Results 461-480 of 4,899 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, the recommendation is there and I just want to welcome east Carlow home.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Thank you. The second issue I want to highlight is-----

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----the new pay-by-weight system for waste that will be introduced from 1 July about which I am very disappointed. Over a year ago we spoke about this system but we urged the Department to conduct an awareness and information campaign. We said that it would be important to produce leaflets and to let people know how important it is to reduce the amount of waste produced. We all understand...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil supports the Bill in principle, however, we believe it is incomplete. Fianna Fáil's position on mortgage arrears is that every effort should be made to keep families in their home. It has been ten years since the onset of the financial crisis but no sustainable long-term solution has come from the Fine Gael-led Governments to tackle the issue and assist families in...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is estimated that the co-operative will have to raise at least €5 billion. If this money is to be raised through bonds, as was the case with NAMA, this will ultimately have to be guaranteed by the State. The Bill, as drafted, it is not clear on the function of the co-operative. It is unclear from the Bill whether the homeowner is activating the process or not, and how much...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Government is supposed to be building thousands of houses but we still have not seen them.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister, Deputy Coveney, promised thousands and we have only 200.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: They were supposed to build thousands of houses.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It has not happened.

Seanad: Home Care Services: Motion (28 Jun 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I second the motion. I am going to speak about dementia. It is an issue that impacts on very many people's lives, not only the lives of people living with dementia or Alzheimer's but on the lives of the loved ones who care for them on a daily basis. The World Health Organization has described dementia as one of the most serious social challenges facing the world today. Dementia is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I too congratulate Senator Buttimer. I know I will be seeing a lot more of him in Carlow. I hope he does not get any ideas about running in that constituency. Again I wish him the best of luck. I wish to highlight again the importance of the meeting that was held today in respect of the cath lab at University Hospital Waterford. I know that it has been given great support here but we...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Many of us have been in contact with Barnardos, the people who are dealing with this situation. Their first concern is that children are often the hidden victims of domestic abuse. It is crucial that this is part of the Bill. They are trying to help and save the child. They seek to ensure that the damage caused by the exposure of children to domestic abuse is recognised by ensuring risk...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Housing Supply Alliance (4 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with Deputy Coppinger in the context of her concerns. Like previous speakers, I was a councillor for years. As councillors, Clúid and Respond! were the main approved housing bodies with which we would have dealt, if on a smaller scale. All of a sudden, Co-operative Housing Ireland has entered the picture and on a bigger scale. I welcome the fact that we need to work with the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Housing Supply Alliance (4 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The houses that the housing agencies provide to people, often after buying them in groups, are of an extremely high standard. That is not the question. I totally disagree with what has been said in one respect. This is the way forward from the Government's point of view. I hope the credit unions work on the tier 3 we are looking at because that is important. I still think people should...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Housing Supply Alliance (4 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It was the timing of responses.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. The Minister has seen my Commencement Matter. A very disappointing article was published during the week regarding the South East Economic Monitor, which showed that the south-east region is being left behind. The monitor was compiled at Waterford Institute of Technology by Dr. Cormac O'Keefe, Mr. John Casey and Dr. Ray Griffin and is actually frightening....

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will not forget it anyway.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Unemployment Data (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. I am very disappointed by the figures, of which we are aware. It is important. I am very disappointed by the IDA. It made one official visit to Carlow last year. I am not sure if its representatives came down once or twice. Perhaps they had meetings I was not aware of. Its performance in Carlow is very bad. University status for Carlow and Waterford...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to highlight again the housing crisis. The new Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, has said that the new Rebuilding Ireland plans for 2020 will not be met. I have just come from a housing meeting. I am calling again for the Government to legislate in respect of credit unions. We have been having meetings with them. They are willing to work with the Government. They have between...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Finance for Social Housing: Irish League of Credit Unions (Resumed) (5 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree. We have a housing crisis and it is sad that we are nearly one year on from the launch of Rebuilding Ireland but we still need to build houses. The credit unions are there and we always associate credit unions with being part of our community. I do not think there is anybody in the country who does not use the credit union. I was a little bit taken aback when Mr. Sibley said "we...