Results 3,041-3,060 of 4,933 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Bill 2020: Second Stage (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Communication is the key here. The guidelines and any subsequent law must be enforceable. While the majority of establishments and people have played by the rules, unfortunately some have not. The gardaí have much to enforce now. I am not sure they can catch every offender with a pizza slice and a few pints. The message should have been that everyone with a food licence may operate...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I, too, welcome all our guests to the meeting. I know how difficult it has been for everybody trying to get children back to school and unions all working together. My first question is for the INTO. I am aware that an agreement was reached to appoint three primary teachers for 12 schools in towns. My question relates to rural schools. My daughter is a school principal in Myshall. ...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Mr. Gillespie.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. I have so many questions that I do not know where to go. Will the colleges of education make final year students available? Is it a part of the talks between the witnesses' organisations and the Department of Education and Skills to see if student teachers can be made available? I hope this does not happen, but if schools must close due to Covid-19 and they need extra...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Have all the schools been made aware-----

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Mr. Gillespie. I have no more questions.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have a question for the National Parents Council Post Primary. Have its members who have been told to isolate their children for Covid-related reasons received the support they need in order for their children to be educated? At the peak of the pandemic, I was contacted by many second year and fifth year students worried about how they would catch up this year. Is the ground that was...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is a very big concern that the guidance counsellors are not actually in the schools particularly now during the Covid pandemic. I have a question for the National Parents Council Primary. Are its members asking about supports to deal with an increased level of anxiety among their children? Are they finding children this year much more anxious than would normally be the case? Parents...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I ask for a reply to my questions on school transport.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Has Ms Dempsey come across cases of parents who do not have transport using taxis to get children to school? I am working on a few cases in the disability sector where bus services have been cut and some of the affected families do not have a car. This is becoming a big issue because these families must use a taxi, which they cannot afford. Are the Department and the NPCPP trying to come...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am dealing with a case where a child with a disability who had a place on a bus last year cannot get a place this year. As Ms Dempsey said, that service should be free. It seems there are one or two cases slipping through the net this year.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Are the votes taking place now?

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know that these hard times are very challenging. We addressed representatives of the teaching unions this morning and I brought up the following matter which I think is important. The Minister reached an agreement that three primary substitute teachers will be available for every 12 schools across towns in the country. In the likely event that the three substitute teachers are already...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: Review of the Reopening of Schools (Resumed) (2 Sep 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: My concerns are about rural towns and counties. My daughter is the school principal in Myshall. That school did not make the panel so it, and other rural schools like it, must look for substitute teachers. A panel was not put in place for them and the Minister might look at that issue in the long term. The Minister also spoke about the minor works programme. Her announcement that...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Is the HSE considering saliva tests for schoolchildren? When will that be done? It is so important for children in particular. I ask Mr. Reid to revert to the committee with a timescale for that to be done. As he knows, children are going back to school. We do not wish to be back here in four months' time and the HSE to still be considering that measure. It is important that Mr. Reid...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I ask that written answers be provided to my other questions, particularly that relating to the timescale for testing. It is becoming a significant concern. Many Deputies are being contacted regarding cases where this is an issue. It is so important. Testing and tracing is the only solution to deal with the spikes that are occurring, particularly in light of the fact that children are...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (26 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We need to do a lot more testing. My concern would be that we are not doing enough testing. I thank the witnesses and I will raise my concerns again at the next session.

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am sharing time with Deputy Lawless. I pay tribute to all our health professionals, as I did during the earlier session with the witnesses from the HSE. It has been a very trying time during which the focus has been on protecting lives. We, as Members of the Oireachtas, have to be very careful that we put people's health and lives first. As we head into the cold and flu season, there is...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: State Response to Recent Spike in Covid-19 Cases (Resumed) (26 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister. Are we conducting random testing at our airports and are we considering random testing in schools? This is very important now with all our schools going back in the next few weeks. It is welcome that the Dáil is sitting next week but I am asking the Minister about legislation. Over the past few months, we have seen that the Garda did not have any legislation to...

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response: Covid-19: The Situation in Meat Processing Plants (13 Aug 2020)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank all the witnesses for being present. I will ask the questions first and then get the answers. What measures are being taken to address the fact that some workers are without a PPS number, which holds them back from claiming the Covid payment? How many staff have received full payment from MII members while self-isolating for Covid reasons? How many staff of MII members receive...