Results 3,621-3,640 of 3,983 for speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I do not know if the Minister gets the sense from the Chamber today that there is a real sadness here. As the previous speaker said, there is a sinking feeling because we know the clock is ticking and that nothing is going to change, whatever efforts we make. There is an inevitability that those women are going to be let down again and that their histories and their information will be put...

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I do not know whether to be horrified by the Minister's admission that he will not accept any of our amendments today or to be thankful for his honesty as we all now know where we stand and that this debate is purely an academic exercise. What we say, no matter how powerful, critical or constructive it is, will not be incorporated in the Bill or considered. That reflects to a large extent...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: Could the Minister give more information on the Avoca Mines site remediation allocation under subhead C4?

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I am really pleased to see there will be a focus on this. Obviously, the Avoca River is an incredibly important system. As the Minister said, there are many legacy issues relating to it. There were plans for a remediation programme around 2006, I believe, but they were dropped because we hit the recession. It is good to see that progress will be made. This progress, aligned with the...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I have similar concerns about the figures in the Estimates. It appears there is a reduction in the staffing, and certainly in the amount of money being allocated towards pay, in the area of inland fisheries. We are in a biodiversity crisis, with increased pressures on our fish populations. Throughout the Covid pandemic, while the rivers have been very quiet, I am hearing anecdotally that...

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: LAWCO is the agency that works with the councils on the river basin management plans.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: On that remediation fund, is any funding allocated for the Whitestown dump in County Wicklow? The cost of that was estimated at €60 million but I am not sure if there has been any movement on the remediation itself or the funding of it.

Select Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Estimates for Public Services 2020
Vote 29 - Environment, Climate and Communications (Revised) (22 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: Subhead E12 relates with the just transition. The amount of money involved does not appear to be overly large. Was there a high demand for that project? I understand that the expressions of interest and call relating to that funding occurred midway through the year. Was there big interest in the fund? Is there scope to expand it, as per the climate action fund, because just transition...

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: And Deputy Cairns.

Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and certain related Matters) Records, and another Matter, Bill 2020 [Seanad]: Second Stage (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Minister started by saying that our most fundamental duty today is to acknowledge the profound failures and mistreatment of Irish women and their children who were cruelly deprived of choice and agency, and, in many cases, coerced into unnecessary institutional settings. I absolutely agree. We and the Government need to acknowledge that. We need to acknowledge the bravery and dignity...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Mortgage Lending (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: 52. To ask the Minister for Finance if he is engaging with banks regarding the issue that mortgage approvals are being delayed in which an applicant’s employer is in receipt of the EWSS despite the applicant’s wages remaining unaffected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31846/20]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: 73. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide clarity regarding yoga studies and the current guidelines for this sector under level 3 Covid-19 restrictions and the way in which they can operate in the course of the current pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31808/20]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: English Language Training Organisations (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: 216. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason for issuing a circular (details supplied) instructing face-to-face learning in international language schools; if ELE industry specific risks were taken into consideration when issuing the circular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31809/20]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Covid-19 Pandemic (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: 227. To ask the Minister for Health if couples that do not cohabit and live across boundary lines can visit each other during level 3 Covid-19 restrictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31814/20]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. I find it very interesting that a lot of the issues they have raised have been raised by other experts too, which goes to show the importance of significant pre-legislative scrutiny of the Bill. There are some obvious gaps in the legislation as it stands. I was going to raise many of the issues raised by Senator Boylan regarding nature-based...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: General Scheme of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: Could we cover the nature-based solutions? The witnesses did not have an opportunity to finish what they were saying earlier. To move it on a little, we have not been particularly good or strong in protecting our environment and biodiversity to date. We will now be relying on this to protect it. Is there also a need to strengthen these? If we cannot do it within the climate framework...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: 29. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the way in which he will address ongoing issues with the HIVE portal system for childcare providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31353/20]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I ask the Minister to address the ongoing issues with the HIVE portal system for childcare providers. I have been contacted by very many providers who are having issues with this particular system, and if he would make a statement on the matter.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: As many parents will contest, when they find someone to look after their children, they want them to spend their time looking after their children and not dealing with administrative issues. Many people have come to me about problems with this system. One provider said she was discussing an issue where her bank details had been pulled, which made a particularly stressful period even more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (20 Oct 2020)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister for that. If I get any more representations, I will certainly come to him. It was interesting that in the Crowe report this week the administrative issues and the requirements providers have to operate under were mentioned. The HIVE is just one example of that. I have spoken to providers who said that they spend a lot of time filling in documents and forms that then...