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

President Obama’s Executive Order will help Some of the 50,000 Undocumented Irish in the United StatesThe executive order signed by the President of the United States will be of enormous benefit to many of the 50,000 undocumented Irish living in the US. After it clears legal challenges in the courts the presidential order will allow the parents of children born in the United States to come out of the shadows. Those parents will be eligible

to regularise their status allowing them to work legally and travel to and from the U.S. I have also called for a humanitarian visa provision that would ensure those who do not fall within the provisions of the Executive Order would be able to travel home to Ireland for family bereavements and medical emergencies.

SENATOR MARK DALY WITH THE MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE KENMARE HOSPITAL ACTION GROUP AT THE SOD TURNING FOR THE NEW HOSPITAL

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SENATOR MARK DALY ANNUAL REPORT 2015

Extra Staff must be provided to allow empty hospital wards open and get sick people off trolleys in Accident & EmergencyMinister for Health must give more money to hire nurses and hospital staff

Throughout the country hundreds of hospital beds remain unused and wards closed because the Minister for Health refuses to give the necessary funds to hire staff and nurses. Kenmare hospital is a clear example of government waste

ADMINISTRATION PANEL

with nearly half the rooms closed due to a lack of staff. Having worked hard in securing the legally binding agreement that ensured the 7 million euro hospital went ahead I am now fighting to make sure that the Minister provide the funds that will allow all the rooms in the Kenmare hospital and other hospitals around the country to open and provide the necessary service they were built for.

Gardens of Remembrance : To Commemorate those men and women of 1916 who struggled to achieve the aims of the ProclamationAs 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 the United States including in Washington DCFor more details check out the website: 1916gardensofremembrance.ie

DIARMUID GAVIN LAUNCHING THE 1916 GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE INITIATIVE

Senate Recall results in More Staff & Resources for Organ Donation System The first piece of legislation in the 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 secured the signatures of 20 senators, which allowed the recall of the Senate to debate and scrutinise the legislation. While we lost the vote on the casting vote of the Chair, the publicity and debate created by the recall resulted in 20 new staff being hired this year in the area of organ donation and transplantation.

The Irish Sign Language Recognition for members of the Deaf Community Bill would assist in ensuring access to State Services

The Irish Sign Language Recognition for members of the Deaf Community Bill which I published would have allowed for on line interpreters via Skype to help deaf people communicate with government officials and health professionals. Many members of the deaf community are unfortunately in poverty and they have difficulty accessing and communicating with state services. My bill was debate in the Senate but unfortunately the government would not support the bill.

WITH LIAM BREEN AT THE DEAF HERITAGE CENTRE WHICH HE CREATED AND CURATES

MEMBERS OF THE IRISH KIDNEY ASSOCIATION AT LEINSTER HOUSE FOR THE SENATE DEBATE ON ORGAN DONATION.

NAMA Transparency Bill would ensure public confidence in NAMAIn 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-fortunately voted down by Government Senators 24 Votes to 17. I have now reintroduced the Bill.

Thomas F Meagher Foundation promotes Pride, Respect and understanding of meaning for peace of the Irish FlagAlong with the Taoiseach’s Department the Foundation will present Every Second level School in the State with a Tricolour on 7th March 2016Working 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. The students, teachers and schools will then be entitled to scholarships and awards , recognising their efforts to promote pride in and respect for the flag and understanding of its meaning for peace .

CHURCH OF IRELAND REVERAND MICHAEL CAVANAGH CHAIRMAN OF THE THOMAS F MEAGHER FOUNDATION PRESENTING A FLAG THAT FLEW FROM 33 THE MALL IN WATERFORD THE BUILDING FROM WHICH MEAGHER FLEW A TRICOLOUR FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO THE PRESIDENT

PRESIDENT OF IRELAND MICHAEL D.HIGGINS WITH SENATOR MARK DALY AT THE THOMAS F MEAGHER FOUNDATION FLAG PRESENTATION CEREMONY ON THE 12TH OF MARCH THIS YEAR.

As opposition Spokesperson for Energy, Communication and Natural Resources I continually press the Minister on the issue of high speed broadband which is critical for job creation especially in rural Ireland.The lack of broadband is hurting job creation, as currently 40% of business is conducted online yet only a quarter of Irish Businesses are engaged in e-commerce. The Government’s National Broadband plan is lacking credibility and ambition and I have consistently pressed the Minister in the Senate, that he can and must invest more on a proper fiber optic net work that will help create and sustain jobs through Ireland.

Councillors need more support and better terms and conditions I put down the motion seeking pensions and social protection payments for local authority members. The Government agreed to support this motion.‘That county and city councillors who are current-ly paying the PRSI & pension levy be entitled to receive a pension and social protection payments similar to those proposed for the self- employed and others who are making contributions’. I am continuing to seek better terms and conditions for councillors.

High Speed Broadband Vital for Sustaining and Creating Jobs

Senator Mark DalyADMINISTRATION 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@Oireachtas.ie 8 www.senatormarkdaly.org

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TUOSIST TEA PARTY IN THE PARISH HALL

POBALSCOIL INBHEAR SCEINE SECOND YEAR STUDENTS TOUR LEINSTER HOUSE

SNEEM AND KENMARE TIDY TOWNS

WITH THE BOYLE BROTHERS, CONGRESSMAN BRENDAN BOYLE AND STATE REP KEVIN BOYLE

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

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

KILGARVAN SHOW AND A WINNING NEPHEW

LEADING A TIDY TOWN CLEAN UP WITH MICKEY NED

MEMBERS OF THE DEFENCE FORCE OFFICER TRAINING PROGRAMME

NOTRE DAME STUDENTS VISITING DUBLINVOLUNTEERING AT THE RING OF KERRY CYCLE WITH KERRY ROSE AND KIERAN CASEY

WITH BRENDAN TEAHAN AND HELEN O’SULLIVAN AT THE KILGARVAN SHOW

LEINSTER HOUSE VISITS AND OUT & ABOUT