Results 3,821-3,840 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I had a point of clarification.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: On a point of clarification, he was wrong.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I did not say that.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: No one said that.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I said there was confusion.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I think the Leader is confused. He is very confused.

Seanad: Mental Health (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (27 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome the Minister of State. It is important that we thank Senator Joan Freeman for all of the work she has done. She is Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Future of Mental Health Care, of which I am a member. I have seen how hard she works and know how dedicated she is in dealing with mental health issues. The committee has received many reports. Last week it heard a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Chairman. The Short-term Lettings Bill is due to be debated in the Seanad from 6 p.m. onwards and both myself and Senator Boyhan are scheduled to speak on what is important legislation. I wish to raise the HAP scheme with the Minister because it affects so many people, particularly in rural areas. Unless major changes are made to the HAP scheme, we will end up with more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I asked about the hub and the B&Bs and the Minister said families in hubs would be housed more quickly than those in hotels or B&Bs. That is a concern. The Minister said the quicker timeframe applies to those residing in a family hub rather than a hotel or a B&B. In my area we are lucky because for hotels and B&Bs it is not a massive issue. I am bringing this report to my...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay. I will return to the HAP, the lack of information on it and the fact that the rent pressure zones are causing massive homelessness. I believe this will be a bigger problem for the local authorities that do not qualify. The Minister is telling us there is funding available yet I know of houses for sale within the price but the local authority tells me it does not have the funding. Is...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am not going to mention it. I am not criticising the local authority. The Minister must clarify what areas the funding is going to, what qualifies for the funding and under what scheme it is being provided. They are the biggest issues. I will bring that information back with me tomorrow. If the authority says it cannot buy a house, which will result in somebody being homeless, I will...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is becoming bigger now with the rent pressure zone.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: How far can it go if I went to my local authority tomorrow with a couple seeking it? The local authority says it can give them 20%. By how much is the Minister saying it can it increase it? It has discretion and the local authority tells me it is 20%.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Can it go further?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: They are now. The local authorities that are not in the rent pressure zones are being affected and they will need an increase in the HAP.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: My figure is a lot less than that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: They will be coming to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Homeless Figures: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I ask Mary Hurley to refer back to me.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Future of Mental Health Care: Deficiencies in Mental Health Services: Discussion (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I compliment Ms Margaret Brennan too. I feel that parents are forgotten in this. The biggest role in a child's life is the parent's. Ms Brennan has fought for all these services and awareness. I see that in the different reports. That is unacceptable because the first port of call is the parent. The parent will notice signs. If one is not trained to notice these signs, it is a...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to speak about the child benefit scheme. This week, a man contacted my office to say he will lose a child benefit payment because his child, who attends a secondary school, will reach his 18th birthday before undertaking his leaving certificate examination. He is not working and has no income. In the UK, once a child remains in secondary education, the parent is entitled to receive...