusal to listen to those alternative...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: The amendments are of critical importance. As I and others have noted during the course of the debate, both inside and outside Houses, the Bill has a deeply totalitarian undercurrent. Its enactment would severely damage and limit legitimate constitutional rights, including the right to protest and freedom of expression. In the past, some have attempted to portray the Bill, like the hate...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Report and Final Stages (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: To tell the truth I am a little disappointed. I thank my colleague, Senator Rónán Mullen, and all the Independent colleagues in the Dáil who put down amendments to this legislation. I would like to see the Minister being a Minister for young pregnant girls and women who find themselves pregnant, to encourage them to have their children, and to put in place policies that will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: UN Sustainable Development Goals: Discussion (1 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: Ireland has adopted a whole-of-government approach to SDG implementation, with each Minister having specific responsibilities for implementing individual SDG goals and targets related to the ministerial functions. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has responsibility for promoting these SDGs and for overseeing their coherent implementation across government and each...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (30 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I wish to raise my concerns regarding the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. I struggle to have confidence in the Minister and her Department. On her watch, a breakdown in British-Irish relations on the most serious matter of foreign policy is under way. The Minister was due to meet the UK Home Secretary, James Cleverly, yesterday to discuss strengthening the common travel area. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...is coming onto our shores when we all know that everybody who arrives on our shores at present, if they present themselves to the IPAS office, but only then, are fingerprinted, their ID is gathered and their photo is taken? We have access to the Eurodac system and the Europol system within our current legislation. I just want to find out about that Eurodac system at this moment in time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: The system we are currently operating at this moment whereby we have access to all of the data that Ms Kenny outlined will be null and void if we do not opt into this pact. Is that correct? Is that what Ms Kenny is saying?