Results 1,661-1,680 of 4,037 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Accommodation (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 182 of 5 October 2022, if she will sanction the supply to the school concerned of the 200m2 modular accommodation in 4x50 m2 general classroom accommodation given that the SNU needs have been met within the existing school building and the urgent need for general classroom space; and if she will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Care Services (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 751. To ask the Minister for Health the provisions that are in place to continue the care of a person (details supplied) who requires home support services but cannot avail of it due to the lack of expressions of interest from approved providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51435/22]

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister for attending. I have a question requiring a brief response and a more in-depth one. I will begin with the first of these. Will individuals who missed out on the payments via the MPRN, such as the Traveller groups, be back-paid for the credit they missed earlier in the year? Will they be compensated only for future credits?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: If they are not being back-paid, will the Minister consider it? There was unfairness in the scheme. It has been rectified this time but it would be good to ensure the individuals concerned get the credits they missed out on.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: In the Minister's statement, he said the Government has taken action to provide further assistance to those who are most vulnerable to the effects of the cost-of-living crisis and then he referred to a range of measures, including the €600 electricity credit. I have been very vocal about the fact that I do not believe this represents good expenditure of taxpayers' money. There should...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: This is why the Social Democrats have not been asking for a cap. If there was one, it would again not be a targeted measure. If there were to be a cap, therefore, it would have to be a targeted one. The main reason people are reducing their energy use now is because of a price mechanism. A price driver is causing this. For wealthy people, however, no price driver will make them reduce...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: On this point, the Social Democrats are not arguing it is only people on social welfare schemes who should have been targeted. It should be people at risk of energy poverty and those finding it difficult to cope. I do not, though, believe that people with holiday homes will find it difficult in this regard, especially now they will be getting two payments. I do not think the MPRN approach...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Minister mentioned that the backup generation of large energy users, in particular data centres, will need to be made available to the grid. Obviously, that does not apply retrospectively to those who are currently operating or have their permissions granted. Has the Department looked at what generation capacity is available within those existing data centres and looked at ways to have...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: There could be 150 MW available.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2022 (Supplementary)
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (18 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I am quite disappointed by the underspend on the research side of things. Perhaps we need to go back and see why it was not spent. From being in research myself, I know every researcher has a stack of oven-ready projects that could be funded at a minute's notice. It is surprising the money was not spent, especially in light of the crises in both biodiversity and climate that we face....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (13 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: The student accommodation crisis is making equal access to third level an impossibility for many students throughout the country. Access to third level should not depend on where one’s home place is or how wealthy one’s parents are. Anything less than full access for all students is discriminatory, bad for society and bad for our economy. I express solidarity with all those...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I will come back in again. The amendment made an important point which I think the Minister of State has missed. I am pleased there is a cross-departmental stakeholder group looking at energy poverty. That is important. However, this amendment also says the results and analysis of the committee will be incorporated into any future schemes with regard to this electricity emergency Bill....

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: Where in this Bill is the committee's advice? Where is it reflected? There has been zero targeting in this Bill. We are seeing €34 million going to people who have a household income of more than €200,000. A figure of €170 million is going to people whose household income is €120,000 and €50 million is going to people who have holiday homes. There has...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: There we have the answer. I am glad there has been some honesty regarding this particular aspect. When it first came to the Dáil and was discussed in December, the reason we were told it was not targeted was because the capability and mechanism was not there. Now, there is an acknowledgement that this was never to be a target mechanism of getting money out and that it was always going...

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee and Remaining Stages (12 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I move amendment No. 4: In page 5, between lines 17 and 18, to insert the following: "(5) The Minister will establish a committee to look into ways by which future schemes, in relation to the provision of electricity costs emergency benefit payments, are allocated in a targeted manner direct at individuals most vulnerable to fuel poverty or who are financially vulnerable. The Committee...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (12 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 159. To ask the Minister for Health if he will address the urgent situation facing a family (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50404/22]

Electricity Costs (Domestic Electricity Accounts) Emergency Measures and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: I have an incredible sense of déjà vu today as we talk about this Bill. In December 2021, the Government announced a €200 energy credit to deal with the energy price hikes people were seeing. That Bill was debated in March of this year. That was also called an electricity emergency Bill. I find it staggering that less than a year later we are debating essentially the same...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Departmental Projects (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 205. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update in relation to the Avoca remediation project; the projected funding that will be provided in view of Budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50174/22]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 279. To ask the Minister for Finance the limited number of period products that will be reduced to a zero per cent VAT rate from 1 January 2023, as announced in budget 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50251/22]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (11 Oct 2022)

Jennifer Whitmore: 354. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current waiting time that a person has to wait before they can change their name on their passport via a deed poll; the current conditions as set out for persons seeking to change their name on a passport; if he will consider reducing the timeframe for persons who are due to get married or travel and wish to do so under their new...