Results 4,001-4,020 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Order for Second Stage (11 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (11 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Bill before the House. It will amend the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, which established Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher education sectors. The...

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: He said it was not agreed. He said it three times.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: He did say it.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I swear he said it.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We did not say that.

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputies for their interesting and in-depth contributions, and I welcome the support that has been expressed. Several different issues have been raised and I will try to deal with some of them. Deputies Thomas Byrne and Mattie McGrath raised a point last night about the protection of enrolled learners, PEL, fund and the resourcing of the learner protection fund, which was raised...

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My Department is happy to engage with the process and answer questions on the Bill. Someone asked who the stakeholders invited to the meeting would be. That will be up to the committee's Chair.

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: If the Deputies believe there is someone else who should attend the meeting, I would be glad to get their names. I have addressed most of the points raised. We will engage in the stakeholder consultation process next week and, the week after that, we will continue taking the Bill through the House. I thank Members.

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Referral to Select Committee (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Education and Skills pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1).

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As the House knows, I am the Minister of State in charge of higher education-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. As a former school principal, and I am not just saying this, I pay tribute to the wonderful work being done by SNAs everywhere to support children. I thank SNAs, of whom there will be 15,950 by the end of the year, for their efforts. I understand the Senator's frustration because what she outlined has happened in my...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, who is currently out of the country. I thank the Senator for raising the matter and I am aware that Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire has made many requests on behalf of this school. As a former school principal, I congratulate the people responsible on amalgamating the two schools,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am very cognisant of the schools in Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo. I will talk to the Minister because I know Senator Feighan has been pushing this. In the short term, the school should apply for the two grants I mentioned.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Free Travel Scheme (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty.As Senators will be aware, the free-travel scheme is available for all people aged over 66 years, carers and people in receipt of certain disability-type payments. Currently, 944,000 customers are in receipt of the scheme, with an annual allocation of €95 million, and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Free Travel Scheme (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will raise the matter again with the Minister but we should also raise it with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. While I will undertake to do so, I am sure the Senator will do the same.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Amalgamation (2 Jul 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am aware this is a serious issue for Deputy Brendan Smith and for the school community. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. In responding, I will comment on this matter because I know quite a bit about amalgamations of schools and was responsible for the amalgamation of two schools. I thank the Deputy for raising this matter as it provides me and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Amalgamation (2 Jul 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputy. The ETB has advised the Department that the series of meetings which the Deputy talked about has taken place. The object of the consultation, according to the ETB, was to provide additional information on the proposed amalgamation of both schools and to ensure that any concerns raised are heard and taken into account. Of the meetings held with the stakeholders to date,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (10 Jul 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Stop sneering.