Results 421-440 of 5,087 for speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (12 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Deputy Coveney, will be coming before the committee around the end of November. Hopefully by that time a number of the proposed series of meetings on this issue will have been held such that we will be in a position to raise some issues with him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (12 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the delegates for their attendance today. We will be in touch.

Correcting Pension Inequities: Motion [Private Members] (18 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I am disappointed but not surprised that we are again discussing an issue that has a disproportionately negative effect on women. Since I was elected last year, I have found this to be a common trend. It is unacceptable that women are receiving in the region of €35 less per week in their pensions because they took time out of work to care for their families and raise children. That...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 39. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the promised project for the building of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford which was in an advanced stage of architectural planning and scheduled to start construction in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45105/17]

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I am sure the Minister is aware of St. Patrick's school, Enniscorthy, because its case has been highlighted in the media recently. It has been promised a new building for some time and had hoped to be in it last September. That has not happened. It is no further down the road. The school caters for many children with additional needs and I would like an update on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome the Minister's reply. I visited the school when it was giving July provision for students with autism. It is doing tremendous work. I question the health and safety of the building and classroom conditions. The classes are in prefabricated buildings. There is a lot of damp in the building. These children have very particular needs. Some need to be isolated for part of the day...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome that and the fact that the Minister accepts there were unacceptable delays. Hopefully, he will keep this high on the agenda. They seem to have been on lists for a very long time but always seem to be forgotten. Hopefully, this time around, they will not be forgotten and will get that much-needed new building.

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 44. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that parents of students in primary and secondary schools are increasingly being asked for voluntary contributions of up to €100 upon registering with a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45003/17]

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: My question relates to voluntary contributions and what we are now hearing are being deemed as registration or re-registration fees. Particularly at second level, parents are being asked to pay a re-registration fee if they are interested in continuing their child's education at that particular school. Unfortunately it is on the increase. I ask for the Minister to comment on it.

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for his reply. Unfortunately, that is not the experience of most parents sending their children to school. There is considerable pressure on parents to pay the so-called voluntary contribution and, in some instances, schools are starting to call them school bills and making it very clear that the contribution is not voluntary. There is a good deal of pressure in terms...

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I suggest that the circular be reissued to schools or that schools are reminded of this. Barnardos undertook research into this recently which shows that 56% of primary schools and 69% of secondary schools, which is a very large number, still have a voluntary contribution. I understand it is illegal. I am not saying the message is not being passed on to schools, but they are not picking it...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the service monitoring the SNA sector which is in place to ensure that SNAs and trainees are being treated fairly in their employment. [45004/17]

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: What service is in place to monitor that SNA sector to ensure they and trainees are being treated fairly in their employment?

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Are the special education needs organisers, SENOs, who oversee special needs assistants responsible for them? Several people have contacted our office about an anomaly in the sector whereby many who have been in a job for quite a long time but whose hours might have been reduced are penalised if they get work in another special needs role because they are unable to carry forward their yearly...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for his reply. Can members of the panel carry forward their yearly increments? I might submit further details to the Minister's office but there seems to be a difficulty on that issue. It is possible there is some confusion but SNAs do not believe they can carry forward their yearly increments. If the Minister cannot clarify that now, I will submit it to his office at...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 83. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to address the anomalies within SUSI regarding the 45 km rule which is creating unfair outcomes for persons who should be able to access funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45001/17]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport Provision (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking with regard to the current school bus transport crisis in which the applications for concessionary seats is far exceeding the places being made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45005/17]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Apologies have been received from Senator Denis Landy and Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan. This meeting is the second in a series of meetings during which we will engage with groups and individuals working on legacy issues across all affected communities. We will hear later from the WAVE Trauma Centre, a cross-community NGO that provides support to people who may have been affected by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Our last meeting was on legacy issues and we are following on from that today. I welcome our witnesses, Ms Sandra Peake, chief executive officer, and Mr. Dennis Godfrey, board member, WAVE Trauma Centre, and Mr. Brian Gormally, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice. I ask members and those in the Visitors Gallery to switch off their phones completely as they interfere...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I will open the session up to questions now. Deputy Brendan Smith has indicated and we will start with him.