Results 281-300 of 2,825 for speaker:Sandra McLellan

Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: All the points I am raising are relevant. While the expected average water bill per household will be €240 per year in 2015, this figure is expected to increase over time. As with bin charges, there is no doubt that water charges will increase every year. As has been noted elsewhere, Irish Water will ultimately be sold off as a State asset making it a for-profit essential service, as...

Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I am aware of that. The issues I am raising go hand in hand with the Bill. The Government has targets in place to reduce child poverty. The National Policy Framework for Children and Young People 2014-2020, Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures, commits it to lifting more than 70,000 children out of consistent poverty by 2020, which would constitute a reduction of at least two thirds on the...

Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Second Stage (3 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. Copies of the Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015 were issued to Members in draft form last Friday afternoon and we were informed last Monday that it was to be debated this week. That is an inadequate amount of time in which to analyse the proposals fairly. The Minister, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, has indicated that the new options...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I welcome the Minister and his team. I agree with the conclusion to his opening statement, “We have had a busy and productive period of work since our last quarterly meeting.” While we have had the Children First Bill and the Children (Amendment) Bill, the adoption (tracing and information) Bill has still not been published. The Minister and his predecessor stated it would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Quarterly Update on Children and Youth Issues: Minister for Children and Youth Affairs (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I again refer to the mother and baby homes. Does the Minister have concerns about how the inquiry is progressing? Is it hitting its targets and timeframes? When can we expect to receive an update on it, if not today?

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I thought the quarterly meeting with the Minister was later.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I had picked it up wrong.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I wish to speak in favour of the amendment. We had a similar amendment in the Seanad. It is our intention to resubmit the amendment on Report Stage if it is not accepted now. Three months is a very long time in a child’s life. I also believe that children on remand should be kept separate from children who have been convicted if that is in the best interests of the child. People...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I did, but it was on amendment No. 7.

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I support this amendment. There was a similar one in the Seanad and I would propose to table it again on Report Stage. Somebody under 18 years of age should be given a chance. I think rehabilitation should work in these circumstances. Children should be assessed according to their age. One often finds that children in these circumstances have special needs or additional needs and may...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Children and Youth Affairs: Children (Amendment) Bill 2015 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I wish to state that I support Deputy Daly's amendment. I also wish to inform the sub-committee that I shall submit a similar amendment on Report Stage.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff (2 Jul 2015)

Sandra McLellan: 149. To ask the Minister for Health the protection in place for Health Service Executive staff who are accused of assaulting or abusing a patient or service user in facilities for persons with intellectual disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26713/15]

National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: Sinn Féin welcomes the National Cultural Institutions (National Concert Hall) Bill 2015 which will provide for the conversion of the National Concert Hall Company from a company limited by guarantee into a statutory body, the National Concert Hall. Measures outline the functions of the hall, the role of the board, general governance issues and the necessary commercial freedoms required....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I do not mind. It is up to the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: I thank Dr. Lynch for his presentation. The issue of the crisis in the quality of child care in the State has come up repeatedly during our hearings. The Government is about to be monitored on quality. The European Council of Ministers last week approved the employment performance monitor for 2015. For Ireland, the report identifies the availability of affordable and quality child care as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: "Position" might be the wrong word. Does the Department have-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: -----an idea on how it will address it? The issue of subvention was raised quite a lot at our outreach meetings. On the concept that funding should follow the child, there is the issue with private and community child care where in many rural areas, parents may not be in a position to be facilitated by a community crèche. Children from disadvantaged areas are not always disadvantaged...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Affordable High-Quality Child Care: Discussion (Resumed) (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: Yes.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Community Employment Schemes Data (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: 34. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons currently taking part in the community employment scheme for early childhood care and education. [25655/15]

Written Answers — Department of Children and Youth Affairs: Early Childhood Care Education (25 Jun 2015)

Sandra McLellan: 149. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the estimated cost of providing 15 hours per week special needs assistant support to 1,000 children with disabilities, to enable them to participate in the early childhood and care education scheme. [25496/15]