Results 1,101-1,120 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Staff Recruitment (9 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 909. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the next open competition for the post of Third Secretary will be held; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22196/15]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Harbours and Piers (9 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 1159. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport his plans for Dún Laoghaire Harbour; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21412/15]

Central Bank (Mortgage Interest Rates) Bill 2015: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Last month I stood here during Private Members' Business urging the Minister for Finance to meet with and put real pressure on the banks. I said, "I would urge you to make it clear to them that as the banks stabilise and get lower interests rates from Europe, they must pass this on to the financially strapped mortgage holders across the country." Dún Laoghaire has some of the highest...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Public Health Policy (11 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 165. To ask the Minister for Health if funding has been allocated for the provision of defibrillators on foot of the publication of Health Technology Assessment of Public Access Defibrillation by the Health Information and Quality Authority on 1 December 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22808/15]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (11 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The child care professionals who are present this morning are expert witnesses and they have made very good submissions. I will not play to the gallery. Ms Grogan Ryan was not able to go through her very comprehensive submission. I wish it could all be put on record. I have been involved in education for 31 years. I agree with Senator van Turnhout. One of the reasons pay is so poor is...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There are a group of young people in the Visitors Gallery today whom, I would wager, know more about water conservation than do many Deputies in this Chamber. They know that water is not a free commodity and that it is a finite resource. They also understand that someone has to pay. I want to speak about what our young people are interested in, including the 104,000 new jobs created since...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Instead, we are speaking about the old chestnut which the Opposition loves to wheel out, namely, Irish Water.

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Can we start being real in this Chamber? Can we engage in real politics and try to find real solutions that will help people create more jobs and assist our SMEs? Irish Water is already subject to the freedom of information legislation. What Deputy Mattie McGrath believes is not covered is unclear. In regard to the provision requiring that Irish Water be a fully publicly-owned entity...

Water Services (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: In regard to the establishment of an independent ombudsman, the Commission for Energy Regulation has been given statutory responsibility for protecting the interests of customers in this area, as it does in respect of the electricity and gas companies, about which there is no concern in regard to privatisation. The Commission for Energy Regulation, CER, requires Irish Water to produce a...

Urban Regeneration and Housing Bill 2015: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I welcome the provisions in this Bill which provide for the introduction of a vacant site levy and reform of our planning legislation. These provisions are positive steps in the right direction for Ireland's construction and planning sectors. As a Deputy for the urban constituency of Dún Laoghaire, I am acutely aware of the great housing need. The introduction of a vacant site levy is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the expert witnesses for their attendance. Members have heard really good submissions from them. I really liked the answers given in the last section because they really got into the meat of the issue. I have a question for Ms Lacey-Crowe and Ms Bradley who has touched on the issue. As an educationist, I am really interested in how they have their staff trained in the picture...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (18 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Very well. While the comparison is being made with primary schools, they were set up in 1831 and I can tell the delegates that there are still problems in primary school education. Three years ago, on foot of the results from PISA, it was a huge wake-up call. We are at a watershed, in that early childhood provision is under consideration. It was examined previously in the middle of the...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 179. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the sale and purchase of alternative homes before the age of 66 does not disregard the amount of €190,500 for a means test; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24889/15]

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Social Welfare Code (23 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 180. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the reason the sale of an alternative home before the age of 66 is not explored for equity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24890/15]

Credit Unions: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (24 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the significant role of credit unions throughout Ireland. What Fianna Fáil has put forward is a motion that in reality has no clear policy, unless "clear policy" means going back to the days of unsustainable lending and borrowing. Credit unions provide a unique and local service that we are all familiar with, and the Government certainly recognises...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Design and Layout of Ballot Papers: Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government (24 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I wish to be excused. I am not crying; I am suffering from hay fever.

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Tax Code (25 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 94. To ask the Minister for Finance the reason employer contributions to a provider are now deemed to be benefit-in-kind when the purpose of personal retirement savings accounts was to obtain a tax relief in payroll; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25585/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Child Care Qualifications (25 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 146. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of childcare workers qualified in early childhood care and education to Further Education and Training Awards Council Levels 5, 6 and 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25456/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: HSE Legal Cases (25 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 161. To ask the Minister for Health the arrangements under way to procure legal services for the Health Service Executive and for Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, when its current legal services contract expires at the end of February 2016; the timeframe and proposed model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25455/15]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 Jun 2015)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: 464. To ask the Minister for Health when appointments for operations will be provided to persons on the waiting list for Cappagh Hospital in Dublin 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26275/15]