Results 3,201-3,220 of 4,899 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This is my first time to talk. Could I have one-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay. I thank the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely, and that is fine, but when one loses the personal contact within the local authority it becomes an issue. Irish Water will always have to go back to the local authority anyway. Without a face that one can contact it becomes a problem. Perhaps we could look at some other way. I am aware that Irish Water has a Twitter hashtag and 1800 numbers, and I know the company is given...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Issues Affecting the Quality of Water: Discussion (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Health: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I apologise for not being present earlier. Several meetings are clashing. It is great that there is such good feedback on the model. While we all need to ensure there is awareness and information, funding will be the biggest issue. There is a good model that the witnesses know they can work with and pass on to other counties, but where will the funding come from? Have the witnesses...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Health: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I understand there is limited funding in certain areas. Many areas are looking for funding and cannot get it even with the existing model. There are different types of models and some areas have more funding than others. It is like everything: funding will go to one area quicker than to another. In my area funding is crucial. Mental health is a major issue as are life expectancy and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee On Key Issues Affecting The Traveller Community: Traveller Health: Discussion (Resumed) (5 Nov 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The witnesses are doing a great job and fair play to them all; it is excellent. Again, it is about everybody working together and information and awareness. It is so important everyone knows we are there to help and that there is information and help there when one needs it. That is what it boils down to.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I, too, have concerns about regulations. We can have as many regulations as we want, but they do not work unless they are implemented fully. The biggest issue I see for local authorities is staffing. The timeframe for applying to go on the local authority housing list is so long that I am currently working on a Bill to bring it down to three weeks. I have been informed that the biggest...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have introduced a Bill and I have been told by my local authority, which works very hard, that it does not think the Bill will work because it does not have the staff to get people on the housing list more quickly. I am not blaming the council, but that is unacceptable. I will ask Mr. Lemass to check that for me. Staffing is a huge issue in my local authority in Carlow and I believe it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome that. Many of the AHBs construct beautiful houses and I have worked with people in the constituency in which I live who have done excellent work, but I believe there is a niche here. We need to be considering small two-bedroom bungalows for people with disabilities. That is not happening in that sector. They are not in the bigger and fast builds. That is something the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: However, it is very small given the number of people on the housing list. It is becoming an issue with people living longer. It is an issue I come across daily.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Could Mr. Lemass get me the figures in that regard?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I would appreciate the breakdown on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Can we examine that and identify whether there is a system where people have given consent? I appreciate that they must give consent. However, even if they have consented, my understanding is that one cannot get that information. While we are dealing with the AHBs, regulations and so forth, perhaps that could be addressed. If people wrote letters and gave their consent, can we deal with that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Housing (Regulation of Approved Housing Bodies) Bill 2019: Discussion (24 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thought it might be possible to include it.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We seem to have two different rules. We are allowed to serve in the Houses of the Oireachtas when we are aged over 70 years, yet I have a colleague in Carlow who is not allowed to drive a school bus. Bus Éireann operates the school transport scheme and has a system whereby bus drivers who reach the age of 65 years and express a desire to continue to drive can work for a further five...

Seanad: HSE Capital Plan 2019: Statements (23 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister, who is a neighbour of mine. I am incredibly concerned about where money is being spent in the HSE. We pay for a health service through our taxes, but it seems more and more money is being spent on the national children's hospital without fixing the problem, which is a worry. I read yesterday that there is a €455 million overspend, which the Taoiseach expects...

Seanad: HSE Capital Plan 2019: Statements (23 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is the way one asks. We are neighbours.

Seanad: HSE Capital Plan 2019: Statements (23 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Holy Angels centre has been on the priority list for a new school building for over five years. The HSE was supposed to make land available at Kelvin Grove for a new school. I ask the Minister to check that for me as I would like to know what is happening. It disturbs me that local councillors in Carlow have noted that this promised site, which is supposed to be earmarked for the Holy...

Seanad: HSE Capital Plan 2019: Statements (23 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will hunt the Minister down.