Results 1-20 of 3,920 for speaker:Pauline Tully

Seanad: Draft Commission of Investigation (Handling of Historical Child Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools) Order 2025: Motion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I wish the Minister a good afternoon. I welcome the commission of investigation into the handling of historical sexual abuse. I welcome the fact it is day and boarding schools and that it is religious and non-religious and it covers all schools. It is not before time. There are many people waiting a long time to air their stories, to be listened to and importantly, to be believed. It is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I had to leave to speak in the Seanad so I apologise in advance if I ask questions that have already been put to our guests. The opening statement refers to the fact that 162,000 people have registered and paid so far. That figure was 173,000 last year. I acknowledge that 10,000 applications were received late. Is the figure for this year actually 172,000 or will it be greater than that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Yes, but this year 162,000 have registered and paid for mainstream-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: There were 10,000 late applications.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Is that the total then for this year?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: They should all be accommodated this year. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: That could mean that more students who are concessionary ticket holders could also be affected. Is that correct?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: That is significant-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Does Ms Leonard know yet what the breakdown is between eligible and concessionary pupils in that 162,000 figure?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: A total of 144,000 pupils last year were mainstream and this year the figure is 162,000. That is a significant increase. A school transport review took place that took quite some time. It was published over a year ago but the Department has not adopted any of the changes recommended. The eligibility criteria for the scheme this year are the same as for last year and previous years....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I am quite shocked to learn that only 5% of the school transport is provided by Bus Éireann's own fleet and 95% of the buses are contracted in. Is there going to be an increase in investment in Bus Éireann's school bus fleet? I remember the day when the vast majority of school buses were owned and run by Bus Éireann but maybe I was wrong about that. When the bus driver that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I would like to get an answer to the question I asked previously about investment in the fleet, if this might be possible. Mention was made of the recommendations from the review not being implemented or the start of them not being implemented. I come from Cavan. There was a situation in my area last year, in Rahoran, where 18 students were told about two weeks before secondary school...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: School Transport Scheme: Discussion (16 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: This is why I think investment in the fleet would make absolutely sense in the context of this reliance on private operators all the time. I know there is going to have to be a reliance on private operators, but should we not be building up the fleet?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I thank the witnesses for the presentations. I refer to the 2015 Higher Education Authority report that was referenced in the opening statement. It was said that there was an unmet demand of 25,000 bed spaces at that time. What is the unmet demand now? Have there been other reports? Mr. Lemass seemed to suggest this was a one-off report. I note a strategy came from that in 2017, I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Did Mr. Lemass say it was 10,000 by 2020? That is still not meeting the need, and I presume the need continued to rise as well as we see increased numbers going to further and higher education.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: What is the demand now?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: I presume it is significantly greater than the 25,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Mr. Lemass is not answering what he thinks it is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Student Accommodation: Discussion (15 Jul 2025)

Pauline Tully: Some of my colleagues referenced the No Room for Learning report from the students’ union at the Technological University of the Shannon, titled such because there are many demands around accommodation. I am sure their findings are reflected across the country in all the different colleges. Many students are commuting and not by choice. Many are working part time and up to 30 hours a...