Results 2,181-2,200 of 4,933 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy McAuliffe. First 5, a whole-of-government strategy for babies, young children and their families, commits to increasing investment in the early learning and care, ELC, service by up to €1 billion by 2028. Can the Minister provide an update on the expert group established to develop a new funding model for the ELC and school age childcare,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister. The report issued by the expert group in early September on funding and the Department’s report, Nurturing Skills, were both welcome and timely. Access to affordable early learning and childcare supports a fair society, sustainable communities and a thriving economy. The Minister is acutely aware of the challenges facing parents, childcare professionals,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Early Childhood Care and Education (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister for his reply. Childcare professionals demonstrated incredible resilience throughout the pandemic in supporting children and keeping the services open.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan. I welcome the launch of the national participation framework for children and young people's participation in decision making last April. What is the current status of this framework?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This framework plays a vital role in supporting Departments, agencies and organisations to improve their practices in listening to children and young people and to facilitate their voices being heard in decision making. Children cannot be the priority if their needs and concerns are not represented by the voices that are being heard. This framework is underpinned by the United Nations...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Policies (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is welcome. This framework gives a practical way for organisations and Departments to engage with and hear the voice of the child. Everybody has the right to make their own choices and every effort must be made to support people whose capacity to make decisions is a challenge. For children to have that right, they need decision makers who support and hear them. What specific...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 74. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection her plans to increase the household benefits package given the rising costs of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5386/22]

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 112. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the strategy in place to ensure that all foster parents in receipt of a foster care allowance can include time spent caring as part of their social insurance record for the State pension (contributory); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5387/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 153. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of SAR requests received by his Department seeking personal information contained in the Mother and Baby Homes Commission archive; the number of those that were successfully responded to; the number of those that relied upon information contained in the database that was preserved by Commission of...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Mother and Baby Homes Inquiries (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 192. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the status of each of the commitments set out in the Action Plan for Survivors and Former Residents of Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5432/22]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Equality and Non-Discrimination: Discussion (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Apologies, I did not know if they had come in because I have been coming and going.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Equality and Non-Discrimination: Discussion (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, we are speaking.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Equality and Non-Discrimination: Discussion (3 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I was at another meeting and coming and going. I met our guests a while ago. I am not sure if I missed some of the questions or if I am repeating some of them. Can they discuss what supports survivors of thalidomide receive and the gaps in the unmet need? Where does Ms Browne feel there are big gaps? Ms Browne might have discussed this. What changes are needed in the disability service...

Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know the Minister, Deputy Harris, has left the Chamber but I want to thank him for visiting Carlow. When I invited him he said he would come down and in fairness to him, within about six weeks he was down to visit the two excellent third level colleges we have in Carlow. I thank him for all the work he has done for us in Carlow. Higher and further education have been greatly affected...

Easing of Covid-19 Restrictions: Statements (2 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The efforts Irish people have made in recent weeks to reduce social contacts and take care when they meet others, combined with the high uptake of the vaccination and booster programme, have made a considerable difference to the public health situation. I know this is the reason restrictions have been eased. We have heard from the Chief Medical Officer, CMO, that getting back to activity is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister. I am intensely aware of the interruption experienced by students due to take their leaving certificate examination this year. The level of stress as they awaited certainty about this year's examinations was felt by all of us. I appreciate that the Minister has made great changes to the examinations, but these students have missed an entire year of a two-year...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want to ask the Minister about supports. What supports will be offered to students with long-term illnesses that might prevent them from sitting the examination on the assigned date? A student with epilepsy who experiences a medical emergency such as a seizure immediately before or during the examination and is unable to complete that examination, should be given the opportunity to re-sit...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to support a hybrid leaving certificate for 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4664/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Examinations (1 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: My question is about the hybrid leaving certificate for 2022 students. The students and parents who contacted me today are so disappointed that the Minister has ruled it out. What are her plans now to reform the leaving certificate?

Houses of the Oireachtas Commission: Motion: Cabinet Committees (1 Feb 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know it is clear we need to build housing but we need to make it affordable. I still meet people who do not qualify for the local authority home loan and they do not qualify for social housing. We talk about supply being the issue, but there have been other issues, including a backlog in housing applications. I thank the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for addressing...