Results 4,041-4,060 of 4,932 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: What about the schools that are incomplete? What about the 30% increase in the use of prefabs between 2015 and 2017? I am sure that the Leader will address that now. Good schools are surviving in substandard accommodation and it is not good enough. The current school building programme is not keeping up with demand. This led to a massive increase in the use of prefab classrooms.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, I have the figures. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, promised to construct new schools but at the same time deferred vital building works aimed at reducing the need for prefabs. This needs to be addressed. A message was being given that there is a commitment to finish long-promised plans for schools, for the prefabs to be finished and for there to be new classrooms. However, there is no...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: A school in Bagenalstown has been promised a sports hall for years and is still waiting. It has nearly 700 pupils. Many other works remain to be done and we need to get them finished. It is great to see new schools being built but the Minister also needs to deliver on his commitments to the other schools on which he is not delivering.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government and have met the two Ministers from the Leader's party who made commitments but not one has been delivered on. I have been to every meeting of the committee since I came in here two years ago.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I tell the truth.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I tell the truth.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Leader should not make promises his party cannot commit on. Fine Gael has made a lot of them.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: There is lots more stuff here and Fine Gael cannot-----

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I could make a list myself.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We had a bigger population.

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: There has been an increase of 30% in prefabs between 2015 and 2017. The Leader's information is wrong.

Seanad: Fodder Shortage: Motion (18 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I second Senator Daly's motion. It is very important. I thank the Minister of State for coming into the House tonight because we have a crisis and farmers are facing a double whammy from weather woes, as costs surge due to fodder bills, while milk collections slump. Demand has been reported as strong among dairy and dry stock farmers for the thousands of tonnes of hay, haylage and maize...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I also want to sympathise with the family of Big Tom. There are days when we walk past many doors on our way to our own door but we do not know what nightmares could lurk behind them. Today, the 2017 Women's Aid impact report was released, revealing over 19,000 disclosures of domestic abuse against women and children were made to the organisation last year. These figures take into account...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Amendments Nos. 34 and 35 are to be discussed together. My amendment No. 35 proposes that the Government shall submit a draft of the revised or new national planning framework, together with environmental report and appropriate assessment report for approval by vote of each House of the Oireachtas before it is published. This is important. There can never be enough communication when it...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Like Senator Boyhan, I am a member of the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government and I attended all the meetings. I wish to address the plans for my area. I recognise and appreciate the work that was done. The national planning framework has a massive impact on people's lives. It relates to development plans in local areas. Having a vote here is crucial. There was a...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I believe the Minister of State is reading my amendment wrong.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want to clarify the point. The Bill states: "The Government shall submit the draft of the revised or new National Planning Framework, together with the Environmental Report and Appropriate Assessment Report for the approval of each House of the Oireachtas before it is published.” I simply propose to add the words "by vote" after "approval". The Minister of State's version refers...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I move amendment No. 35:In page 46, line 28, after “approval” to insert “by vote”.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with previous speakers. We are all aware of the importance of the national planning framework. It highlights the importance of development plans for areas and the need for balance. We should recognise the role played by councillors and their impact on people's lives. It is important to speak to the various groups and organisations and the Minister of State will speak to them...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2018)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with the previous speakers. It is important that the Minister of State revisits this and comes back to us before anything else has been published. As previous speakers have said, it is important that we use the recommendations of the Mahon tribunal. We merely want to ensure that the matter is revisited and the Minister of State comes back to us.