Results 1-20 of 1,865 for at speaker:Rónán Mullen

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

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. I echo what has been said by many other Senators in welcoming this Bill generally. I wish the best of luck to Ms Anne Marie Caulfield, the CEO designate of this body, to be called Údarás Rialála Cearrbhachais na hÉireann or the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland. She has an important role and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Regulation of the English Language Sector: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: The accommodation crisis in the country generally is coming in at different levels and impacting different people in different ways in terms of housing, etc. Presumably, there is a knock-on impact as well in terms of the availability of accommodation for students coming into the country and the cost of it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Regulation of the English Language Sector: Discussion (14 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I thank Mr. Biondi. Turning to Ms Harmon, she mentioned several recommendations have not been followed up on. This business where students get caught when a company folds or whatever, is this a problem that may continue happening? If so, are there mechanisms the ICOS can think of or that it would like to see introduced in this regard? For example, perhaps we could introduce some kind of an...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 May 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I concur with what Senator O'Loughlin had to say about the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. It does very important work and I look forward to supporting it this morning and at other times. Its work is to be greatly commended. On 7 May, the Minister for agriculture announced his decision to ban the use on dogs and cats of so-called electronic shock collars operated by handheld remote...

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

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 19, after “practitioner” to insert the following: "(other than a general practitioner who has notified the Minister that the practitioner does not wish the premises at which he or she provides healthcare services to be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be a relevant healthcare premises)".

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

Rónán Mullen: With this amendment, we propose to insert the following text into the Bill: (other than a general practitioner who has notified the Minister that the practitioner does not wish the premises at which he or she provides healthcare services to be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be a relevant healthcare premises) Including this line on page 4, line 19 is to provide for the definition...

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

Rónán Mullen: Not for the first time, I am disappointed with the Minister's response. The problem is that the Minister does not address the core of the purpose of the proposed amendment. His latter point about those who might be distressed by any reasonable witness is the premise of the Bill. This Bill seeks to limit freedom of expression on the grounds that certain other people may profess to be...

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

Rónán Mullen: I have always said and I will say it again that I have nothing personal against the Minister at all. I have nothing but contempt, I am sorry to say, for the way he does his job, specifically on this issue. He is not in the service of truth or good healthcare. He has acted in a way that completely disregards. Privately he says he will meet anybody, but his only approach ever on this issue...

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

Rónán Mullen: ...In page 6, lines 10 and 11 to delete the words "within 100 metres of an entrance to either House of the Oireachtas"." Amendment No. 4 proposes: "In page 6, lines 12 and 13, to delete ", within that 100 metres"." That is obviously connected to amendment No. 3. Amendment No. 7, which is consequential on the acceptance of amendments Nos. 3 and 4, proposes the deletion of lines 20 to 23 on...

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

Rónán Mullen: I point out to the Cathaoirleach I am responding to the Minister's points very directly here, because as I was saying, a person nearly lost their life. The reason this nearly happened is because it is not in any way required as part of the provision of abortion services that ultrasound would be offered. That amendment was tabled at the time of the abortion legislation. The party of which...

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

Rónán Mullen: These amendments are about securing the right to peaceful protest on a life and death issue. Many people who do not share my views on abortion, and are closer to what is the Minister's public view at least that it is nothing to be regretted, and nothing to be described as being better if it were rare, have a problem with the legislation because they are at least democrats. They would say...

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

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: “(3) Nothing in section 2(2) shall prohibit a person from engaging in debate or lawful protest, advocacy or dissent on premises occupied by a designated institution of higher education, provided such debate, protest, advocacy or dissent is not directed at a specific relevant healthcare premises or...

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

Rónán Mullen: This amendment provides that in page 6 and between lines 15 and 16, the following words be inserted: "Nothing in section 2(2) shall prohibit a person from engaging in debate or lawful protest, advocacy or dissent on premises occupied by a designated institution of higher education, provided such debate, protest, advocacy or dissent is not directed at a specific relevant healthcare premises or...

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

Rónán Mullen: No doubt of it. Thank you. All I know is when the Order of Business is decided, it is decided at the behest of the Government because the Government has the majority of seats in here. I am not saying there is anything procedurally-----

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

Rónán Mullen: Thank you. It was you who pointed this out to me. I did not need to be reminded that this was procedurally in order. I never claimed otherwise. What I am saying is that it is undemocratic to pursue this and all the more ironic when what we are talking about here is crushing dissent against legislation and policy which involve the destruction of innocent life. That was my only point. ...

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

Rónán Mullen: It is a sad piece of legislation, following many others sad pieces of legislation. We live in a country where many older people and people with vulnerable healthcare situations are worried about having to go to hospital. They are worried about what will happen to them if they go to hospital and are worried about the fact this Government is unable to manage our healthcare system properly...

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

Rónán Mullen: I join in the tributes and words of sympathy to the Dowling family. We should not be surprised that it is an onerous task to be a Senator on the Labour Panel. It is certainly a laborious task anyway. I make the point to the Ceannaire Gníomhach, Senator Seery Kearney, that it is about ten months since the scandal of the secret payments at RTÉ emerged, causing the State...

Seanad: Agriculture: Statements (16 Apr 2024)

Rónán Mullen: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I do not intend to take up the full ten minutes allocated to me. There are just a few issues that I want to raise with the Minister. He has already addressed several of the matters I had hoped to raise. I do not know if the Minister has had a chance, in this House or elsewhere, to acknowledge the very tragic passing of Paddy Dunican, the manager of...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Rónán Mullen: I thank the Cathaoirleach and welcome the Minister back to the House. In drafting these amendments, we have been mindful that it is not always clear what is and is not caught by this or any Bill. I am open to the argument, though I do not think the Minister has made it, that the Bill does not explicitly criminalise silent prayer. However, given the breadth of section 2(2), considered in...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Apr 2024)

Rónán Mullen: ...engages I will leave the O'Shea report for another day and will not speak about last night's documentary. I have already made my position on the documentary and on RTÉ's behaviour with it known at an earlier stage today in the House. Suffice it to say that I think the many flaws in Ms O'Shea's knowledge were clearly exposed at the committee, not least in her apparently being unaware...