Results 3,301-3,320 of 4,899 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (10 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome and fully support the Bill to legislate on hate crime and hate speech. My party introduced hate crime legislation in the Seanad. It is long past time for proper legislation in this area. Hate crime is real and has real impact. In 2021, An Garda Síochána recorded 448 hate crimes and hate-related non-crime incidents. I pay tribute to An Garda Síochána on its...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is important we have the communication but I can only speak for people I know. Carlow and Kilkenny are small counties and almost everybody knows one another. In my experience, when people are asked for information on any given area, they are good and I think the same will apply here. The Minister referred to a statement of fact. People in general are good. We have to be mindful that...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to ask the same question. It is important to get this Bill through and we have been too long waiting for it, but I recall that when this committee last discussed the proposed domestic violence leave, which we are all glad to have, the departmental officials said it would be reviewed after two years. We should consider a period of ten days if possible. While I welcome a period of...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I ask the Minister about communication and information to the employers. How much communication have the Department and Minister had with them? I was at the last meeting as well and there was confusion about the five-day leave for the year and the ten-day leave for the year. It is important that we engage with everybody. What was the feeling from the employer? Who has the Minister spoken...

Select Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Committee Stage (8 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is important that the Minister gave that information.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Business Supports (10 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 107. To ask the Minister for Finance if the temporary business energy support scheme to help businesses with their energy costs will be applied to creches and montessori schools to support their rising energy costs this winter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50110/22]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Budget 2023 proposed €65 million for section 39 funding and yet I am still waiting to see any action on that funding. I met with representatives from Holy Angels in Carlow this week. As the Taoiseach knows, the funding is to support community-based voluntary organisations in the provision of disability, nursing home and hospital services across the country. I was told the funding...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Taoiseach.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 20. To ask the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [54576/22]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 21. To ask the Taoiseach when the Housing for All progress report for quarter 3 of 2022 will be published. [54577/22]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Housing Provision (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am aware that the interdepartmental steering committee is making domestic violence service provision a priority. I am told there is funding available to support action at local level at local level while we wait for a women's refuge in Carlow town. We are moving on it. It is a bit slow but we have the funding and we are getting there. However, we are struggling with the provision we...

Science Week: Statements (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: As the Minister knows, I love having a chance to discuss Carlow people and Science Week allows me to talk about County Carlow's great 19th century scientist, inventor, educator and mountaineer, John Tyndall. As one of Ireland’s great scientists, he discovered, among many other things, the science of climate change and why the sky is blue, developed the sterilisation method called...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Cost of Living Issues (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Could I ask the Minister about funding to assist students as they cope with the cost-of-living crisis? In Carlow, we now have the South East Technological University and Carlow College. However, while students in the university can access Government supports to combat the cost-of-living crisis, those in the college cannot. Some third level students can receive funding for laptops under the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have told several Ministers about the state of services for medical cardholders and working people with PRSI contributions. Dental services for medical cardholders are already under significant pressure in all areas. I am now seeing a worrying development that causes me to question the model of contract used. I am acutely aware of the pressure on dental services for medical...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (15 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I welcome that consultation with relevant bodies, including the Irish Dental Association, will be undertaken as soon as possible. During the Covid pandemic, older people and those with medical cards found it hard to get access to their dentist. In fairness to the dentists, they worked extremely hard. Following this consultation, we need to...

Post-European Council: Statements (16 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Council Regulation (EU) 2022/1854 was agreed at a meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers on 30 September 2022 and came into force on 8 October 2022. This regulation places a cap on market revenues for non-gas technologies in the electricity sector and introduces a temporary solidarity contribution based on taxable profits for fossil fuels production and oil refining, as well as reduction...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 95. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will report on progress towards implementation of the new Employee Regulation Order for the early years' sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56878/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Early Childhood Care and Education (17 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: 109. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he intends to reform the national childcare scheme and to examine ways in which it can better support lower-income families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56877/22]

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Many children will be in a more vulnerable position because of the cost-of-living crisis. A Barnardos survey recently revealed that 26% of parents felt they did not have enough food to feed their children over the past year and that the cost-of-living crisis had led to 41% of parents cutting back on food spending. I welcome our budget. In July 2022, the Government report, Food Poverty:...

Social Welfare Bill 2022: Second Stage (22 Nov 2022)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I greatly appreciate the efforts of the Government to reinforce new social welfare measures in the context of this legislation. It is good to see the goals of our recent budget fully realised and put into the legislation. After all, families who rely on welfare need as much help as they can get, and sooner rather than later. We can see the rising costs in the context of prices. Even for...