Social Welfare Bill 2020
Mary welcomes the Social Welfare Bill 2020 which will be before the Seanad for final stage December 17th. The Bill will keep the pension age at 66, as promised in the programme for government. The pension age was previously planned to increase to 67 by the previous Government, this is now deferred. Other welcome measures […]
Covid-19 Vaccine Strategy
Mary welcomed the announcement from Minister Donnelly this week of the National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, which outlines Ireland’s high-level plan for safe, effective and efficient vaccination of the population, while safeguarding continued provision of health and social care services. The National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, which was prepared by the High-Level Task Force on COVID-19 Vaccination, […]
Bus Connects Submissions- 3rd Round
On Wednesday December 16th Mary commended all stakeholders who have made submissions up to now on the proposed Bus Connects project. She also urged her colleagues in the Seanad to make submissions and to include in those submissions: Park and Ride for county commuters Request for Free public transport for young people under 23 years […]
Swimming Pools Fund
Mary welcomes the announcement from Sport Ireland of a €2.5 million fund for swimming pool operators. Sport Ireland has appointed Ireland Active, the representative body for the leisure, health and fitness sector to administer the swimming pool grant scheme 2020, supported by Swim Ireland. It has been recognised that the changing environment of restrictions has […]
Swimming Pools Fund
Mary welcomes the announcement from Sport Ireland of a €2.5 million fund for swimming pool operators. Sport Ireland has appointed Ireland Active, the representative body for the leisure, health and fitness sector to administer the swimming pool grant scheme 2020, supported by Swim Ireland. It has been recognised that the changing environment of restrictions has […]
Provisional Vaccine Allocation Strategy
Mary welcomes the Government announcement that Covid19 Vaccine strategy is being urgently rolled out for free and to those most at risk first, BUT we must all continue to limit our contacts, wash our hands, keep our distance and cover our face so we can save lives and livelihoods. Click HERE for strategy. The strategy […]
School’s Summer Works Scheme
Mary welcomes the announcement from Minister Foley on December 7th of over €31 million in summer works scheme for 2021. In total 275 projects have been approved nationwide. The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings. […]
#DontForgetMe Campaign
Mary supported Inner City Helping Homeless #DontForgetMe campaign outside Leinster House on December 2nd, calling for an investigation into the increase in homeless deaths this year in Dublin. Mary has written to Minister O’Brien asking that the Homeless Task force set up by the Department, examine the cause for the increase in in homeless deaths. […]
Mother & Baby Homes Commission Report Update
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman TD confirmed to Mary that the report from the Commission of investigation into the Mother and Baby Homes will be published the week of January 11, 2021. The report will first be released to survivors by the Minister and Taoiseach before being released to the public. Counselling is available for […]
Mother & Baby Homes- Access to Information
In October 2020 Mary voted to pass the Mothers and Baby Homes Bill 2020 designed to prevent the destruction of the database and records from the Commission of Investigation into the Mother and Baby Homes. Over five years the Commission of Investigations’ gathered records and documents of more than 70,000 women and baby’s, in 18 […]