Results 121-140 of 1,095,508 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Imelda Munster OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:Richard Bruton OR speaker:Paul Donnelly OR speaker:Duncan Smith OR speaker:Malcolm Noonan OR speaker:Richard Bruton8 OR speaker:Sorca Clarke OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin OR speaker:Patrick O'Donovan OR speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn OR speaker:Rose Conway-Walsh OR speaker:Barry Cowen OR speaker:Steven Matthews OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Martin Browne OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Mattie McGrath OR speaker:Thomas Byrne OR speaker:Robert Troy OR speaker:Thomas Pringle OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Jack Chambers)

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: No, it was fully published.

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: The collaborative forum of former residents of mother and baby homes and related institutions asked for this, the Clann report asked for this, the Department of Education pre-consultation report asked for this and so on. The OAK report, the Minister will remember, was a consultative report that was done. It was very good. It took on board people's views. The OAK report, prior to the...

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank all the Deputies for their contributions and their assurance of support for both the core legislation and the two sets of amendments that we will seek to bring forward next week. In terms of the process, the amendments on NDAs relating to private records will be printed by the Bills Office tomorrow and will be available for full view. Next Wednesday we will have the opportunity...

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Mairead Farrell: I thank Deputy Whitmore. We move now to the Independent Group. I call Deputy Connolly.

Maternity Protection Bill 2024 [Seanad]: Second Stage (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. Fáiltím roimh an deis cúpla focal a rá faoin ábhar seo. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach. Aontaím leis an mBille agus aontaím go bhfuil gá práinneach leis an mBille a chur tríd an Dáil. I welcome the opportunity to say a few words on this. The Minister has...

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...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Richard Bruton: I commend the Minister on the work he has done in the Department. He has made a real mark. We now have legislation and a framework for implementing our climate ambition. We have made significant progress and many good initiatives have been rolled out, such as the loan scheme that was recently put in place. It would be churlish not to recognise the effort, commitment and progress that the...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Richard Bruton: I commend the progress made on this by the Department. As the Minister rightly alluded, we had a considerable battle to get this approved, and I was gratified about a year ago to see the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, issue a reply indicating that the present calculation of the benefits was double the benefits estimated at the time it was approved. That...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Richard Bruton: I also advocated for the "disruptive technologies" programme, where €500 million-----

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Richard Bruton: We have medical device companies and ICT companies; we have wonderful resources. We are probably better placed than almost any state to think about a transformative programme in this area. It would be a low-cost toe in the water. It would be harder to integrate the State, as the Minister said, but it would be a good first step.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2024
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Supplementary) (17 Oct 2024)

Richard Bruton: Now that the Minister may have a little more time on his hands, he should listen to "The Rest is Politics - Leading", a podcast with Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell, and the interview they did with Audrey Tang, the digital Minister in Taiwan. What Taiwan did around the co-designing of solutions is well worth a listen. It is amazing what was achieved in a relatively short period.

Visit of Czech Delegation (17 Oct 2024)

Visit of Czech Delegation (17 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Before we begin I very much welcome our parliamentary colleagues from the Czech Republic who have joined us in the Distinguished Visitors' Gallery, and ask Members to join me in extending a céad míle fáilte to them. I welcome Jiří Růžička, leader of the delegation from the committee on education, science, culture, human rights and petitions of the...