Results 4,321-4,340 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Exactly.

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2017: Second Stage (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil supports the Bill which will give effect to the recommendations made in April by the Joint Committee of the Future Funding of Domestic Water Services. The legislation will abolish water charges and introduce fines or levies for those who waste water. Abolishing the last unfair water charging regime was a key manifesto commitment for Fianna Fáil. With this Bill, 92% of...

Seanad: Water Services Bill 2017: Second Stage (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This was part of our confidence and supply agreement. Fine Gael agreed to water charges.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I will be quick because I know that other speakers want to come in on this. I welcome the witnesses here today. Having served as a councillor myself, I know how hard they work and how little they are listened to. Local authorities are not being listened to by the Minister in relation to their budgetary shortfalls. Local authority budgets are made up of charges in respect of local property...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am sorry but I believe that councillors-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Councillors all over the country have made submissions on this issue. Councillors must be heard, including through the committees of the Oireachtas. Local authority requests for funding from the central government fund are not being heard. As I said, it is not possible for the local authorities to increase charges further and many of them are facing huge staff shortages. There is no...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want to ask a question about scale.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I totally agree.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Local Government Finance: Discussion (9 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with Deputy Casey. I have seen changes because of the various cuts. People cannot afford to pay these amounts. We are dealing with people's money and livelihoods. This is not our money. The number of cuts across the country has been unreal. There seems to be an unfair system. Everything has to be audited and regulated and payments need to be made, but we are in a crisis. When...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I want to highlight the RTÉ investigation in the "Nightmare to Let" programme. I saw the programme, as I am sure all of us did. It is very sad that we depend on RTÉ to highlight issues that we have been constantly highlighting to the Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy. He is doing absolutely nothing about it. Only 4% of rental properties are assessed. It is unacceptable. I have...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am very disappointed by that answer.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is a very disappointing answer. When we have to see RTÉ-----

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----yet we are telling the Minister every time we see him.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am telling the Leader the truth.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I attend a housing meeting every week. I am very familiar with them and I know there is nothing being done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft General Scheme of the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017 (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Deputy Ó Broin has made some of the points I wanted to make. The biggest issue here is that the system does not have a regulator. I am a firm believer that every public body now needs a regulator because there is so much unaccountability. Ms Ní Fhloinn mentioned looking to the local authorities for figures on enforcement, complaints and convictions. A builder wanting to build so...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft General Scheme of the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017 (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the witnesses for being here today. Our objective is to ensure we have excellent builders and tradesmen in Ireland that we can be proud of. The problem now is the lack of builders and tradesmen and we need to work on that. I believe the ones we have are the best they can be and we need to ensure that we appreciate them. The main issue for me is the bonds. We are all aware of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft General Scheme of the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017 (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Is there not a need for regulation in this regard because footpaths, roads and so on form part of building contracts?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the Draft General Scheme of the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017 (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Will the fee be payable every two or three years or will it be a once-off payment?

Seanad: Order of Business (25 Oct 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: In April 2017, the then Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, announced €1 million in funding for a closed circuit television, CCTV, scheme for each of the years from 2017 to 2019. However, not one community group or organisation has had an application accepted under the scheme. The current Minister, Deputy Charlie Flanagan, indicated the funding is secure for...