Results 3,241-3,260 of 4,933 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

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.

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.