Results 3,221-3,240 of 4,899 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: As all Senators are aware, next weekend is a long weekend and the clocks will go back an hour. It is very important that we look after our elderly neighbours. There are 9,500 elderly people living in County Carlow. Last week, I met Mr. Joe Butler, chairman of the Carlow Older Persons Forum. There are concerns regarding the number of young people congregating around the entrance to housing...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I think an election is coming.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Leader has to accept the figures.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Deputy Micheál Martin and the Leader are neighbours.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. I thank everyone for coming to this meeting. During the many years I spent as a councillor, I saw the role that local authorities played in planning. I believe the local authority is the best place for planning. I am concerned about the possibility of this initiative being extended. Everything relies on local authorities. The mechanism used by local authorities always...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: People have expressed to me their concerns about communication. Most of us have said that today. Like everything else, everybody needs to work together, including local authorities and other bodies. People's concerns need to be addressed. All of us need to work on that together.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome that, because as we all know, and I saw this during my time working in a local authority, appeals can take a long time. They are complicated and we all need to examine the process because time is of the essence in things like this. Fast-tracking planning is important.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Is it just the application process? Where does the Irish Planning Institute see the root of the problem? There is always a problem when we have a review like this. Where does Dr. Norton see the problem? Is there one particular problem? Is it the application process? Is it an overall problem? Do we need to change the system? As someone who has been reviewing this for some time, what...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have concerns that in the past two years, there have been 100 cases. Sixty-seven were granted and 34 were refused. There is a housing crisis and the reason the committee invited the board to appear before it was to sort out issues. We all agree on the need for proper planning but there cannot be a system where 67 cases are granted and 34 refused when the board is the body that exists to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Strategic Housing Development Review: Discussion (22 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree that we need proper planning, but we also need compromise. We are experiencing a housing crisis. I totally agree with proper planning for everybody but I sometimes wonder where certain refusals come from. I am always in favour of proper planning but I also believe the system needs to be examined because it is hard to understand some of the refusals. There needs to be some...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I would like to talk about An Garda Síochána. Following pressure from Fianna Fáil, there is increased funding of €81 million for Garda numbers in budget 2020, which will deliver up to 700 new Garda recruits. However, I need clarity about something that the Minister, Deputy Flanagan, announced earlier this year, namely, that 800 recruits would join the ranks at the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want clarification.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is not a point of order.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister, Deputy Flanagan-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The newspapers are calling this a U-turn and broken promise-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----along with spin and empty announcements. I am giving the facts.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have risen here-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----to speak about the lack of resources for our gardaí.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The figure of 15,000 by 2021 was a key demand of Fianna Fáil, in a confidence and supply agreement with Fine Gael, which has not been easy.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Oct 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: A boost in numbers would mean a better system. There are people the length and breadth of rural Ireland living in fear because there are not enough gardaí visible in our towns and villages. They want more gardaí.