Results 181-200 of 1,067,947 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Frank Feighan OR speaker:Johnny Mythen OR speaker:Matt Shanahan OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Pat Buckley OR speaker:Roderic O'Gorman OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Matt Carthy OR speaker:Martin Heydon OR speaker:James O'Connor OR speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Mary Lou McDonald OR speaker:Joan Collins OR speaker:Simon Harris OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae)
- Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)
Jennifer Whitmore: I also welcome this legislation and commend the Minister on bringing it to this point. I hope we will get it through all the processes. It seems the Minister is determined to do so and that is welcome. This is a very important Bill to close all the gaps we have seen in legislation relating to maternity leave in recent years. The provision on illness is particularly important. The...
- Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)
Roderic O'Gorman: It is built in.
- Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)
Jennifer Whitmore: I am delighted to hear that because it is really important. With regard to maternity leave for Oireachtas Members that is also very welcome and something we have been waiting a long time for. To date we have expected women either not to serve as politicians or to hide when they get pregnant and not go back to work. We made it very difficult for them. Enabling this is something I hope...
- Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)
Claire Kerrane: Deputy Sherlock is most welcome. I thank the Minister and welcome this important legislation. It is clear the Minister was very adamant this was done and passed and that we would move swiftly to do so. I commend him in this regard. This legislation has important elements. I welcome them and acknowledge all the Minister's work in this regard. Allowing the postponement of maternity leave...
- Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)
Jim O'Callaghan: I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate. I commend the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, on bringing forward this legislation into these sittings of the Oireachtas. It may be recalled that on 20 March this year, I introduced the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2024. It sought, in effect, to do exactly the same as the Minister is seeking to do in this legislation. Obviously, I am...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: I welcome our witnesses. I have been considering this issue for a long time. There is a massive Irish diaspora living across the world. I can only speak for myself, but the minute your foot steps outside this country, you become more patriotic. It does not matter where you are on holidays. You become more patriotic and it is as simple as that. In its response, the Department mentioned...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: Is that people who are still Irish passport holders living abroad?
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: As I said, people feel more patriotic the minute they step outside the country than they do when they come in.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: That is a valid point. One would imagine, Chair, this would be a commonsense approach. If people still have their Irish passport with a reference number on it, that is a true identity document. Surely these people still have their PPS number as well. They should be able to vote online or go to the nearest embassy in whatever country they are in.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: It is because they will not-----
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: There is a lack of political will. It would involve amending the Electoral Act 1963. I have just marked it in my notes to flag the matter. We can see whether that can be changed. As out guests have said, the digital age is so advanced now that I cannot see major costs being incurred.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: People would log on to a Government website.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: People in Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand or wherever could log on to MyGovID, type in their PPS number and passport number, show their ID and cast their vote.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: There is no politics at this committee. It is very good. On the response from the Department, reference was made to using MyGovID. It is a matter of putting another line in with a box, with, say, five names-----
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: In March 2017, the then Department of local government and housing and the Department of Foreign Affairs produced an options paper setting out what they called the broad range of options. Options are ideas and solutions but what got me were the references to voting rights, international comparisons, estimated costs and related resource issues, as well as legal, policy, administrative and...
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: They listed all the problems and said they did not really want what was proposed.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: It is a good step.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: Pandora's box has been opened.
- Committee on Public Petitions: Consideration of Public Petition on Voting for Irish-born Citizens Abroad: Discussion (17 Oct 2024)
Pat Buckley: We are live on TV.