Results 1-20 of 423 for at 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the WHO pandemic treaty, particularly in light of pharma giant AstraZeneca requesting that its Covid-19 vaccine be withdrawn by the European...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: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 May 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...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 office was closed and they could return...

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

Sharon Keogan: I am a little bit sorry to see this debate going the way it is at the moment, with neither colleague having respect for each other's view, which is a shame. This amendment provides an opt-out for 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...

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: 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: I thank our guests for their presentations here this afternoon. In relation to the Eurodac, last week the Department officials spoke about the Eurodac system as if we would not continue to be part of the system if we did not sign up to this pact. This is misinformation. If we reject the migration pact, we will continue to operate within this system. We already operate within this system....

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?

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: It is all very relevant in the context of what is happening within this country at present.

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: It is with the Department of children and integration. A similar proposal has been made about these detention centres. They are also actually called that. They are referred to as "Reception and Integration Centres and Accommodation Centres, at or above national standards". They are also referred to as being State owned and capable of holding up to 13,000 people.

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: And that will happen today at 7 p.m.

Seanad Public Consultation Committee: The Future of Local Democracy: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I thank the Cathaoirleach for the words about my uncle Jim. He lived a life of service, just a we as politicians do. He was a Kiltegan missionary and part of the famous Gunnar Brady family, who would have been very well known in the football circles but also in the political circles through Fianna Fáil. Uncle Danny served as a county councillor for Fianna Fáil for almost six...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: Today I address the EU migration pact, which comprises five separate regulations. The Eurodac regulation aims to create a central database for biometric data to help member states determine responsibility for asylum applications and to aid law enforcement in preventing criminal activities. However, concerns about potential expansion of surveillance on all citizens should be noted. Second,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I have run the figure, and it is just over 100,000. How could we possibly handle a minimum of 100,000 migrants at any point in the coming years?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: At the end of the day, it could happen-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: At this moment in time, I think it is important that we put the figures out there in respect of this matter-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Sharon Keogan: This document on the crisis and force majeure regulation is 83 pages long. I am not too sure whether anyone in the Department has read it or if any fluent or native speaker has read it. I refer to the review of the crisis and force majeure regulation, which is nothing short of legally ambiguous phrasing, at best. At worst, it is an insult to speakers of the English language. It is of...