Aodhán Ó RÍORDÁIN

Policy topics Aodhán Ó RÍORDÁIN is active on

What Aodhán Ó RÍORDÁIN has said (20)

• 2026-07-16 “(10:49:42 - 10:50:05): Thank you, chair. Thank you, minister, for being here, and I wish all success to Mayo And the conference will take place in a couple of weeks. I have a question about workers' rights in our committee in Dublin a couple of weeks ago, we discussed this issue. The members were surprised about the lack of power that there is in Ireland about these rights. And I wanted to ask you about this because it is a lot more difficult for trade unions to promote workers' rights in Ireland compared to other EU member states. I was very happy to hear what she said about tackling poverty and the housing crisis. We need to ensure that there are no children who are homeless. At the moment, there are 4,000 children in Dublin who are homeless. I would like there to be an emphasis on tackling this during the presidency.”
  Child poverty policy
• 2026-07-16 “(10:11:30 - 10:13:10): Thank you very much. And as a member of this committee and the housing committee, I really appreciate this opportunity to talk about this important issue. I mean, in my home city of Dublin, we have 4,000 homeless children. We have 1,700 homeless people on one street, which I visited with my group president there a number of weeks ago. We have children doing their homework on fire escapes. When I started teaching in Dublin 20 years ago in a disadvantaged area, doing homework on the floor of your cramped space was considered to be a disgrace. Now the children are doing that on fire escapes. And what I really want to know is where the emphasis is on evictions and specifically no-fault evictions. The Commission's own country-specific report this year names tenancy terminations as a major driver of Ireland's record homelessness. For example, we had a case study last week in Strasbourg of a woman from Dublin who's been evicted three times. No-fault evictions, three times. Got references from each of her landlords. No problem. And her housing vulnerability was only solved by being housed by the local authority. So what is being proposed to tackle the issue of evictions, which is driving families and particularly children into homelessness? Because I think we are doing as much or we are talking a lot about what to do when somebody enters homelessness. But I think, as you previously alluded to, what are we going to do to prevent the actions, to the flow into homelessness and to tackle the imbalance of rights there. Thank you.”
  EU housing policy
• 2026-07-07 “(11:33:19 - 11:35:46): I want to start by wishing you luck. If you succeed, we will all succeed. The Irish and Europeans on key issues facing Ireland and Europe. None among them are bigger than housing. During this presidency, the commission will bring forward an affordable housing act because we and the S and D group demanded it. You failed to mention housing at all in your address in Dublin Castle last week and made only a passing reference today. The Irish presidency must lead in making housing an urgent European priority. 2 weeks ago, I brought my group president to Gardner Street in Dublin where 10% of the entire homeless population of Ireland live. Service providers said schoolchildren are doing their homework on fire escapes. Taoiseach, our failure must stop here, and the MFF must deliver on housing. Likewise, on workers' rights and climate action, our record is nothing to be proud of. I want to be clear we will not support any competitiveness agenda that comes in the backs of workers or our environment. Taoiseach, we are the country of We are not a country that chants send them back. It angered me to see your government colleagues voting with that poison in this chamber last month. Ireland, the country of coffinships, undocumented in America, and memories of no blacks, no dogs, no Irish must strive for better. On Gaza, I want to acknowledge that our government has shown some leadership and again today in the face of abject failure for many in the EU. We have to use this presidency to end the EU Israel association agreement once and for all. We must stand with Ukraine. Unequivocally, Tischuk, the government's position on, Ogunisch, Olumar is indefensible. This week, I will vote to progress sanctions so this facility cannot fuel Putin's war. Tietrich, as you have said, John Hume once said that the EU was the greatest peace process in history. In honor of his legacy, we should be persuaders for The UK to rejoin the EU and for greater unity on our island. John Hume also said that we cannot eat a flag. Our union has achieved so much. We can meet the challenges of today. We can house our children, stop our planet from burning, reject hate and racism, back our workers, unite the people of our island, and uphold international law. As another person of our country spoke, I would like to catch the rainbow”
  EU policy on urban development
• 2026-03-25 “Answer given by Executive Vice-President Mînzatu on behalf of the European Commission 4.5.2026 Written question Matters relating to the recognition of and compensation for occupational diseases fall under the competence of the Member States. Nevertheless, with the Commission Recommendation concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases [1] the Commission recommends to the Member States, inter alia , to introduce the European schedule as soon as possible into their national laws, regulations or administrative provisions concerning scientifically recognised occupational diseases liable for compensation and subject to preventive measures. Entry No 408 in the European schedule [2] refers to COVID-19 caused by work in disease prevention, in health and social care and in domiciliary assistance, or, in a pandemic context, in sectors where there is an outbreak in activities in which a risk of infection has been proven. The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the EU’s primary instrument for investments in people. The ESF+ can play a significant role in helping those with Long COVID by supporting vocational rehabilitation, employment reintegration and social inclusion. It can support rehabilitation programmes to help individuals regain capacity for work or workplace adaptations e.g. teleworking and digital skills trainings. Member States are obliged to programme at least 25% of their ESF+ resources to social inclusion. This can include measures to support individuals struggling with chronic illnesses e.g. mental health services. Member States are responsible for programming and implementation of the ESF+. The Commission can encourage Member States to programme in certain policy priorities if deemed necessary based on national or regional circumstances. [1] Commission Recommendation (EU) 2025/2609 of 18 December 2025 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202502609 [2] Added in 2023 by Commission Recommendation (EU) 2022/2337 of 28 November 2022 concerning the European schedule of occupational diseases, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022H2337&qid=1775544661464”
  EU competences on social policies · EU competences on health · EU rules on hazardous working conditions
• 2026-02-04 “Answer given by President von der Leyen on behalf of the European Commission 8.6.2026 Written question Members of the College are subject to strict obligations arising directly under the Treaties as well as to the ethical obligations emanating from the Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission [1] . The Commission is aware of the allegations against Peter Mandelson, who was Member of the Commission between November 2004 and October 2008. It takes these allegations very seriously and has referred the matter for appropriate follow-up to the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), within the latter’s independent investigative function. OLAF has confirmed it has opened a case but is not in a position to share details on individual cases or probes beyond the information and data already made public. This is in order to protect the confidentiality of investigations and of possible ensuing judicial proceedings, as well as to ensure respect for personal data and procedural rights. OLAF fully respects the presumption of innocence and the rights of defence of the persons/entities concerned. [1] Commission Decision of 31 January 2018 on a Code of Conduct for the Members of the European Commission, C(2018) 700 final https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32018D0221(02). In 2008, the version Code of Conduct of 24 November 2004 was applicable, available at the following link: https://www.cvce.eu/obj/code_of_conduct_for_commissioners_24_november_2004-en-eb3c996a-b728-496e-b06c-49ef61f70d16.html.”
  Transparency requirements for interest groups · Transparency requirements of EU institutions
• 2025-01-16 “E-000176/2025 Answer given by Mr McGrath on behalf of the European Commission The Commission recently evaluated the adequacy decisions adopted pursuant to the predecessor of the General Data Protection Regulation, including the one for Israel 1 , and concluded based on this assessment that the decisions did not need to be modified or revoked 2 . The Commission’s analysis covered all relevant elements of the privacy framework and of the broader institutional and legal system, including access to courts, the role and powers of oversight authorities and requirements applying to interferences of public authorities with human rights. As part of the evaluation, the Commission also negotiated a significant strengthening of privacy safeguards and individual rights in Israel, developed to specifically apply to data transferred from the EU and implemented in Israeli law before the start of the Israel-Gaza war. Israel has then extended the application of these reinforced requirements also to data that is processed in a domestic context. As for any adequacy decision, the Commission closely monitors the application of the decision for Israel and has tools to react if the protection afforded to data transferred from the EU would be weakened, including the possibility to propose the amendment, suspension or repeal of the decision. 1 This adequacy decision refers to and is to be applied to the State of Israel in accordance with international law. It is without prejudice to the status of the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, under the terms of international law. See Recital 14 and Article 2(2) of the adequacy decision. 2 COM(2024) 7 final of 15.1.2024, Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the first review of the functioning of the adequacy decisions adopted pursuant to Article 25(6) of Directive 95/46/EC (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52024DC0007) and SWD(2024) 3 final of 15.1.2025 Country reports on the functioning of the adequacy decisions adopted under Directive 95/46/EC (https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/f8229eb2-1a36-4cf5-a0991cd001664bff_en?filename=JUST_template_comingsoon_Commission%20Staff%20Working%20Document%2 0-%20Report%20on%20the%20first%20review%20of%20the%20functioning.pdf).”
  International data transfers · Privacy & law enforcement
• “Little baby Declan. That's not his name, but his story is real. He sleeps in a cot beside my own daughter in a Dublin maternity hospital. As parents of premature babies, we have similar emotions concern, fear, love and joy. Declan is so similar to our rosheen, but unlike Rosheen, Declan has been born into homelessness, emergency accommodation, a homeless baby, two tiny babies side by side but already worn as lumbered with the crushing injustice of homelessness and looking at them both, I am overcome with shame. Shame that the promise of our republic, our fair city, our European Union has betrayed him. Shame because Declan isn't a once off. There are 4000 declans in Dublin, 5000 in Ireland and over 400,000 in Europe, 400,000 homeless children and. There are those who tell us that profit must rule. So children and homelessness should accept living as collateral damage. Families living in hotels, tourists staying in homes. We cannot accept that it should offend us, insult us, shame us all. Finally, today we can say that the EU is intervening where the market and member states have failed Regulating short term rentals, protecting tenants, allowing our councils to invest, a housing commissioner, a housing committee and now a housing report delivered by the S&D Group and proudly by the Irish Labour Party. Today we say no more housing chaos, no more market driven solutions, no more homeless baby.”
  EU regulation of short-term rentals
• “(15:37:31 – 15:39:39): Gormagas, thank you again to repertoire Petra for your work. On the basis of our last committee meeting on this file, I know that many colleagues agree that the reinforced youth guarantee is 1 of the EU's most important commitments to young people, but that the gap between ambition and delivery remains unacceptably wide. Our s and d amendments are built around 4 priorities to change this. First, reaching those furthest from the labor market. 1 size fits all approaches through online portals have failed. We need to increase awareness by communicating in a language that young people understand and to reach them proactively in their communities through youth organizations, educational institutions, and so on. And when they receive support, it must be tailored based on the specific barriers each young person faces, be that discrimination, care responsibilities, homelessness, disability, or addiction. We need targeted interventions for the most vulnerable, including care leavers, young migrants, and those leaving incarceration. Second, targeted investments in disadvantaged areas. Areas with the highest youth unemployment need increased funding and strengthened delivery capacity. To ensure this is possible, we demand ring fenced funding in the next self standing ESF for the youth guarantee. Third, a holistic approach. Employment activation cannot succeed in isolation. Housing, child care, mental health, and social protection are prerequisites, not add ons. The RYG must be structurally linked with social protection and essential services, and age based restrictions that penalize young people from accessing social benefits must be removed. Fourthly, quality of offers. Unpaid offers and explosive traineeships have no place in the scheme funded by EU taxpayers. We are calling for a binding quality framework based on fair remuneration, decent conditions, and real career progression enforced through funding conditionality. The UK guarantee must be a real promise to our young people. I look forward over the coming months to work with all groups to make sure it delivers.”
  Youth employment & training
• “The simplification agenda like most right wing phrases, it sound so benign, but it is also very dangerous. Right wing politicians are experts at presenting themselves as responsible and sensible, but it is the politics of the right that have plunged Europe into disaster after disaster. Right wing politics gave us the banking and economic crash, the climate crisis, the rise of homophobia and racism and the vaccine hesitancy that cost lives. It is right wing policies that fuel homelessness and lead to poorer pay, more discrimination and unsafe work environments. And it is the politics of the right that pours petrol on the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. So we must treat the promotion of simplification and cutting red tape with deep suspicion. Our environmental and social standards were hard fought for. We cannot allow the rest of this Parliament to be driven by a deregulation Agenda. The market has no conscience. Neither, it seems, do those who worship it.”
  Overall simplification of regulation in the EU
• “It was just about the concept of over housing. Uh, somebody living in an accommodation which is more capacity than they need.”
  EU policy on forced redundancies
• “First of all, High Representative Kalus should apologize for what she recently said about the history of Ireland. She said that our experience is not the same as various states in the East, those that lost their culture and their languages. She should study the history of Ireland a little and question why English is spoken in Ireland, and why there are millions of people with Irish surnames all over the world as a result of violence, poverty and and hunger. Such as many others. We know what it means to have your language or culture and your very identity suppressed. We know what it means to live under occupation, to have foreign powers dictate your fate. This is why we have a deep sense of solidarity with Palestinian people and why we stand here calling for action from the EU. When EU ministers meet on July 15th, we must scrap the EU Israel Association Agreement and we must sanction Israel now Syria and Palestine. Freedom for Palestine.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “And it seems to me for far too many people that the answer to this is to trust the market more, that we just need more market based solutions. So I suppose some of my questions are related to urban living. Um, how do we adapt to the reality, as has has been outlined of Europe's population ageing by ensuring intergenerational fairness to young people. And uh, and and to children. And how possibly can older people often living in oversized accommodation one person potentially living in a two bedroom house, a three bedroom house, a four bedroom house? How can that stock be part of this solution, and how can the European Union be part of that solution as well? And how do we stop the hollowing out of our cities, where it appears now that only those with money and those who are investors can actually or tourists can actually live in a city center. We have the the absolutely appallingly perverse scenario in my city of Dublin, where families are living in hotels and tourists are living in homes.”
  EU housing policy
• “Thank you very much. And thank you for the presentations and listening to contributions who are trying to, you know, seek to balance between the rise of the landlord and the rise of the tenants. For me, it's a false equivalence, because it is the tenant who is at the risk of homelessness and all the despair and humiliation that comes with that. And we know from various member states that the the weaker the protection for the tenants, the more the homelessness. And so I think we need to focus in on that and the lifelong damaging effects that homelessness can have on a child. It's an irritation for a landlord, but it's a lifelong, damaging, damaging reality for a child who lives in the humiliation of homelessness. I want to ask Professor Paul McKenna if I might, because he spoke quite clearly about the responsibilities of the European Union in this regard. He spoke about, um, judgments of the ECJ. He spoke about article 16 of the European Social Charter. Can I ask him specifically to expand on his, um, his thesis that under the EU's competency of consumer rights, that tenant rights fit in there, can fit in there, should fit in there? And on that basis that the EU and this Housing Committee should be in a position to bolster up those tenant rights, because in any European member state. And I'll say this again, the weaker the tenant rights such as Ireland and the more the homelessness, and it is absolutely the responsibility of this committee to root out homelessness, because we have a European Union declaration of aim of ending homelessness by 2030. But I don't think many of the contributors here today have any concept of how, how, how powerful the humiliation at homelessness brings, particularly to a child.”
  EU housing policy
• “Like millions of others in our union, I believe in Europe. Together we believe in a Europe based on social justice and human rights and on solidarity. A Europe that is a voice for good in the world. President von der Leyen, we do not believe in you. You bow to Trump's bullying, you row back on climate commitments. And for all your rhetoric, you cooperate with the far right. And while a genocide rages in Gaza and Israel rips up international law, your response is pathetic. The partial suspension of the Association Agreement you announced today is an insult. This is not a partial genocide. 20,000 Palestinian children are not partially dead. This is not the Europe that people of Ireland believe in. This is not the Europe they love. That Europe is one that houses its people, protects our planet, strengthens workers rights, stands against genocide and defends international law. President von der Leyen Europe deserves so much better than your presidency.”
  Relations with Israel - Palestine
• “Thank you and apologies. I have to attend another event at 5:00, so I'll make my comments and I may have to leave afterwards. But just just to make the point that Dublin was referenced by the commissioner. Um, and we are now experiencing in Ireland that I had a meeting earlier today with my parliamentary colleagues and the level of mental stress and suicidal ideation that our housing crisis is causing. Citizens in Ireland is off the scale. 20 years ago we had about 500 children in Ireland in homelessness. Now we have 5000. And so while I understand that the emphasis of conversations like this is about the inability of young people to move out of the family home and start lives and start relationships and start families, the damage that's being done to children is unknown because of the humiliation, the lack of routine, the lack of stability, the lack of knowledge as to where you're going to spend Christmas. If you're going to move from home to home, hotel room to hotel room, school to school, and having 5000 children like that in Ireland, I can only imagine what it's like across the rest of the European Union.”
  EU housing policy
• “Uh. Thank you. Um, and thanks for your presentation, Commissioner. Um, the narrative in many Member States solution to the housing problem is supply, supply, supply. But as has been said, we are told in Ireland that the water infrastructure can't keep up with what demands are and wastewater considerations as well. So, um, what some developers are saying in Ireland, they use phraseology like bats and bees have more rights than they have to do what they want to do. So it gives me the fear that the Habitats directive might be under the chopping block. So can you give me some reassurance there? And also there is a phenomenon of over housing in some member states where you may have somebody who is living in an accommodation which has more capacity in which they potentially need, but that person may be an older person who has all the services around them. They're living in this community for a long time. Is there any sort of thought process that you may be going through, given your responsibilities to utilise the spare capacity that actually is already there rather than demanding, uh, you know that. Again, the solution to our housing problems is always going to be in terms of constructing new units. Perhaps there's something within the imagination of the Commission to do better, to do better with the stock we already have.”
  EU policy on urban development
• “The 1916 proclamation of the Irish Republic hailed support from our exiled children in America and our gallant allies in Europe. We never thought we would have to choose between them, but we do. We do not know what tariffs may come this week. Workers and businesses in Ireland potentially face the worst economic shock since the crash of 2008. But Europe must stand united. For too long, Ireland's relationship with the US has been viewed through a lens of nostalgia. But we cannot cling to an administration with such contempt for our values. Ireland's membership of this family of nations has lifted us from the dark ages and moved us forward. Trump wants to drag us back to division, protectionism and hateful nationalism. Ireland is not between Europe and America. We are Europe. We must face down Trump's America. The US is choking on the vulgarity of what its political system has produced. History demands that Europe resists.”
  Asia-Pacific
• “Thank you Margaret. I just want to ask two questions, if I might. One relates to tenant rights and the other to environmental protections. So in terms of tenant rights, you'll know that in any particular member state that has better tenant protection, you have less homelessness. Now, part of the crisis across Europe, we have many different issues to deal with when it comes to housing. Affordable housing, obviously, students, young people, young couples locked out of the housing market. But also we have, um, somewhere between 900,000 and 1.1 million homeless across the European Union. In my own country, we have almost 5000 children living in homelessness. And in my own city, 3500. And there's an absolute equation between the weakness of tenant rights and the amount of homelessness in any member state. So can I ask you, What actions do you envisage to do to specifically help the situations of tenants across Europe? What actions is the Commission proposing or looking into in this regard? I'm sure you can agree with me that any child that has insecurity in their housing, that insecurity can last a lifetime. And I also want to talk about simplification, which is a word that worries me and many of my colleagues. I hear talk of bats and bees having more rights to housing than humans. I hear that a lot, and I'm worried that some of the environmental protections that are long fought for are now potentially on the chopping block. So I would just want to get some assurance, reassurance from the commission task force that our environmental laws, which have been hard fought for, are not on the chopping block, and that you will see housing and environmental protection as complementary to each other.”
  EU housing policy
• “After years lost in the fog of Brexit, Eu-uk relations are beginning to clear. Step by step, we are rebuilding trust in a world as fractured as ours. Europe and the UK cannot afford to drift apart. Brexit has shaken the delicate balance that allowed for a shared European identity in Northern Ireland, an identity that softened all divides and underpinned peace. The European birthright identity of Northern Irish citizens must be respected and represented. Observer status for Northern Irish representatives in this Parliament must be a priority. As I said in Westminster last week, this is not just symbolic, it is part of ongoing conversations on our island, a united Ireland within the European Union. However, we Irish must get to grips with the potential of a new shared identity of starting again. As John Hume once said, politics is not only about principles, but about the ability to put principles into practice. This means imagining a new republic, one that includes a million fellow countrymen and women with very different perspectives on Ireland's past and future. Rome rule cannot be what happens with Home Rule, and we should only ever be subjects to the best of each other's hopes and aspirations. A forward looking Ireland can be a home for all, rooted in peace, in respect and in Europe.”
  EU-UK relations
• “Little baby Declan. That's not his name, but his story is real. He sleeps in a cot beside my own daughter in a Dublin maternity hospital. As parents of premature babies, we have similar emotions concern, fear, love and joy. Declan is so similar to our rosheen, but unlike Rosheen, Declan has been born into homelessness, emergency accommodation, a homeless baby, two tiny babies side by side but already worn as lumbered with the crushing injustice of homelessness and looking at them both, I am overcome with shame. Shame that the promise of our republic, our fair city, our European Union has betrayed him. Shame because Declan isn't a once off. There are 4000 declans in Dublin, 5000 in Ireland and over 400,000 in Europe, 400,000 homeless children and. There are those who tell us that profit must rule. So children and homelessness should accept living as collateral damage. Families living in hotels, tourists staying in homes. We cannot accept that it should offend us, insult us, shame us all. Finally, today we can say that the EU is intervening where the market and member states have failed Regulating short term rentals, protecting tenants, allowing our councils to invest, a housing commissioner, a housing committee and now a housing report delivered by the S&D Group and proudly by the Irish Labour Party. Today we say no more housing chaos, no more market driven solutions, no more homeless baby.”
  EU policy on integration and ethnic, racial and religious discrimination