Results 1-13 of 13 for carers speaker:Emer Currie

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (6 Mar 2024)

Emer Currie: ...and a mother's duties in the home, which firmly puts the onus on women to take on caring duties. The amendment also lets women down where a parent does want to be at home and be the primary home carer. The State has not lived up to the commitment that they shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour outside the home. That can be seen in the tax code where it benefits...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Emer Currie: ...like Iceland, which have a required timeframe for sharing parental leave. It is about the Minister looking at his work-life balance Bill and not just introducing flexible work for parents and carers because my concern is that the people who will take that will still be women. In order to democratise flexible work, you must normalise it. We should be looking to countries like Finland...

Seanad: Budget 2024 (Finance): Statements (10 Oct 2023)

Emer Currie: ...to reduce childcare fees by 50% overall. That will make a huge difference in people’s household budgets. I was quite startled to hear the Opposition claim that the only thing in this budget for family carers, for instance, is an increase of €12, when we have taken the steps to increase the income disregards for a single person up to €450 and to €900 for a...

Seanad: Rights-Based Care Economy: Motion (27 Sep 2023)

Emer Currie: ...should not be primarily based on means and should not be means tested. It should be based on the needs of the person being cared for and the scale and value of the work that goes into that. Whatever Family Carers Ireland asks for in the budget, I cannot see anybody disagreeing with it or not supporting it but, at the same time, it is an outdated payment. It was first introduced in 1990...

Seanad: Care Payments: Motion [Private Members] (12 Jul 2023)

Emer Currie: ...is probably one of the most important topics that we talk about and that we are focused on today. Yet, a lot of these people feel invisible and are incredibly lonely. However, when I meet with carers, I am so impressed by what they give to their families and society. I often feel they could rule the world themselves with the proposals and the suggestions they make. I am glad they are...

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2023)

Emer Currie: .... It was really hard to listen to some of their stories. I also recognise the groups I work with in Dublin 15, including autism groups and mums who are campaigning for disability services. Carer's allowance is another issue I will raise. I got into politics because I dropped out of the workforce. So many women leave their jobs because of the work they have at home looking after...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Emer Currie: ...ask for. For instance, it can be core working hours, flexible hours or compressed hours. Does any part of the Bill spell out what flexible working arrangements actually are? It is great that this is being offered to carers and parents. While we are making it easier for them, we are not challenging the status quothat it is normally women who take parental leave and who will request...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2023)

Emer Currie: .... Giving people the flexibility to work compressed hours and take longer holidays is where the workforce is going. Other countries are recognising the fact flexibility is not just for parents and carers but for everyone. Moreover, when there are standardised forms of flexibility, there will also be a better ability to disconnect. If people have various agreements in the office and if...

Seanad: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 Dec 2022)

Emer Currie: ...right to request work flexibility is not. This will reduce its relevance and impact, unfortunately. The decision not to go beyond the directive's requirement to provide flexibility for parents and carers, although it does extend to children aged up to 12 rather than eight, reflecting the provisions of our current parental leave Act, means this legislation is not fully responding to the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Jan 2022)

Emer Currie: ...attention to the bigger issue of flexibility for all. There is legislation that will be coming forward from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth for parents and carers. However, we know that my view is that flexibility should be available to everybody.

Seanad: International Women's Day: Statements (8 Mar 2021)

Emer Currie: ...to work remotely. It will enhance our commitments under the EU work-life balance directive which requires EU member states to introduce the right to request flexible working arrangements for carers and working parents of children aged from zero up to eight years. I believe that we can go further than that. Not everyone works in roles that can be done remotely, has access to adequate...

Seanad: Remote Working Strategy: Motion (15 Feb 2021)

Emer Currie: .... There are others, including job sharing, compressed hours, annualised hours, core working hours and flexitime, to name just a few. The right to request should not just extend to remote working or working parents and carers, as outlined in the EU work-life balance directive. For all the reasons I mentioned, more people should have the chance to improve their quality of life. What...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2020: Second Stage (14 Dec 2020)

Emer Currie: ...per week; the reduction in the illness benefit waiting days from six to three; the consultation that is happening on statutory sick pay, which is outside of the Covid-19 illness benefit; the increase of €150 in the carer's supports grant; and the removal of the one-parent family payment earnings limit. These supports all affect people where I live in Dublin West. I want to focus...