Results 1-20 of 228 for at speaker:Tom Clonan

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Traffic Control Services (15 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I thank the Minister of State for coming in. First of all, I would like to apologise. I came in on the DART this morning and there was a false signal at Bray, so I was delayed as a result. I thank the House for its flexibility. I ask that the Minister for Transport state how much the Department of Transport has paid the Irish Aviation Authority....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Air Traffic Control Services (15 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Go raibh maith ag an Aire Stáit. I thank the Minister of State for the detail in his response. I appreciate that. While this may be the responsibility of the Department of Foreign Affairs, there is collective responsibility at Cabinet level. What the Department of Transport does cannot be disconnected from our neutral status. I raise this because of what is happening in Rafah. We...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: ...an issue on which I have been contacted by survivors of the St John Ambulance Ireland of an appalling scenario where young people, who were handed over in loco parentis and in good faith to participate in the activities and learnings associated with St John Ambulance Ireland and that public service, were sexually assaulted and raped. I know myself from the work I have done in this area...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank Deputy Cronin for proposing this amendment Bill, which is absolutely essential. I had the experience of losing a daughter back in 2003. She went full term, but there was a cord accident at birth. It is very unusual but it does happen. She would have been 21 this year. Her mother and I were both working parents, which, as a result of economic necessity, is the case for everybody in...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I was present at the birth of all five of my children. With Liadain, which was my little girl's name, what really marked it apart from the others was that it was a moment of complete silence. Childbirth is a noisy affair. A man in a delivery suite is a definition of the most useless thing on earth as you are there among midwives and all these amazing women, and it is usually women who do...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank Martin and Caroline very much for coming here today. I thank them for sharing their story of their beautiful boy Stephen. I thank Nina for her contribution and a couple of things that were said really struck me. In the earlier session, I spoke about our loss. We had five children, one of whom had a cord accident at birth and passed away. As I said this morning, she would have been...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Parental Bereavement Leave (Amendment) Bill 2021: Pre-Committee Stage Scrutiny (14 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: Coming here and speaking in the way we have is painful. Sometimes, after a conversation like this, you can find yourself back in a place or be stuck in a moment that you cannot get out of for a day or two or an hour or two, but the work the witnesses do at Féileacáin is such a huge public service. A lot of people are just afraid to talk about it and they do not know what to say....

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

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming along this afternoon for this Bill. I welcome my guests from all over Ireland - proud disabled citizens, parents and carers, all of us advocates for the fundamental human rights of disabled citizens. On section 1 of the Bill, before I start, I wish to say this is a deceptively short Bill. It may appear to be a small step but it is not. This...

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

Tom Clonan: I will also speak to section 3. I will have no more to say; I want to be brief. Section 2(1) to 2(6), inclusive, place disability rights on a legislative basis, therefore, making them fundamental human rights. That is consistent with the Government's campaign from last autumn and into the winter. Disability rights are human rights. I am mandated, under the UNCRPD, as a parent and...

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

Tom Clonan: The Minister of State mentioned the cultural change that is required. We are at a moment of cultural change. The narrative and our public discourse around disability is changing. Irish people now see it as a fundamental human rights issue. Everybody here in this Chamber - our guests, the Minister of State and her officials - has played a role in facilitating and accelerating the change....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Local Level: Discussion (Resumed) (1 May 2024)

Tom Clonan: ...the witnesses for coming in. I was just reflecting on this. It is such a privilege to be on any of our joint committees because we get to meet and interact with people like the witnesses who are at a very high level throughout the public service. We have had people from the private sector as well. I wanted to thank the witnesses for their time and to apologise in advance because I have...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Defence Forces (30 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. I wish to raise the issue of UN General Assembly Resolution 52/177 - death and disability benefits, and UN General Assembly Resolution 76/275 - post-traumatic stress disorder framework. These two schemes already exist. According to our information, Irish families and veterans are unable to access or have not been assisted in accessing...

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

Tom Clonan: I wish to raise the issue of a section 140 motion that was tabled at Dublin City Council yesterday evening. The motion, which sought to challenge the draft Dublin city transport plan, was brought by an Independent councillor, Damian O'Farrell. It is very commendable in that he pointed out that disabled persons' organisations, DPOs, had not been consulted regarding the Dublin transport plan....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities at Local Level: Discussion (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: At the outset, I must declare a conflict of interest. My father was a garda in Pearse Street Garda station, and my grandfather was a garda in Kevin Street Garda station. Their service overlapped briefly in the 1950s. I am told that my grandfather used to go from Kevin Street to Pearse Street to make sure my dad was in bed. I believe they had a doorman there. Dad would have retired around...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Culture and Governance Issues at RTÉ: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: Do the unions have a means to do so? I have learned a lot in the short time I have been sitting here about the extent to which the unions can represent their members. Is that something it can ballot for industrial action over? In another part of the public service - I worked in DIT, now TU Dublin, for 22 years - if I was asked to do the work of another lecturer without getting paid, I...

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

Tom Clonan: Grand. I ask you to give me a few extra seconds at the end.

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: I move amendment No. 11: In page 9, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following:“(4)In this Act, nothing should violate and instead seek to uphold the principles of parity of esteem (between disciples) and of academic freedom cited in Impact 2030,Ireland’s Research and Innovation Strategy and European standards of good practice.”. I want to explain a little about...

Seanad: Research and Innovation Bill 2024: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: I will come in briefly. What the Minister of State said sounds counterintuitive. He said that mentioning parity of esteem will not guarantee it but we need to reinforce it. It reminds me of a scene in "The Simpsons" where Homer asks Lisa what she is going to study in university and she tells him she is going to study philosophy. Homer tells her that is great because it will mean she can...

Joint Committee On Children, Equality, Disability, Integration And Youth: Ireland's International Obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Tom Clonan: This was back in the 1980s when Ireland had a very homogenous population. I want to compliment the witnesses for all the work they have done on issues of race, ethnicity and all of the sensitivities in that area because it is something Ireland really has to get to grips with. No pressure on you guys, but you are the demographic that will have to do that and you are already showing...