Results 201-220 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Clifford-Lee for raising this matter and I have a further update for her. I thank her very much for extending an invitation to visit St. Molaga's. I will certainly ensure that the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, is invited to visit. I am afraid that I will stick to my brief of higher education institutes, as I have more than enough to do there. However, I...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator. I certainly note her comments. Let me repeat that approval is there in principle. It was issued to the school in 2018. We had to wait for the R1 form which was sent in mid-June, some six months later. Final approval issued. Additional information is now required in respect of some of the cost in the interim period. I understand that the situation with the prefabs...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The notification about the damage caused by Storm Ail was received in the Department yesterday. The officials are working on it.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: When the process has been gone through.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: That we waited six months for a reply from the school delayed the process.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects Status (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: It is the information I have.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Transport Provision (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan. I thank the Senator for raising it. Before I address the specific issues raised, I wish to give Senators an outline of the extent of the school transport service. In the 2017-18 school year, more than 117,000 children, including more than 12,000 with...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: School Transport Provision (26 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I hear what the Senator is saying and I will make sure that the Minister, Deputy Bruton, and the Minister of State, Deputy Halligan, hear the concerns raised by him and by the group he brought to meet the Minister of State. I will ask him to revert to the Senator specifically.

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Referral to Select Committee (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move:That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Justice and Equality pursuant to Standing Orders 84A(3)(a) and 149(1).

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will try to answer some of the questions. My officials have taken note of other questions and we will come back to the Deputies at a later stage. In response to Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin, the reason we have proceeded with the reform of the coroners law in advance of reorganising the entire coroners system is to ensure the urgent changes needed on reporting deaths, including maternal...

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." On behalf of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Flanagan, who very much regrets he is unable to be here in person, I am pleased to have this opportunity to move the motion regarding Second Stage of the Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018. The Bill makes a series of amendments to the Coroners Act 1962, in a far-reaching and important...

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Order for Second Stage (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

BusConnects: Motion [Private Members] (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank all contributors to this debate. I have listened carefully to what has been said. The first fact to mention is that this is a consultation process document and not an implementation plan. It is also a matter of fact that Dublin city and its environs are growing, the economy is growing, employment is growing, and we need to plan the bus network to cater for that growth and, indeed,...

BusConnects: Motion [Private Members] (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Here is a Minister.

BusConnects: Motion [Private Members] (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am a Deputy and a Minister.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education Funding (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will raise this issue with the Minister. I am glad the Deputies are happy with the response. I hope progress will be made quickly.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education Funding (19 Sep 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Bruton, who is attending to other Government duties today. As the Deputies will be aware, the Carline Learning Centre, Balgaddy, Lucan, County Dublin, was established as a community-based project in 1993 to assist young people who were not availing of mainstream education. Since then it has...

Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (10 Jul 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: One of the Deputies mentioned the date of 20 July. We will receive informed responses to the questions we put to CIT by that date. The Department is satisfied that the issues raised in the protected disclosure received by it in May 2017 are being addressed by the HEA in accordance with the provisions of the Protected Disclosures Act, by which I am bound.

Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (10 Jul 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: My understanding is-----

Topical Issue Debate: Protected Disclosures (10 Jul 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As I said in my first sentence, the Department received the protected disclosure in May 2017. The discloser has been kept informed of progress. CIT has been asked to respond by 20 July to the allegations made. The HEA, not the Minister, will determine the appropriate next steps to be taken based on the response. Returning to what the Deputies asked about the meeting of the Committee of...