Results 241-260 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am sure the Deputy can appreciate, as most people in the country can, that dealing with legal conveyancing takes time. I confirm the Department is committed to progressing this project and will continue to liaise with Fingal County Council. The acquisition process for a permanent site is under way. The Department is aware of the limitations of the current temporary accommodation and...

Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this matter. I am taking this debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, and wish to apologise on behalf of the Minister who cannot be present due to a prior commitment. I will make sure to convey to him the matters raised in this debate. St. Michael's House special school was established in 1982 and is located...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Access to Higher Education (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Ruane for raising this important matter. The programme for Government included a commitment to prepare a report on the barriers to lone parents accessing higher education. This was carried out by the National University of Ireland Maynooth which was engaged by the Department of Education and Skills to conduct the review. The review was overseen by a steering committee...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Access to Higher Education (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator. I know that group is meeting either today or tomorrow. I will ask it to look at that proposal.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teagasc Courses (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Daly very much for raising this matter. I wish to apologise on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Creed. He is not able to be here this morning as he is taking oral questions in the other House at the moment. As we all know, the green certificate is delivered by Teagasc and has been developed to meet the training requirements for part-time and full-time farmers. It is...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Teagasc Courses (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator and I will report to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Creed. I emphasise that the green cert part-time programme is an adult education programme and not a school leavers' programme. The age threshold of 23 years is the accepted convention for adult education across the vocational sector in Ireland.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Maternity Services Provision (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Lombard for raising this issue today. I am taking this Commencement matter and apologise on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Health, Deputy Simon Harris. The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Daly, could not be here today. The Minister wishes to acknowledge that waiting times are often unacceptably long and he is conscious of the impact of this on...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Maternity Services Provision (30 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator again. I will undertake to talk to the Minister for Health about the opening of the theatre and the appointment of consultants and staff to operate it.

Residential Tenancies (Student Rents, Rights and Protection) Bill 2018: Second Stage [Private Members] (29 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The main objective of the Bill is to allow students the full protection of the Residential Tenancies Acts 2004 to 2016 in terms of rent predictability measures and other protections specific to tenancy agreements. The Bill has been introduced in response to the recent price increases in certain privately run purpose-built student accommodation complexes. One in Dublin 9 has seen an increase...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (23 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Deputy Brassil for raising this important issue. I acknowledge he raised it earlier today with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, on the Order of Business. As the Deputy knows, under the terms of the student grant scheme, assistance is awarded to students who meet the conditions on funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic...

Topical Issue Debate: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (23 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We are aware of the issues and difficulties faced by the family. There has been contact. The Minister told the Deputy this morning that the SUSI grant scheme is currently being reviewed. As of now, the highest income limit for a family of the size in question is €59,595. If a family's income exceeds this threshold – these are the rules I have — the applicant will not...

Other Questions: Third Level Institutions (22 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Yes, my officials have informed me of that. As the Deputy will appreciate, given the commercial sensitivities involved, I am not in a position to comment on price details. However, I can confirm that DIT is acting on professional property advice.

Other Questions: Third Level Institutions (22 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Again, there are commercial sensitivities involved. This is being dealt with by DIT, which is acting on professional property advice. However, I repeat that, in addition to the disposal of any DIT properties, this will require the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills.

Other Questions: Third Level Institutions (22 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: The sale of the properties referred to by the Deputy is a key element of the funding strategy for the consolidation of DIT on the Grangegorman campus. The recent signing of a public private partnership contract to construct and operate two major new academic buildings on the Grangegorman site means there is now a clear timeline for vacating several existing DIT buildings around Dublin city....

Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2017: Report Stage (Resumed) (9 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: There is a woman speaking.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (1 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator. The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Ring, has also been in touch with me in the past day or two. I have a comprehensive reply but if there are aspects I have not covered at the end, I will make a note and get back to the Senator on them. I visited Castlebar and saw the work that needs to be done. I agree that it should be done as quickly as...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Institutes of Technology (1 May 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I hear the Senator, and want to echo what she has just said. It is a wonderful facility. As I have said, I have visited it and I know exactly how important it is to Mayo, to the region and to the west of Ireland. I saw that roof myself. I thought the work would have started by now. It certainly needs to be refurbished and updated.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs Service Provision (26 Apr 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senator for raising the issue. From listening to the Senator, I know the issue is as important to him as it is to Edel, Linda, Georgina, Wendy, Sarah, Anne and the Senator's patient and also to the many other children around the country. I will try to answer the Senator's question globally and then specifically. I am taking this Commencement matter for the Minister, Deputy...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Architectural Heritage (24 Apr 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: And Foxrock.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Architectural Heritage (24 Apr 2018)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank Senator Boyhan for raising the matter. I, too, pay tribute to the late Mr. Stephen Devaney. I certainly knew him and I am aware of the good work that he did to protect our conservation areas and to protect the beautiful county we all share with Senator Horkan. Under the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, planning authorities are required to maintain a record of...