Results 4,441-4,460 of 4,936 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The homelessness crisis is getting worse. I do not-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----understand how it is a problem but not a funding problem.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome everyone back after our summer break. I am sure we were all doing clinics and were very busy. I want to raise the matter of local government funding. As Senators are aware, the 31 local authorities are preparing for the budget. We are also aware that each local authority has to have its local property tax budget meeting over by the end of September. I have massive concerns...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Report: Dr. Mary Murphy and Dr. Rory Hearne, NUI Maynooth (20 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree totally with Deputy Casey, and I agree with the points made by the witnesses. The private rented market has been taken away from local authorities. If one wants to apply for housing assistance payment, HAP, one has to go to Cork. If one wants to get on the housing list, one might be waiting for up to six weeks before getting an appointment. In an emergency, that should be done...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Dublin Regional Homless Executive (20 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with previous speakers on the housing assistance payment. Things need to be clarified. The HAP forms go to the landlord and then to Cork, because it has left local authorities. I have massive issues with that. All the HAP applications should be left with the 31 local authorities. When put on the HAP, there was a question on the form asking if the applicant wanted to stay on the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am, however, a little disappointed, although I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. The capitalisation for the ECCE scheme needs to be significantly increased. The higher grant is €75 per week per child, but it still does not cover the cost of providing the service. Many services are facing closure as a result of the lack of funding. Parents have to send their...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is unacceptable. Why is rural Ireland forgotten again? Why are we left out?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay. I have more to say, but I appreciate the Minister of State coming in and ask that she reply to these are very serious issues. I believe crèches will close if these issues are not sorted.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. We all know affordable child care is crucial for families. It is also important for the providers. I am disappointed, however. The fact the Minister, Deputy Zappone, did not do a review before she announced or launched anything, which is her second or third time doing so, does not seem right. There is €466 million and it is crucial that the families...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Resolution Board: Chairperson Designate (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank Mr. Keyes for his statement. He is a very busy man and I am beginning to wonder how he fits everything in. Reference was made to everything depending on funding. Total applications are shown in the statement as numbering 1,798 and the number of dwellings currently being worked on is 127. This is a huge gap between the figures. What is the procedure and how does the board...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Pyrite Resolution Board: Chairperson Designate (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Is there a constant flow of funding? Does the board have to apply to the Department?

Seanad: Equality of Access to Education: Motion (12 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Most of the Senators have already raised my concerns. I view this matter differently because I am a parent who has sent her four children to third level education. I believe in free education but, unfortunately, there is no such thing. Primary school education is under-resourced and parents are seeking help. Secondary school students use iPads but, unfortunately, most families cannot...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (11 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the witnesses for addressing us today. I am not here on a regular basis but I am just here because I have massive concerns about the bus system. My main concern is about national policies, and it has been mentioned that they were changed in 2011 and 2012. There is no appeal system. I have told people not to appeal decisions. Within my area of Carlow and Borris-Myshall, the people...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want to speak about the Citizens' Assembly, which met this weekend, in terms of elderly people. I have had many concerns expressed in my clinic by people who had to retire at 65. They then claim jobseeker's benefit from the Department of Social Welfare, which is €188. However, until they actually turn 65 and transfer to the old age pension, which is €230, they are at the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. The Minister has seen my Commencement Matter. A very disappointing article was published during the week regarding the South East Economic Monitor, which showed that the south-east region is being left behind. The monitor was compiled at Waterford Institute of Technology by Dr. Cormac O'Keefe, Mr. John Casey and Dr. Ray Griffin and is actually frightening....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will not forget it anyway.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. I am very disappointed by the figures, of which we are aware. It is important. I am very disappointed by the IDA. It made one official visit to Carlow last year. I am not sure if its representatives came down once or twice. Perhaps they had meetings I was not aware of. Its performance in Carlow is very bad. University status for Carlow and Waterford...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to highlight again the housing crisis. The new Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has said that the new Rebuilding Ireland plans for 2020 will not be met. I have just come from a housing meeting. I am calling again for the Government to legislate in respect of credit unions. We have been having meetings with them. They are willing to work with the Government. They have between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Irish League of Credit Unions (Resumed) (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree. We have a housing crisis and it is sad that we are nearly one year on from the launch of Rebuilding Ireland but we still need to build houses. The credit unions are there and we always associate credit unions with being part of our community. I do not think there is anybody in the country who does not use the credit union. I was a little bit taken aback when Mr. Sibley said "we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Irish League of Credit Unions (Resumed) (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am not sure if this is in the Central Bank's remit but I think that it is also crucial that the entire country be represented. I know that I am always saying this, but Dublin, Cork and Limerick are always mentioned. If this scheme does go ahead there needs to be some regulation to ensure that the whole country is affected. That will be crucial for rural Ireland. For me, that is vital. I...