ANNUAL REPORT 2015 SENATOR MARK DALY ADMINISTRATION PANEL

President Obama’s Executive Order will help Some of the 50,000 Undocumented Irish in the United States

The executive order signed by the President of to regularise their status allowing them to work the United States will be of enormous benefit to legally and travel to and from the U.S. I have also many of the 50,000 undocumented Irish living called for a humanitarian visa provision that would in the US. After it clears legal challenges in the ensure those who do not fall within the provisions courts the presidential order will allow the parents of the Executive Order would be able to travel of children born in the United States to come out home to Ireland for family bereavements and of the shadows. Those parents will be eligible medical emergencies.

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND SENATOR MARK DALY, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE IRISH OVERSEA’S AND DIASPORA AND MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE. SENATOR DALY CONTINUES TO WORK WITH MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF THE 50,000 UNDOCUMENTED IRISH IN THE US Extra Staff must be provided to allow empty hospital wards open and get sick people off trolleys in Accident & Emergency SENATOR MARK DALY WITH THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE KENMARE HOSPITAL ACTION GROUP AT THE SOD Minister for Health must give TURNING FOR THE NEW HOSPITAL more money to hire nurses and with nearly half the rooms closed due to a lack of hospital staff staff. Having worked hard in securing the legally binding agreement that ensured the 7 million euro Throughout the country hundreds of hospital hospital went ahead I am now fighting to make beds remain unused and wards closed because sure that the Minister provide the funds that will the Minister for Health refuses to give the allow all the rooms in the Kenmare hospital and necessary funds to hire staff and nurses. Kenmare other hospitals around the country to open and hospital is a clear example of government waste provide the necessary service they were built for. 0612 Gardens of Remembrance : To Commemorate those men and women of 1916 who struggled to achieve the aims of the Proclamation As a member of the All Party Consultation Group on the Decade of Commemorations I am delighted to work with World renowned landscape designer Diarmuid Gavin in creating the 1916 Gardens of Remembrance Initiative. The concept is that communities around Irelands and the world would come together to create gardens to honour those who struggled in 1916 to achieve the aims of the Proclamation. The first of the gardens to be dedicated around the country was done by the Chair of Laois County Council earlier this year The gardens can be installed in existing public lands and would have 3 elements in common, 7 trees to commemorate the Signatories, a flag pole for the national flag and a replica of the proclamation. Working with the U.S. Government and members of congress I hope to have Gardens of Remembrance dedicated throughout DIARMUID GAVIN LAUNCHING THE the United States including in Washington DC 1916 GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE INITIATIVE For more details check out the website: 1916gardensofremembrance.ie Senate Recall results The Irish Sign Language in More Staff & Recognition for members of Resources for Organ the Deaf Community Bill would assist in ensuring access to Donation System The first piece of legislation in the State Services history of the state on organ donation was an EU directive signed into law Irish law by the Minster for Health with out debate in the Dail, Senate or Health Committee. Usinga little know provision in an 1974 act, I WITH LIAM BREEN AT THE DEAF HERITAGE CENTRE WHICH HE CREATED AND CURATES secured the signatures of 20 The Irish Sign Language Recognition for members of senators, which allowed the recall of the Deaf Community Bill which I published would have the Senate to debate and scrutinise allowed for on line interpreters via Skype to help deaf people the legislation. While we lost the vote communicate with government officials and health on the casting vote of the Chair, the professionals. Many members of the deaf community publicity and debate created by the are unfortunately in poverty and they have difficulty recall resulted in 20 new staff being accessing and communicating with state services. My hired this year in the area of organ bill was debate in the Senate but unfortunately the government would not support the bill. donation and transplantation. NAMA Transparency Bill would ensure public confidence in NAMA In 2011 I published the NAMA and IBRC Transparency Bill that would have required every property for sale by or on behalf of NAMA to be listed on a website. The Bill was un- MEMBERS OF THE IRISH KIDNEY ASSOCIATION AT LEINSTER HOUSE FOR THE SENATE DEBATE ON fortunately voted down by Government Senators 24 Votes to ORGAN DONATION. 17. I have now reintroduced the Bill. High Speed Councillors need Broadband Vital more support and for Sustaining better terms and and Creating conditions I put down the motion seeking Jobs pensions and social protection As opposition Spokesperson for Energy, Communication payments for local authority and Natural Resources I continually press the Minister on the members. The Government agreed issue of high speed broadband which is critical for job creation to support this motion.‘That county especially in rural Ireland. and city councillors who are current- The lack of broadband is hurting job creation, as currently ly paying the PRSI & pension levy 40% of business is conducted online yet only a quarter be entitled to receive a pension and of Irish Businesses are engaged in e-commerce. The social protection payments similar Government’s National Broadband plan is lacking credibility to those proposed for the self- and ambition and I have consistently pressed the Minister in employed and others who are the Senate, that he can and must invest more on a proper fiber making contributions’. I am optic net work that will help create and sustain jobs through continuing to seek better terms and Ireland. conditions for councillors. Thomas F Meagher Foundation promotes Pride, Respect and understanding of meaning for peace of the Irish Flag Along with the ’s Department the Foundation will present Every Second level School in the State with a Tricolour on 7th March 2016 MICHAEL D.HIGGINS WITH SENATOR MARK DALY AT THE THOMAS F MEAGHER FOUNDATION FLAG PRESENTATION CEREMONY ON THE 12TH OF MARCH THIS YEAR. Working with Reverand Michael Cavanagh (COI), the Chair of the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation, I am delighted to be part of the Foundation and its aim of promoting pride in and respect for the Irish Flag and its meaning for peace. On the 7th of March next year at a State ceremony and as part of the State 2016 celebrations all schools in the state will be presented with a flag that has flown from 33 The Mall in Waterford, the building from which Thomas F Meagher flew a tricolour for the first time. The Foundation will also be coordinating flag week from the 10th to the 17th of March where schools will be given lapel badges & fundraising packs to sell for projects and charities of their choosing.

CHURCH OF IRELAND REVERAND MICHAEL CAVANAGH The students, teachers and schools will then be CHAIRMAN OF THE THOMAS F MEAGHER FOUNDATION entitled to scholarships and awards , recognising their PRESENTING A FLAG THAT FLEW FROM 33 THE MALL IN WATERFORD THE BUILDING FROM WHICH MEAGHER FLEW A efforts to promote pride in and respect for the flag TRICOLOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO THE PRESIDENT and understanding of its meaning for peace . LEINSTER HOUSE VISITS AND OUT & ABOUT

SUPPORTERS OF IRISH BORN IBRAHIM HALAWA WHO HAS BEEN IN PRISON FOR 2 YEARS IN EGYPT. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL HAVE SAID HE IS INNOCENT OF ALL CHARGES NIECE LUCY DALY RECEIVING YOUNG HERO’S AWARD FROM DERRY MURPHY SUPER VALU

AMBASSADOR O’MALLEY OF THE UNITED STATES PRESENTED WITH AN IRISH FLAG

POBALSCOIL INBHEAR SCEINE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS TOUR LEINSTER HOUSE KILGARVAN SHOW AND A WINNING NEPHEW

SNEEM AND KENMARE TIDY TOWNS LEADING A TIDY TOWN CLEAN UP WITH MICKEY NED

MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE FORCE OFFICER WITH THE BOYLE BROTHERS, CONGRESSMAN TUOSIST TEA PARTY IN THE PARISH HALL TRAINING PROGRAMME BRENDAN BOYLE AND STATE REP KEVIN BOYLE

WITH BRENDAN TEAHAN AND HELEN VOLUNTEERING AT THE RING OF KERRY CYCLE NOTRE DAME STUDENTS VISITING DUBLIN O’SULLIVAN AT THE KILGARVAN SHOW WITH KERRY ROSE AND KIERAN CASEY Senator Mark Daly ADMINISTRATION PANEL Seanad Éireann, Teach Laighean, Sráid Chill Dara, Baile Átha Cliath 2. ✆ +353 (0)1-618 3830 H +353 (0)86-803 2612 * Mark.Daly@.ie 8 www.senatormarkdaly.org 0612