Results 1-20 of 39 for feel speaker:Mark Wall "party:" . (isset($parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")]) ? $parties[ucfirst("$a[1]")] : "$a[1]")

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

Mark Wall: ...those councillors who are no longer there. Councillor Tuffy is right that some people just do not want to run any more, but it is also important to speak to them. The time has come to get their feelings about what they offered and what they look forward to. I again thank everybody. Full-time councillors and the forum are issues, as is the planning Bill. We all look forward to that...

Seanad: Situation in the Middle East: Statements (Resumed) (20 Feb 2024)

Mark Wall: ...right to intervene and say this is wrong and should not be happening and that there is a future, but that future has to start shortly. I welcome his statement tonight but the helplessness the Irish people feel has to be acknowledged and supported.I welcome the Private Members' motion tabled by the Civil Engagement Group, which we will debate tomorrow night. That debate will give us...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2023: Second Stage (13 Feb 2024)

Mark Wall: ...asked questions by particular mothers. It puts them under so much needless stress. In fairness, many groups, including SPARK and Women's Aid, have identified the fear that these young mothers feel in dealing with those calls and meetings. I hope this Bill will address social welfare inspectors and the need for them to go to those lengths. I hope that will change because it is wrong....

Seanad: Defence Forces Tribunal of Inquiry: Motion (30 Jan 2024)

Mark Wall: ...bodies. It is a very important channel that is kept open. It is also important that we acknowledge the pride, as all Members who stood up here today have done, that we all have in our Defence Forces. The pride we all feel from the actions and representations of our Defence Forces both at home and abroad is unique and must at all times be protected. We are all aware of the challenges...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: An Dara Céim - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Second Stage (22 Jan 2024)

Mark Wall: ...current and wonderful diversity of family life in Ireland. Indeed, it is my experience that such a restrictive definition has not reflected family life in Ireland for a long time. We therefore feel it is time to amend the definition of family, just as it is time to amend the language used in Article 42.2. I will not get a chance to contribute to that debate later but I welcome the fact...

Seanad: Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Second Stage (15 Nov 2023)

Mark Wall: ...offer an incredible support to victims, and often to their children, but there simply is not enough capacity. We need at least one in every county and ideally we should have a lot more. To feel unsafe in your home, which should be your sanctuary, is a travesty. The lack of appropriate accommodation and refuges for survivors of abuse, as well as the housing crisis more generally, is...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021: Second Stage (7 Nov 2023)

Mark Wall: ...felt they would only vote the way their parents wanted them to. However, the majority of students in that transition year class were in favour of a reduction in the age to 16, with comments like, "I feel I am old enough", "I live in my community, I want to vote", "I want to get my name on the register", "It would mean a lot to me", and "It is my future, I want to vote". That comment was...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Green Paper on Disability Reform: Department of Social Protection (25 Oct 2023)

Mark Wall: ...Mr. Hession said in the opening statement this morning that the Department does not wish to cause any anxiety or stress among its customers. To take up the point made by the previous two speakers, many feel undervalued at present and it is causing them stress. I am referring to a Green Paper that may or may not affect their disability payments. Taking the bona fides of the Minister will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Report on Participation Income for Family Carers: Discussion (11 Oct 2023)

Mark Wall: ...value. I deal with carer's allowance on a daily basis and I think in the last statistics I saw that 77% of those who are on carer's allowance are actually women. Many of those women tell me they feel degraded and that they are not worth anything in this system. I have spoken previously to Ms Cox about the means testing, and recently there was a Commencement matter in the Seanad on the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (23 May 2023)

Mark Wall: ...as well. Many victims of domestic abuse have told me that one of the biggest barriers to people naming their abuser was the brevity of the prison term their abuser might receive. This is why I feel the increase in the potential sentence for assault in domestic cases from five to ten years will be very welcome news for many of those victims and will encourage more victims to come forward....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (16 May 2023)

Mark Wall: ...some statistics. This is our 48th meeting and our 19th public session, which shows the importance of what we are discussing today. To reference the AsIAm report for more, 86% of autistic people feel that they do not get the same chance, and 57% of the public recognise that autistic people are treated in a different way. That is what we have found in all of our public meetings. Everyone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2023)

Mark Wall: ...the specific town mentioned by the association or in the others that are trying to be so at the moment? I am asking about a general State policy on autism-friendly towns and how the association would feel that would work throughout the State. Regarding speech and language therapy, I thank the witnesses for the work done. To take up the point made by Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, how bad is...

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

Mark Wall: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister for Social Protection to the House to debate what we feel is an important and necessary change to the social protection system. I want to heartily welcome some visitors to the Gallery: Damien Peelo, chief executive officer of Treoir, the national federation for services for unmarried parents and their children, and...

Seanad: Gambling (Prohibition of Advertising) Bill 2021: Second Stage (23 Mar 2022)

Mark Wall: ...while the gambling industry thrives. This is unacceptable and needs to change now. The Labour Party is not against gambling. Many people in this country can control what they spend when they gamble. However, we feel the evidence is building that there are a number of citizens who cannot control their gambling addiction or are at risk of developing a further addiction. This is why we...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Jan 2022)

Mark Wall: ...particular matter. We are all aware of what we can and cannot do about these proposed exercises. I note the concerns last night, again, of our fishing fleet in the southern part of the country, who feel that its livelihood and, indeed, its environmental fishing rights will be directly impacted by these training exercises. I note from the reply from the Russian ambassador that such...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Enrolments (18 Nov 2021)

Mark Wall: ...: From day one, the application process put huge amounts of stress on the children. The school spoke directly to the children, asking them to relay the message to parents. This caused panic, a feeling of being overwhelmed and my 11-year-old couldn't understand why she had been told she had less chance of getting a place because she is the eldest. She was so distraught in school that a...

Seanad: Air Accident Investigation Unit Final Report into R116 Air Accident: Statements (18 Nov 2021)

Mark Wall: ...the early 2000s, this country began to include a civilian provider, in addition to the Defence Forces, in providing the SAR contract. The military involvement in SAR ended in 2003. We in the Labour Party feel the time has now come to incorporate and involve the Defence Forces once again in the provision of search and rescue in this country. This would provide obvious benefits to the...

Seanad: Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland: Statements (17 Nov 2021)

Mark Wall: .... He stated he could put it on the table this week but that he wanted to do so in a joint approach with the UK. The worry for us all is that the Commissioner went on to say that sometimes he has the feeling that when we come up with a solution to one problem, other problems are put on the table. At the heart of all of this debate of course must be the EU's continued support for Ireland...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Housing Schemes (12 Oct 2021)

Mark Wall: I welcome the Minister of State to the House to address what I feel is an important matter for many people in this country, especially those in my county, Kildare. I am sure that, like me, the Minister of State has assisted many people and families with what has always been a worthwhile grant. The grant has made such a difference to the day-to-day lives of so many older people and families...