Results 3,461-3,480 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019: Second Stage (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Establishing a new national list constituency if the right to vote was extended to all Irish citizens as required the equal treatment provisions in case law would transform the Irish electoral system. A single list would remove the regional bias which is a crucial part of Irish politics and disenfranchise rural areas, particularly in peripheral parts of the country. That scenario also...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: When is the meeting due to conclude?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: A vote is upcoming in the Seanad. The Chair is doing a very good job. However, it is important that it be noted that the same speakers are called first every time. Senator Grace O'Sullivan and I are constantly last to speak.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The procedure is for the Chair to be the last speaker.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: My time is not up. We need to look at a system whereby everybody is given the opportunity to be the first or second speaker.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I acknowledge that the Chair is not biased but-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This is a very important issue for Fianna Fáil.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will go first the next time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Many of the concerns I want to address have been raised and the Minister has addressed some of them. The biggest issue is that he must see there has been a change in circumstances. There is such demand for the Rebuilding Ireland home loan scheme because there is a new homelessness. I previously raised this issue with the Minister and I did so with the Department two years ago. Certain...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I did.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (6 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is good.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish the Minister of State a good afternoon. I am disappointed that the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, is not here today as I am raising a very serious issue, namely, the psychiatric unit in St. Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. Both of them are.I welcome the Minister of State. I know he will relay my concerns to the Minister. Last week, conditions at the department of psychiatry in St. Luke's Hospital came to public attention following a case which the Mental Health Commission took against the HSE under the Mental Health Act, the first such case to be taken. Staff, parents, patients and loved ones...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for his response. I understand what he has said and that we need to recruit more psychiatrists and nurses and that would be welcome, However, the department of psychiatry in St. Luke's Hospital came to public attention last week on foot of a case, the first of its kind, brought by the Mental Health Commission against the HSE under the Mental Health Act. This...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We were all confounded by the latest threat and app in terms of the appropriateness of the Internet. I encourage everyone, including parents, teachers and students, to get involved in the six-week public consultation launched this week on online safety legislation to improve online safety and to ensure that children especially can be protected online. For far too long we have left the door...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, Senator Boyhan. He asked that the Minister be invited in here.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: No. Senator Boyhan asked for the Minister to be invited into the Seanad to address the issue of mortgages. It is an absolute disgrace that young people who want to apply for a mortgage and who do not qualify to be placed on the local authority housing list will be told that they cannot apply for a mortgage. That situation is unacceptable.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dental Services Waiting Lists (20 Feb 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to deal with this matter. I had hoped the Minister, Deputy Harris, would be here but I know he is a busy man. I have been inundated with calls from people with serious concerns regarding dental care for children in CHO5. The HSE provides dental services to children up to aged 16. Children attending primary schools can be referred to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Dental Services Waiting Lists (20 Feb 2019)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I was aware of the fire at St. Dymphna's and the resulting backlog. The two biggest issues are the out-of-hours service where if a child has a toothache on a Saturday or Sunday the parent must pay privately. Many parents do not have the money to pay for that. There are also questions of the time delay and of qualification; a child may be told that they can qualify for a brace but then it...