Results 1-12 of 12 for carers speaker:Pauline O'Reilly

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Pauline O'Reilly: ..., which was rightly pointed out by the previous speaker. I do a lot of canvassing, as many colleagues do, and one of the recurring themes at the doorsteps is disability rights and the situation of carers. It is our job to bring all those concerns to Parliament and have them addressed. I thank the Fine Gael Senators for allowing us all the opportunity to do that. Last weekend, I...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Pauline O'Reilly: ..., I was a witness at an Oireachtas joint committee examining this issue. At that time, very few politicians wanted to do anything more than remove the wording that was in the section. What Family Carers Ireland, many others including the National Women's Council of Ireland and I, being involved with Stay-At-Home Parents Association Ireland, wanted was to remove the sexist language and to...

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

Pauline O'Reilly: ...in the spending but also the kind of legislation that is being passed. Recommendation 3 of this motion calls on the Government to provide access to the State contributory pension for those in receipt of carers' allowance. Just this morning at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Social Protection, Community and Rural Development and the Islands, pre-legislative scrutiny began on the heads...

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

Pauline O'Reilly: ...and the Labour Party Senators for tabling the motion. Ireland is unusual when it comes to the type of care we have when compared with other European countries. We have a high number of family carers, which is unusual. A lot of countries have moved to institutional care, and we are the richer for not having done so. With that, however, comes a huge responsibility on the State. Based on...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Feb 2023)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...are very concerned about costs. The measures being introduced will ensure older people living alone and pensioners will receive additional support, as will families with children, lone parents, low-income families, carers and those on disability payments. The commentary on this issue has either made the case that there should be no universal payments whatsoever or, alternatively, that we...

Seanad: Oil Emergency Contingency and Transfer of Renewable Transport Fuels Functions Bill 2023: Second Stage (9 Feb 2023)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...whole topic has been looked at in detail. This category is to be extended to include people who are financially vulnerable and those who are on the working family payment, one-parent family payment, domiciliary care allowance, carer's allowance or jobseeker's allowance for more than six months. All of that is hugely welcome. Of course we need to make sure people have a steady supply of...

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

Pauline O'Reilly: ...that we do not have these data before we have this legislation. This does not mean, however, that we should not put this legislation in place. I would love to see people, as workers and carers, feeling supported in every way they can be to ensure their breastfeeding journey is as long as they want it to be. I think people feel pressured now in this regard to give up breastfeeding...

Seanad: Social Welfare (Surviving Cohabitant’s Pension) Bill 2021: Second Stage (26 Oct 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...very seriously. There are three recommendations around the Constitution. One is on family status and ensuring that all families are respected in the Constitution. A second is on ensuring that carers of whatever gender are supported and respected under the Constitution. That element of care is also an important point to mention. I have been a solicitor in family law. People who come...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Gender Equality: Recommendations of the Report of the Citizens’ Assembly on Gender Equality: Discussion (Resumed) (16 Jun 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...to say every political party bar our own has been seeking to delete the part of the Constitution in question. Sometimes it feels like you are shouting against a stream when it comes to carers, partly because those who get elected and make policies are usually working for pay and are not those who are really representative of carers and those who are at home. To come out of the home and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 Mar 2022)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...awareness. I thank the former Senator, Averil Power, whose secretarial assistant now works in my office, so we do have connections there which worked very well. I assure Senator Buttimer that carers is an issue close to my heart. It is very welcome that there is an alliance now, but as he points out, the home care packages have been an issue for a long time. I am Vice Chairman of the...

Seanad: Carer's Allowance: Motion (10 May 2021)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...and in need of social contact the most vulnerable to the effects of the pandemic, they are also those who rely on the hospital and primary healthcare system, front-line healthcare workers and home carers more than any other section of society. Undoubtedly, this sector and these workers have felt the pinch dealing on all fronts with the health of the nation over the last year. That is...

Seanad: Election of Cathaoirleach (29 Jun 2020)

Pauline O'Reilly: ...and it is hard to follow that, but there are many people who are not in trade unions and have no collective bargaining. Those voices need to be heard. Some 360,000 people in the Republic are carers. The majority are unpaid and are women. They do not belong to a trade union. When we talk about labour and workers, let us talk about workers in the broadest sense possible. Let us stop...