Results 61-80 of 3,697 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (24 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. One of my questions is around the loan schemes, although I admit that I hate to start with it. With the loan scheme, we will see an increase in fees of €4,000 or €5,000. Looking at the Australian model, there was a different economic climate when it was introduced. Our young people face an intergenerational debt burden in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (24 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: Deputy Byrne definitely wants to put the witnesses on the spot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (24 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I am sorry to interrupt Mr. Cassells but I disagree with him on his last point. There is continued focus on a lack of financial capital being the only reason disadvantaged students do not go to college but there is also a lack of social and cultural capital. It is misleading to say that a lack of financial capital is the reason people cannot access education.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Funding: Discussion (24 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I apologise, I have to ask questions and leave given that I am next to speak in the Seanad and I will lose my spot. We are talking about what Brexit means for us. Perhaps those working in research could elaborate on the fact that, due to having no capital funding for a period, we would not be able to cater to any sort of research and development in the universities as they stand unless...

Seanad: Address to Seanad Éireann by Ms Nicola Sturgeon (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the First Minister. I have a question on third level funding. There is a debate in the country on how we should fund our third level sector, which has been in crisis for a number of years. The debate on this has come heavily down on income contingent loans, to which I am completely opposed. I believe in a publicly funded education system. Will the First Minister make reference to...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: In the coming weeks there will be an official announcement on the leadership shown by Trinity College Dublin in divesting from the use of fossil fuels. This would be the perfect time to invite the Minister for Communications, Climate Change and Environment, Deputy Denis Naughten, to come to the House to discuss how this policy could have a more far-reaching impact in other sectors. The...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the Minister. I will refer to child benefit amendment shortly. I have listened to the debate today. It is always the case when we talk about the budget, the economy and those who are most vulnerable that we, in these Houses, talk about the situation in a very abstract sense, which is what upsets me most. We talk about meals for children going to school but we never actually talk...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: It was.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: The child benefit amendment stood out for me most. I went back over the Dáil debate and the reason given by the Minister for the amendment, specifically in regard to the Department of Social Protection being able to extract information from employers regarding a person working in the State or not. This affects employees who are not ordinarily from Ireland but who are working here and...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I never go over time. I am just collecting for all my other times.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: Is the increase in the Christmas bonus being provided to the Department from direct taxes?

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 12:In page 33, after line 34, to insert the following:"Amendment of section 5 ("relevant date", "landlord", "tenant", "lease", etc.) of Act of 2004 27.Section 5(1) of the Act of 2004 is amended by deleting the definition of "landlord" and substituting the following:" 'landlord' means the person for the time being entitled to receive (otherwise than as agent for another...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I refer to some information from Threshold's pre-budget submission to the Department on the issue. It states:In the case of repossession, tenants cannot refer a dispute to the Residential Tenancies Board for resolution, [which obviously puts them further on the back foot] as a lender will not generally be regarded as a party to the tenancy (Residential Tenancies Act 2004, s. 76). Their...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: Given that we feel Fianna Fáil might have the numbers for its amendment, which we will support, we will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 13:In page 33, after line 34, to insert the following:“Amendment of section 19 (setting of rent above market rent prohibited) of Act of 2004 27. The Act of 2004 is amended by the insertion of the following new section after section 19:“19A.(1) Any subsequent increases in the level of rent under the tenancy of a dwelling shall not be greater than the rate of...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: That is almost ten times the number in 2011 when Fine Gael took office. If the crisis is not resolved soon, we should not be surprised if the rental crisis becomes the new Irish Water. I have listened to the contributions of the Minister of State and various other Senators and accept that the issue of rent certainty is complex. Since Committee Stage I have examined it in more detail and I...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I want to comment on a number of points. It is unacceptable for Bills to come through the House if they are not ready to be amended and we have to wait for a strategy to feed into them. It seems like a pointless exercise. It seems that it is being rushed through all Stages in the Seanad so that it will be too late for us to pick up on the things we want to amend, which removes the Seanad's...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I wish to share time with Senator Alice Mary Higgins.

Seanad: Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign: Motion (30 Nov 2016)

Lynn Ruane: I support this motion wholeheartedly. The purpose of the amendment confuses me. It asks the bank to explain why it has closed a bank account, which is something it has already refused to do. It did not meet the campaign group in question when it wanted to shut its account down. It is a worrying sign that one of our national financial institutions has judged that it has the power to cut...