What Kathleen spoke about.

6 Oct

2026

GA Speech

Affordable Housing Act (debate)

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Mr President, I welcome this debate on the Housing Act. While the Act is limited, there are recommendations that we should implement, particularly in areas such as the Gaeltacht - with a large number of holiday homes and short-term rentals. We all know that there is more to be done to ensure a bright future for our Gaeltachts - now is time to act. Housing is important for our society and, at prese…

6 Oct

2026

EN Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 15-16 October 2026 (debate)

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President, and welcome to Minister Byrne. I want to begin by sending solidarity to the residents and the community of the Garvaghy Road in the north of Ireland. Their courage and determination in standing up for and protecting their community has prevented a sectarian and hateful Orange Order march from proceeding down the Garvaghy Road. But let us be very clear: this situation should never have a…

5 Oct

2026

GA Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Mr President, I would like to raise cases that came to light during the summer with this house. During the summer, the authorities in Ireland refused visa applications for students from Gaza, even when they had reached places in third-level institutions in Ireland. I wrote to the Minister for Justice and the Minister for Higher Education asking them to try to help these students to study in Irelan…

20 May

2026

EN Speech

Advancing towards a care society: addressing the gender care gap (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, carers are the backbone of our community. The unsung hero is looking after some of the most vulnerable in our society, and yet are consistently left behind. As we know, women disproportionately take on those caring responsibilities. We need to see the care system as a public service, rather than a private, for-profit model or the unsaid expectation of women. The Irish Government, lik…

20 May

2026

GA Speech

Recent proposals to fight poverty in the EU (debate)

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Thank you, President. In February, Parliament set out its position on the Anti-Poverty Strategy. It was a document that set out positive proposals to end poverty across the European Union. Now, we have the Commission's recommendations and they are very embarrassing. There is no answer in the Commission's strategy on how poverty can be eradicated. There is no new funding to help our communities in …

18 May

2026

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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A Uachtaráin, I want to raise the matter of the recent fires which we saw in the south-east of Ireland recently that destroyed the livelihoods of many, in Waterford City in particular. I want to commend our emergency services, particularly in Waterford City and also in Kilkenny, that assisted with the fire and the local authorities that also acted very quickly. We have seen devastation, though, fo…

29 Apr

2026

EN Speech

Situation in Lebanon: implementation of the ceasefire, support peace efforts and humanitarian access (debate)

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Mr President, not content with their genocide in Gaza, Israel and war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu have extended their crimes towards the people of Lebanon. Reports that the Israeli Defence Minister has ordered the destruction of homes inside Lebanon tells us clearly their aim is occupation and annexation. Whilst all of this is going on, the EU still refuses to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agr…

11 Mar

2026

EN Speech

Child sexual abuse online: protect children, not perpetrators (topical debate)

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A Uachtaráin, child sexual abuse material online is at an all time high, and we must do a lot more to tackle it. Children and the issues that affect them are too often treated as an afterthought in this Parliament, which I have to say I have found very frustrating since being elected here. The fact that we still do not have a dedicated committee focused on children's issues shows that very clearly…

12 Feb

2026

EN Speech

Recommendation to the Council on EU priorities for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, firstly, I want to commend our Chair of the FEMM Committee and also all the colleagues that worked on this report. This year, we know the UN Commission on the Status of Women, in New York, will rightly focus on women's access to justice – a concept that is so far out of reach for millions of women right across the world. Women continue to face obstacles when reporting abuse, harassme…

10 Feb

2026

GA Speech

Presentation of the action plan against cyberbullying (debate)

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9 Feb

2026

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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A Uachtaráin, this evening, I want to raise an issue in relation to survivors of abuse in Ireland, and this was abuse that they suffered in school at the hands of the Christian Brothers. All counties, I think, in Ireland has been affected by this issue, but tonight I am thinking in particular of survivors from my own home county of Kilkenny, who very bravely shared their stories with me recently. …

22 Jan

2026

EN Speech

A new action plan to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, I welcome this debate as we are living in turbulent times. It is important that we don't allow any backsliding with regards to rights. Indeed, we must commit to renewing our efforts to expand the rights of minorities, women and those who are most marginalised and who face discrimination in their efforts to play a role in society – whether that be in education, in the workplace or in …

21 Jan

2026

GA Speech

Implementation of the common foreign and security policy – annual report 2025 (A10-0253/2025 - David McAllister)

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Mr President, I voted against this report, because of his emphasis on military matters. I am not in favour of taking money out of social funds such as CAP, LEADER and ESF to spend it on the military sector. People are struggling to pay their bills and we are not doing enough to help them. Also, I don't think this report shows much respect for Irish neutrality. Member States such as Ireland should …

20 Jan

2026

EN Speech

Tackling AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media by making full use of the EU’s digital rules (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, a chairde, across Europe, we all know that women do not feel safe. Many are afraid to walk alone at night, and too many do not feel safe even in their own homes. Now, women and children are being targeted in a new way through unregulated AI, which is being used to create fake sexual and abusive images of women and children. The platforms know that this is happening, yet they continue…

16 Dec

2025

EN Speech

Presentation of the European Affordable Housing Plan (continuation of debate)

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A Uachtaráin, the housing crisis is the biggest challenge facing a generation of Irish people today. Of course, it's not an accidental crisis when we're talking about it for ten years or more. It's a crisis caused by successive governments' policy, who have prioritised vulture funds over ordinary workers and families. But the solutions to the housing crisis do exist, and I think it's really import…

15 Dec

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Mr President, I would like to raise the cost of living crisis. This is a crisis affecting everyone in Europe. What's the cure for this? Putting money in public services such as childcare, healthcare, education and more. Profitability should be avoided. Electricity companies are making huge profits and households are struggling to pay their bills. Mr President, dear colleagues, the question I am of…

26 Nov

2025

EN Speech

Fishing opportunities 2026: ensuring the sustainability of fish populations, marine ecosystems and coastal communities

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A Uachtaráin, once again, we are talking about sustainability in fishing, and once again, the fish stock is reduced. Struggling fishermen and coastal communities in Ireland are facing more quota cuts that threaten their livelihoods. The Commission is still not doing enough to combat this issue. Norway, for example, have for years been unilaterally increasing their quotas, particularly for mackerel…

26 Nov

2025

EN Speech

Implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, in 2016, the people of England and Wales voted to leave the European Union, dragging the north of Ireland along with them. This fundamental alteration to the constitutional status of the north of Ireland took place without the consent of the majority there. That is why it has been crucial that we in this House work to protect the hard‑won Good Friday Agreement and peace on our island…

22 Oct

2025

GA Speech

Institutional consequences of the EU enlargement negotiations (A10-0177/2025 - Sandro Gozi)

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Mr President, I could not support the report because of her emphasis on military matters. That said, I welcome the debate on the enlargement of the European Union. There is a debate taking place in Ireland about the reunification of our islands and I believe that the European Union must play a greater role in this debate. It is clear to me that in the future we will have a referendum on a United I…

22 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Preparation of the European Council meeting of 23 October 2025 (debate)

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Madam President, as the Council meets, its agenda is clear: militarisation, above all else. The lines between NATO and the EU are going from blurred to non-existent. The EU is openly talking about coordinating the armies of Europe. Yet the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, among others, says we can't question this trajectory – asking questions apparently makes us anti-European. I am not anti-European, bu…

20 Oct

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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A Uachtaráin, I want to raise an issue to highlight a group who are currently sitting outside the Dáil, which is the Irish Parliament, and they're on hunger strike. They're a group of survivors of the Irish horrific industrial school system. This group is calling for individuals of that system to be awarded a Health (Amendment) Act, which is a HAA card, and a State contributory pension in response…

9 Oct

2025

EN Speech

Declaration of principles for a gender-equal society (debate)

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A Uachtaráin, a chairde, an equal society cannot exist while any woman or girl lives under the threat of gender-based violence. Right now in Ireland, we face an epidemic of violence against women and girls. In the past eight years, reports of domestic abuse have risen by 162 %. While it is great to see women coming forward and finding the courage to speak out, the supports needed are still falling…

6 Oct

2025

EN Speech

One-minute speeches on matters of political importance

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Madam President, firstly, I want to express my solidarity with all those who are involved in the Global Sumud Flotilla, particularly all the Irish citizens and my friend and colleague, Senator Chris Andrews. Many are being released tonight after being kidnapped in international waters last week. The International Community must begin holding the Netanyahu regime to account for their blatant disreg…

10 Sep

2025

GA Speech

Role of cohesion policy investment in resolving the current housing crisis (A10-0139/2025 - Marcos Ros Sempere)

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Mr President, I voted in favour of this report. In Ireland, there is a housing crisis in our Gaeltacht areas. There is an increase in the amount of accommodation available on Airbnb and a rise in second house holiday homes and there are also problems with obtaining planning permission. As a result of these problems, it is difficult for the people of the Gaeltacht to remain in the Gaeltacht. This i…

9 Sep

2025

EN Speech

Cohesion policy (joint debate)

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Madam President, I was happy to contribute positively to a report on simplifying access to EU funds. As many of us know, it is the simple fact that many groups in communities are very frustrated at and by the maze of paperwork drawing down EU funds involves. So in my contribution to this report, I tackled things like streamlining the number of data requests and listening to the people on the groun…