Results 21-40 of 5,641 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: On behalf of the Fianna Fáil Group, I ask that we be associated with the sympathies for that wonderful public representative, John O'Mahony. We express our deepest sympathies to his family, community and the Fine Gael Party. I add my voice of welcome to my good friend and colleague, Councillor Noel Heavey, his wife Bernie and his four best canvassers in the local elections, Molly,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: The Future of Artificial Intelligence in Post-Primary Education: Discussion (9 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Thank you. No. I was watching in my office. Senator Byrne had substituted for me. It was very interesting work. I had the opportunity to see some of the work at the Young Scientist exhibition. I just wanted to come down to commend and to learn from the witnesses as well.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. First, I congratulate the Irish National Stud and Gardens, in my own county of Kildare, on being named in the top 10% of attractions in the world by Tripadvisor. For any Members who have not been there, I absolutely recommend it. It has a new horse experience which I visited and participated on. I will say "on" and leave the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I apologise that I missed some of the presentation. I had an education committee meeting at the same time and I am trying to double-job. The work DESSA does is very interesting. From my understanding, it is mainly in County Leitrim, but that some projects have been rolled out in other places. Am I right in that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: In terms of the work with the family resource centres, that is nationwide. Regarding the pilot project in County Leitrim, was there a link in with the service providers as well?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Griffin for clarifying that. I assume from the fact DESSA was in a position to have individuals go on to the public participation network, PPN, that it had a good relationship with local authority access officers etc.?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The fact that the PPN comes through the local authority is important. Obviously, local authorities have a quota in terms of employment. I imagine what DESSA helps to do is to bridge the gap there as well, which is important. DESSA is probably familiar with our Oireachtas Work Learning, OWL, programme, and there are always some young people from Kildare involved because it is done in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: In terms of the work DESSA does, we heard previously from social farming and different types of social employment schemes. I refer to the experience of one social farm led by Mr. Val Cross in Rathangan, where I am from. It is tremendous to hear how those involved would speak about the involvement, from a farmer point of view, let alone those who get involved in it. Has DESSA had any...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I appreciate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Enabling Community Inclusion for People with Disabilities (Resumed): Disability Equality Specialist Support Agency (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I believe Ms Claire Kinneavy is involved with that project. She is a tremendous champion in that area and told me a little about it. She is always progressing, doing things and is an incredible advocate. It is very interesting to hear what the witnesses have said and we can clearly see that there is a role to roll-out the pilot project. We will do what we can, will we not, Chair?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is good. That is definitely much better than it was.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Great. I thank Ms Healy. Will Dr. Ramsey respond to the question about Covid-19?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The council probably will not have that in place for September.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is fine. Due to the lack of teachers in specific areas, has any consideration been given, insofar as the Teaching Council is concerned, to reducing the two-year professional graduate diploma in education course, especially for the subject areas where we have a shortage of teachers?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: We have recruitment and retention challenges, especially in Dublin and the commuter belt area. Much of that is down to the cost of accommodation and so forth. We see teachers going abroad. Do the witnesses have any views or suggestions on what the committee could look at and make suggestions on to encourage recruitment and retention, particularly around the large urban areas?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Key Issues for the Teaching Council: Discussion (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I apologise for having missed some of the meeting but I had another committee meeting at the same time. I thank the witnesses for attending. A lot of the comments I receive from people regarding the Teaching Council come from people who have left teaching for a period, some having worked abroad in teaching and others not necessarily in teaching, along with some who have left teaching, gone...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Heritage Sites (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for coming in. I appreciate this is outside of her remit and I am disappointed that Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Malcolm Noonan, is not here. His mother is from just outside the area in Kildare, so he has a knowledge of the area. I do appreciate that Deputy Butler is here. The Minister of State has...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Heritage Sites (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Minister of State for her response. I should also say that when a group of 40 caravans came on Sunday, the neighbouring guesthouse had to cancel all its bookings. People's livelihoods are being impacted. Yesterday, I called for a wider debate about illegal encampments, and not just in the Curragh. They happen across Kildare and every county. I think it is beyond time that we...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Admissions (3 Jul 2024)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the Senator. The Minister of State has one minute to respond. I would also like to welcome members of the Tipperary spina bifida association who have just joined us.