Type: Speech

Speaking in Dáil on Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2016: First Stage That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for a minimum percentage of Irish works in radio music programmes and for that purpose to amend the Broadcasting Act 2009, and to provide for related matters. The purpose of this Bill…

When Susan O’Keeffe asked me to read a Yeats poem in public for Yeats 2015 last year (the 150th anniversary of the poet’s birth), I picked Easter 1916. The line that stands out for me is “too long a sacrifice can make stone of the heart”. Our theme today comes from a different line in…

Speaking in Dail during Statements on Housing Strategy It is welcome that the Government has published an Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness and that it has taken on board many of the recommendations of the Oireachtas committee. However, while it contains lots of measures, proposals and aspirations, I am concerned at what it does…

Labour bill builds on progress made in government Speaking in Dail Eireann on Equal Status (Admission To Schools Bill) The Bill being debated this evening builds on progress the Labour Party has made on Equality issues when we had the opportunity in Government recently and in the 1990’s. When Dick Spring gave Equality a place…

Dáil Éireann, Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016, Second Stage   Ceann Comhairle,   Education policy can throw up many opinions and preferences, some of them contradictory. But most of us agree that children benefit from meeting and getting to know others from different backgrounds and religions. Most of us agree that diversity in…

I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy McEntee, to the House and congratulate her on her appointment. She is passionate about this area of work. Her passion and commitment will make a big difference in the Department. Everyone in this House has admired the work done by her predecessor, Deputy…

Speaking in Dáil Éireann, second stage of Parole Bill 2016 I genuinely welcome this evening’s Bill and I commit my party to supporting it throughout its legislative process. And I congratulate Fianna Fáil for devoting resources and parliamentary time to producing a thoughtful and well worked-out set of proposals that is of central importance but…

  Speaking at the Tom Johnson Summer School, Wynn’s Hotel, Dublin Embargo – 8pm Saturday 11 June  It’s an honour to be here again at the Tom Johnson Summer School – my first opportunity as Leader of the Labour Party to address this event. Since my election as Leader, I have been speaking about the…

I want to begin by welcoming former Clerys workers including Susie McGowan who I met yesterday and also her trade union colleagues. I also want to recognise the SIPTU members in the security and contract cleaning industries that helped negotiate new employment regulation orders which come into effect October 1st. I’m proud to speak on…

Just recently the economist Dan O’Brien noted that the Irish economy has increased employment more in the past four years that in the 70 years from 1926 to 1996. It would be really sad if as a people we in Ireland failed to learn from the near death experience of eight years ago and that’s…

Worker’s Rights are at the core of what the Labour Party stands for and what the Labour movement is all about.  Only this morning I was out meeting workers in Oberstown youth detention centre who staged a four hour work stoppage to highlight safety concerns on their campus. The fight for workers’ rights goes on…

Speaking on the Labour Party Private Members Motion This motion is tabled by Labour Party deputies to ensure that the rights of Workers remain on the political agenda. We need to maintain the progress that has been made by the Government of 2011 to 2016 beginning with one of its first acts, the restoration of…

 Dáil Éireann, Labour Party Motion on Protection of Employees’ Rights CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY   Ceann Comhairle, I move Motion No. 18, on behalf of the Labour Party. I am sharing time.   Ceann Comhairle, this is Labour’s first Private Members’ Time in the new Dáil. And we had no difficulty in choosing the issue we…

Addressing Labour Party public representatives   If Bill Clinton had been right – and it was all about the economy stupid – we should have fared better at the last election. But economic statistics are arid affairs and difficult to excite the public about.   And it is the case too that the debate about…

Speaking in the Dáil on Statements on Report of the O’Higgins Commission of Investigation CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY  I want first to join with others in thanking Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins for this report. In the words of the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice, Judge O’Higgins has produced a thorough and thoughtful report which deserves the…

I learnt my politics from two great Wexford men: the former leader of this party Brendan Corish, and my own Dad, John. Each, in his own way, taught me simple and powerful truths about what is right and what is wrong. And about what politics is for. Today I am immensely proud and deeply humble…

Speaking in Dáil Éireann I am glad to have an opportunity to speak in this debate.  The issue of reform has been talked about since I was first elected to this House nearly 30 years ago.  Like draining the River Shannon and restoring the Irish language, it is a permanent concept to which we all…

Speaking in the Dáil Deputy Sherlock remarked: “Let us get away from hackneyed debate and encourage more to speak Irish.” Gabhaim buíochas as an deis labhairt anseo inniu.  Níl mo chuid Gaeilge ró-mhaith, ach táim ag cleachtadh.  I mBunreacht na hÉireann aithnítear an Ghaeilge már ár dteanga phríomha don Stát.  Samhlaítear dúinn go bhfuil dualgas…

Speaking at the James Connolly Commemoration Arbour Hill, It is a privilege to be here as Labour Party Leader at this event. I’m here too on a more personal level as the grand- daughter of James Burton, railway worker and number 73 on Dr Ann Matthew’s Citizen Army membership roll. This is a poignant and…

Firstly can I convey my very sincere congratulations to Richard Bruton on his appointment as Minister for Education and Skills.   It was the privilege of my political career to serve as Minister for Education and Skills.  The new Minister will find an excellent team in Marlborough Street thoroughly committed to public education in its…

Ceann Comhairle, The Labour Party will be voting against the nomination of Enda Kenny as Taoiseach today. We do principally because this new government arrangement is a charade. Talking yesterday about the length of time it has taken to produce this deeply flawed arrangement, my colleague, Willie Penrose, referred to the old saying that a…

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to address the House on the challenge of addressing the impact of the unprecedented combination of conflicts and humanitarian crises worldwide, but especially in the broader Middle East and Africa. I have been proud to lead the Irish aid response over the past two years as Minister…

I thought I had seen it all but if the media reporting is accurate then we are going back to the past. If so, I believe politics is failing. The issue been a consistent blight on the political system for many years and we do have to recognise that it has recently divided society as…

Ceann Comhairle, In light of the current political situation and ongoing attempts to form a new government, this annual SPU update has been prepared on a technical, no policy change basis. Regardless, and in another very real way, the document tells a positive story of remarkable change. In April 2011, shortly after Labour entered government,…