Results 981-1,000 of 1,730 for speaker:Aisling Dolan

Seanad: Summer Programme: Statements (18 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Minister of State, who is here in her capacity of having responsibility for special educational needs. It is fantastic that we have this new programme. The July provision was always one of those titles that was slightly confusing and it is great to see the name change to the "summer programme". I spoke with a couple of school principals this morning to get some feedback. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Engagement with the Minister for Education (12 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Minister. That is a good sign.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: The Deputy Leader will be aware that the Westdoc service covers her area as it covers counties Galway, Roscommon and Mayo. We have raised this issue, along with our public representatives here, and I know that Senator Murphy had a meeting with the Minister for Health last week. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Rabbitte, is fighting for this and is very engaged. We...

Seanad: VAT Rate for Tourism and Hospitality Sectors: Statements (Resumed) (19 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: The Minister, Deputy Donohoe was here earlier and the Minister of State, Deputy Fleming is with us now. I want to talk about the benefits we have seen from the budget and about the supports we need to put in place for business. It is crucial that we see that this budget is backing business and that is why there has been a review of the 9% VAT rate for hospitality. It is crucial that we...

Seanad: Poverty and Social Exclusion: Motion (19 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I thank Senator Ruane for tabling this motion. It is crucial that we discuss poverty, which does not get as much discussion time as it should. I represent Roscommon and Galway in the west, counties which have dispersed populations, many of whose members experience rural isolation. Senator Ruane spoke about her background, and I would like to speak about mine. I was the first person in my...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I welcome the Minister of State. Is it not wonderful that more students with a third level degree will now be able to take part in the electoral process for Seanad Éireann? It will make the Seanad a lot more relevant to young people, and that is what we want to see. We want people involved in what we do in this House day to day in order that they care about their representatives, who...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: We received fantastic news last Thursday with the notice from the Minster for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, and the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, of an allocation of funding for out-of-hours GP services. I have raised this a number of times here in the Seanad on the Order of Business but also through Commencement matters. It was a crisis for our GP network. I am so grateful that...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: The Leader has heard from a number of Members about special schools and the summer programme. Roughly €40 million has been allocated to the programme. I asked about it and principals came to me with some feedback. One in four schools rolled the programme out last year but we need more of our mainstream schools doing so as well because we are looking to bring children with special...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I welcome the Minister and the team from the brand-new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. It is fantastic that we have this Department that is driving change and legislation, including the Higher Education Authority Bill 2022 which is ground-breaking legislation. It will drive funding in the third level sector. It is great to see the detailed...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Education Issues: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (19 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: I shall give half of my time to Senator Tim Lombard. I came in here believing that we had turned a corner. I say that because what started out as a fantastic initiative has caused a hell of a lot of difficulties and division in rural areas. Now, I have heard Senator Chambers say here that our raising this as a major issue for rural areas is somehow a difficulty. We represent the families...

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: Right.

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: Many Senators in this Chamber raised school transport as a major issue.

Seanad: School Transport: Statements (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: As the Minister is aware, the initiative has caused a lot of difficulties and division. The initiative is fantastic but I, like many representatives here and every public representative, have had to deal with families who were in tears when telling me about trying to manage work and leave in time to collect their children because they could no longer rely on buses that they had availed of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flooding of Lough Funshinagh: Lough Funshinagh Group (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: If that is okay with other members, I appreciate it. I can come back in 6.15 p.m. as well. I thank Councillor Fallon, Ms Murray and Mr. Kearney. This group has been active over the past number of years and it has just been highly traumatic. A public meeting was held earlier this year and hundreds attended. It showed the impact on communities all across Rahara, Ballagh and Lisfelim. Many...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flooding of Lough Funshinagh: Lough Funshinagh Group (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: It is no longer a functioning special area of conservation, SAC.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Flooding of Lough Funshinagh: Lough Funshinagh Group (26 Oct 2022)

Aisling Dolan: As the councillor said, landowners in the area are custodians of that land for future generations. Currently, it is not a functioning SAC, although seen as a turlough. I wish to bring in Ms Murray and Mr. Kearney as well. In that regard, in response to a Commencement matter that was raised in these Houses, the NPWS stated that it is currently a turlough according to its official reviews....