Results 1-20 of 3,453 for speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Seanad: Europe Day: Statements (9 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I am delighted to be here to mark Europe Day and to speak to the many benefits we have felt through our membership of the European Union. Today is also an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come over the past half century. This afternoon, I will speak to the transformative effect EU membership has had on our country, the benefits accrued through previous waves of enlargement for all...

Seanad: Europe Day: Statements (9 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Acting Chairperson. I appreciate that because I wish to respond as best I can to the excellent debate and the contributions that have been made. Members will forgive me if I jump from one issue to another but it will be in an effort to respond to what they said. I will start with Senator Higgins simply because, respectfully, that seems to be the most logical response. What...

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is unclear to me, because I did not have time to check, and this is why I am posing the question, whether the Deputy voted for or against the budget in which we gave not just another tax cut to working families but the third successive tax cut. Cumulatively, these lifted 220,000 working people out of the upper tax bracket. Perhaps, then, if we extend the measure this year we will be able...

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Forgive me, I do not have the voting records in front of me but I do not recall whether Deputy O'Donoghue voted for or against this year's budget, in which Fine Gael and the Government introduced yet another tax decrease for working families, in particular a targeted----

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: A tax decrease.

Europe Day: Statements (8 May 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I will just talk again because he has no manners.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I appreciate Deputy Tully raising this important issue on the practicality of the new return scheme and how it will work for everybody, and where there are difficulties, how they will be addressed and fixed. This scheme has obviously been in development for a number of years. To inform the design of the scheme, the Department undertook two public consultations in 2020 and 2021 on how it...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It seems obvious.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: The Deputy must forgive me that I do not have more detailed information on the consultation that took place in advance of this scheme being introduced. It would appear to me to be a totally obvious and natural thing to consult disability groups. That may have happened. I cannot answer regarding the number that are accessible, but there are more than 2,300 return points operational from 1...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Care Packages (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I agree with the Deputy. It is important to highlight that notwithstanding that this is the highest number in all the different regions, we are still not meeting the need. While we recognise that there are recruitment challenges, both for the public and private sector, the emphasis on management of resources and management from the perspective of the user is still very important. An hour a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I might suggest that the Deputy take that up directly with the Minister in the parliamentary party meeting to place priority on it.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is for the Minister for Education to make such a determination. The review of the school transport scheme has been going on for a long time. It commenced in February 2021 and was conducted over three phases. I am told that work will begin on planning for a reduction in the distance criteria that the Deputy highlighted from 2025 to 2026, so there is still a ways to go. That work is very...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Care Packages (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important issue for everyone in the House and the people we represent. A key focus of the Sláintecare reform programme is recognising, facilitating and enabling older people to age well at home and in their communities for as long as possible. Therefore, improving access to home support is a priority for the Government. Since budget 2021, we...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Deputy O'Connor. I would like to confirm what is the ask specifically.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I understand. I will pass that information on to the Minister. I just was not clear exactly what the ask was. Following Government permission to do so, earlier today, the Minister announced a significant review of the school transport scheme, which is important. It is very important with regard to this question specifically for the town. Deputy O'Connor is correct that the contractor...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Facilities (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Cassells for raising this important matter. The return of the power-sharing Executive is very important for the people of Northern Ireland and has brought renewed hope regarding what we believe is achievable through the Good Friday Agreement. Last Tuesday, the Government agreed a range of funding allocations worth more than €800 million to affirm our commitment to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Facilities (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Senator for making the point so forcefully. It is extremely important now that the Executive is back up and running that our commitments are matched. The Irish Government has not been found wanting in that regard. It is meeting a longstanding commitment in this regard and indeed through other forms of investment on the island for the benefit of everybody. The Irish Government...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Carrigy for raising this question and for his work as Chairman of the autism committee. I had the good fortune to be able to work closely with him on that committee. It was a real privilege to be able to be engaged in that work. I thank the Senator for his commitment to it and his work in this area. To answer his question very directly, as the Senator is aware, six special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Clonan for raising this important issue. Senator Clonan knows there is probably no issue closer to my heart than the experience of children in hospital in Ireland and I am glad to have the opportunity to provide the answer I have been given by the Department to the Senator. First, in respect of the experience of the children, additional needs, whether they be medical,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Perhaps I will not comment on the capacity of the surgeons or indeed the current management team. I will say that in my experience, the longer I am a public representative and engage with the hospital system, the more I know about the value of management processes in delivering for patients, for example in the reduction of some waiting lists. Although some hospitals do not seem to have...