Results 4,381-4,400 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: As Members will be aware, this week has been designated Positive Aging Week. People are living longer. The Budget Statement will be announced in two weeks time and we will be looking for a fair budget for older people, a budget that recognises the contributions made in the past decades by more than 600,000 workers, those who worked in the home and in business who are all now pensioners....

Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This is my second time to address the Minister today. I know how hard he works and it is important that we all work together to ensure homelessness can be sorted. It is a year since the Government launched its Rebuilding Ireland: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. Recent trends include the lack of progress on new social housing construction, continued rent inflation, reduced rental...

Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I feel that too.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister for attending this morning. It was great to see him in Carlow. It is welcome to see houses being built but my biggest issue is that we do not get a timescale in that regard. The two housing estates the Minister was launching were brought to the local authorities two years ago. We are now two years on and a brick has not been laid on those two sites, although I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The fact that we seem to be promoting Clúid and Respond! housing. Even in my local area, it is all Clúid and Respond! co-operative housing. That seems to be the way forward. We are not building enough social houses and that is an issue. I believe the Department is pushing those bodies. The credit unions with their loans are working more through those agencies than they are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Tenants cannot own the home.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister. The issues that have been raised are very serious and members have been raising them for more than a year. The Minister held a housing summit with the chief executives of 31 local authorities. However, the issues raised by members are concerns that are not being addressed in local authority areas, such as the income thresholds for people trying to get on a housing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister is giving people false hope. When he says homelessness is not a problem-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----he is giving people false hope.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is a funding problem. That is giving people false hope.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The Minister is giving people false hope when he says there is no funding and we go to the county-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: The homelessness crisis is getting worse. I do not-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness: Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government (Resumed) (28 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: -----understand how it is a problem but not a funding problem.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome everyone back after our summer break. I am sure we were all doing clinics and were very busy. I want to raise the matter of local government funding. As Senators are aware, the 31 local authorities are preparing for the budget. We are also aware that each local authority has to have its local property tax budget meeting over by the end of September. I have massive concerns...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Housing Report: Dr. Mary Murphy and Dr. Rory Hearne, NUI Maynooth (20 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree totally with Deputy Casey, and I agree with the points made by the witnesses. The private rented market has been taken away from local authorities. If one wants to apply for housing assistance payment, HAP, one has to go to Cork. If one wants to get on the housing list, one might be waiting for up to six weeks before getting an appointment. In an emergency, that should be done...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and Dublin Regional Homless Executive (20 Sep 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I agree with previous speakers on the housing assistance payment. Things need to be clarified. The HAP forms go to the landlord and then to Cork, because it has left local authorities. I have massive issues with that. All the HAP applications should be left with the 31 local authorities. When put on the HAP, there was a question on the form asking if the applicant wanted to stay on the...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am, however, a little disappointed, although I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. The capitalisation for the ECCE scheme needs to be significantly increased. The higher grant is €75 per week per child, but it still does not cover the cost of providing the service. Many services are facing closure as a result of the lack of funding. Parents have to send their...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: It is unacceptable. Why is rural Ireland forgotten again? Why are we left out?

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Okay. I have more to say, but I appreciate the Minister of State coming in and ask that she reply to these are very serious issues. I believe crèches will close if these issues are not sorted.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Early Childhood Care and Education Funding (13 Jul 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State. We all know affordable child care is crucial for families. It is also important for the providers. I am disappointed, however. The fact the Minister, Deputy Zappone, did not do a review before she announced or launched anything, which is her second or third time doing so, does not seem right. There is €466 million and it is crucial that the families...