Results 3,941-3,960 of 4,932 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: To correct the witness, sometimes if there are ten houses, 20 names could be given. Those 20 people would be interviewed and then there would be a decision. That is great and I welcome that but it can be confusing for people who are longer on a list and do not understand the process. I can see that sometimes there could be ten houses with 20 names going forward before a decision is made....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That is good to know.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: There are also the housing assistance payment and rent pressure zone matters.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: HAP is very low in Carlow. It is €600 per month for a person with two children and €700 for two adults and two children. That is low because rents have gone to €1,000 per month. People are not able to meet the €300 differential. They also pay the council €70 or €80 per week. People are falling behind so it should be examined.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know but it is all they have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: They are not. That is the problem. If a person is taken off the local authority housing list and gets back on the list a few months later, he or she starts from the beginning. I have had many experiences of this. The previous record of six or seven years on the housing list is not recognised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Authority Housing Waiting Lists: Discussion (23 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The issue is that the income limit for eligibility in County Kilkenny is €33,500 whereas the income limit in County Carlow is €27,500. There is no comparison. There are people who are not on the list because they do not qualify on the basis of income levels but who should be on the housing list. I thank Ms Mulholland for clarifying the information but the system is just not...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil also pays tribute to those who have died. What happened to those young ladies was horrific and our sympathy is extended to their families. On education and the priority we place on it, I want to discuss investment in education before the next budget is decided. I agree with Senator Ardagh that we need to have the Minister for Education and Skills attend the House in the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: If the Minister could come back to me with some of those answers, I would really appreciate it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister is mixing up the timescales. The timescales are off.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I must correct the Minister. Every local authority’s policies are different. That is where the problem is. What works for one local authority is not happening in another area. That is the problem. It is unfair if the Minister does not give direction to each local authority on policies. It is not right. The stronger ones are gaining, but the weaker ones are suffering. The...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Sorry.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: If the Minister cannot deliver rent pressure zones to other areas, then there is a problem.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: No, I am sorry. It is very unfair that other counties are suffering because the bigger counties are getting the rent pressure zones. Again, it is the smaller counties that are being totally forgotten. That is absolutely unacceptable.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Government should not have brought in the measure if the Minister is not going to be fair to every local authority. It is not fair to local authorities that are not qualifying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I have seen them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We were told that everywhere would be looked at as it went forward and an area could qualify on the second round. That is what we were told.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Rebuilding Ireland - Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Discussion (17 May 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, but we were told that there would be another criterion and a second round. We were told that here.