Results 1-20 of 124 for long speaker:Sharon Keogan

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

Sharon Keogan: .... With my Independent colleagues, I have fought constantly in here to make sure councillors are properly remunerated and properly paid for the job they do. We have much work to do but we have come a long way since I came in here. We were at €17,500 when I joined the Seanad in 2020. We have secured more pay. There is a long way to go, but I will keep on that fight. I value each...

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...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (20 Mar 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...Plans and action must happen now. I call on the Minister for integration to come to this House and have a real debate on providing information to all Members of this House, to the public and to communities long kept in the dark about the IPAS system, and on how it plans to fix its chronic failures. The public have sent a message with the results of the recent referendums. They want...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: European Elections 2024, Voting Rights and Combating Disinformation: Discussion (Resumed) (20 Mar 2024)

Sharon Keogan: Have all the online platforms signed up to the guidelines in the Digital Services Act? I see the commission has the power to issue compliance notices. How long does that compliance notice take and what is the follow up? For example, if a complaint is made and the compliance notice is issued I understand the fines are up to 6% of the gross turnover of these particular agencies, which is...

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

Sharon Keogan: ...on the application and interpretation of the amended provisions, thereby promoting legal certainty and consistency, especially relating to the International Protection Act 2015. This legislation is long-awaited by custodial parents and I very much welcome it. The Bill references the provision of certain matters relating to the individual granted permission to reside under the...

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

Sharon Keogan: ..., meaning this is allowed to continue. More than 4,000 kids are on the CAMHS waiting while more than 100,000 on hospital waiting lists. One in five, that is, 20,600 children, have been waiting longer than a year for treatment or assessment by a hospital consultant. In Roscrea recently, the Minister chose to send migrant women and children into the middle of an ongoing protest,...

Seanad: An Bille um an Naoú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (An Teaghlach), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-ninth Amendment of the Constitution (The Family) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Sharon Keogan: I will not take too long. It has nothing to do with men. We are talking down-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Jan 2024)

Sharon Keogan: ...in this country and what he did for minority voices on the island. He will not be forgotten by anybody in the House or by society in general. The things he did for minority voices will live long in the history of the nation. I lend my commiserations to Sinn Féin, which has lost Senator Ó Donnghaile. He was a very strong advocate for northern voices in the House. He was one of...

Seanad: Health (Termination of Pregnancy Services) (Safe Access Zones) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...was absolutely correct when he said that such a move would "further silence the voice of the innocent unborn" and increase fears for the freedoms of religion and speech. He asked, "What next? How long before it is deemed unlawful to openly express in Ireland the reasonable opinion that there are two lives in every pregnancy worth protecting – the life of a mother and the life of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...at the taxpayers' expense only to move abroad and take their education, experience and social capital elsewhere. While, of course, the free legal movement of people can be of benefit and Ireland has a long history of emigration, it does somewhat amount to money out of our pockets and into those of other countries, which will receive income tax from people who have been educated and paid...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...need to be changed; the Bill copper-fastens the centralised approach to planning and does not take account of local circumstances as identified by elected members: the Bill will ensure that planning authorities are no longer the prime mover in terms of spatial planning in this country, but are now bound by a strict straight-jacket of plans at national and at regional levels; - the AILG...

Seanad: Local Government Matters and City and County Councillors: Motion [Private Members] (6 Dec 2023)

Sharon Keogan: .... He has delivered on the gratuity pay and the security allowance. Deputy Peter Burke was one of the finest Ministers of State with responsibility for local government that we had seen in a very long time. I like to think the pressure put on by the Independent Senators was instrumental in delivering the pay increase for the county councillors around the country. It is not a living wage....

Seanad: Recent Violence in Dublin City Centre: Motion (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...statistics published by other EU governments. They are factual. Is sharing them hate speech? I fear that under the Minister's new Bill sharing them might be investigated as such. I have long said this Government would rather receive a pat on the back from Brussels than a clap on the back from the Irish. Often we need serious issues in this country to attract the attention of the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Policing Matters: Discussion (Resumed) (29 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...streets last week. Officers were called in from all over the place. Many of them simply got into their cars to help their colleagues in need at the time. How will this issue be addressed in the long term? Recruitment and retention are issues within An Garda Síochána. Community policing is at the heart of what the Garda does. I am a great advocate of community policing. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: Safeguarding Medical Professionals: Discussion (28 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...to deal with clinical situations that could be difficult or are not possible to overcome? There can be significant difficulties with existing prognoses for illnesses. In terms of predicting how long somebody might live, whether it is weeks, months or years, in many cases it is impossible to give advice on that. I refer to the risks of coercion, given the suboptimal availability of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ..., because truth is solely the remit of the left, and this was loudly and uncritically echoed by all major media outlets. This so-called news suits them just fine as the establishment media has long since been singing the hymn that it alone is the vanguard of truth and honesty and the sole purveyor of trustworthy news content, and that the apparatus of the State must defend it from attack...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Nov 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...say that these women have saved the lives of countless Irish men and women. As the Koran says, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though they have saved the lives of all mankind.The sisters join a long tradition of essential aid being provided by those who are compelled to act by their faith. Br. Kevin Crowley founded the Capuchin Day Centre over half a century ago. It has been a...

Seanad: Disability Allowance: Motion (11 Oct 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...not have to do that. I commend Senator Clonan on being the voice of disability groups since he entered this Chamber. I support this motion and every motion he will bring forward on the disability sector as long as he is in these Houses.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Measures (10 Oct 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...a technical issue in section 6, causing it to reference subsection (1A) instead of subsection (1). If this assists in getting a section commenced, it is a welcome move, but why has it taken so long? I understand that legislative drafting is necessarily an exceedingly exact science and one that cannot be rushed, but nine years seems an awfully long time to wait for commencement. I hope...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Legislative Measures (10 Oct 2023)

Sharon Keogan: ...have been waiting for this legislation for nine years.I understand that it is being drafted at this moment. The urgency is there for these fathers who have been waiting for this legislation for a long time. Not having that name on the birth certificate does not give them the rights that they deserve as fathers. I welcome it coming as quickly as possible and I welcome the Minister of...