Results 4,641-4,660 of 5,087 for speaker:Kathleen Funchion

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: The Unionist MPs have made their decision for various reasons, and the Alliance Party has said it is not for political reasons that it has not been here. That is what Mr. Molloy meant.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (9 Nov 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank all of today's witnesses. Mr. Hynes noted our responsibility as a committee. We are trying to formulate a report on the issue of victims and legacy issues and it is hoped that some of the issues raised today will form part of the report and its recommendations. I hope the witnesses found the opportunity to give evidence here today useful and I apologise again for the late starting...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Home School Community Liaison Scheme: Discussion (7 Nov 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I have a query around the school completion programme. I am a big advocate of that programme and I believe that it does not get enough recognition. The programme takes in a lot of children who otherwise may not be deemed suitable to access other services, such as children with mild learning difficulties or those with anxiousness around school. I know the programme has had many funding cuts...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Business of Joint Committee (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Apologies have been received from Senator Denis Landy and Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan. This meeting is the second in a series of meetings during which we will engage with groups and individuals working on legacy issues across all affected communities. We will hear later from the WAVE Trauma Centre, a cross-community NGO that provides support to people who may have been affected by the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Our last meeting was on legacy issues and we are following on from that today. I welcome our witnesses, Ms Sandra Peake, chief executive officer, and Mr. Dennis Godfrey, board member, WAVE Trauma Centre, and Mr. Brian Gormally, director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice. I ask members and those in the Visitors Gallery to switch off their phones completely as they interfere...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I will open the session up to questions now. Deputy Brendan Smith has indicated and we will start with him.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Are there any other points people want to make?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Mr. Gormally mentioned the model legislation set out in the documents he passed on to the two Governments in May 2016. Did he ever receive a response or was there ever any update from them after that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank Mr. Gormally. Are there any concluding remarks?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Legacy Issues Affecting Victims and Relatives in Northern Ireland: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank all the witnesses very sincerely for attending. We are having a series of meetings and, ultimately, we hope to produce a report. Once we have had all of the meetings we will see what actions we will take. We can tell even from the previous meeting we had that it is very frustrating that people are still waiting for answers and for justice. At times it must seem like a hopeless...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: Are the special education needs organisers, SENOs, who oversee special needs assistants responsible for them? Several people have contacted our office about an anomaly in the sector whereby many who have been in a job for quite a long time but whose hours might have been reduced are penalised if they get work in another special needs role because they are unable to carry forward their yearly...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for his reply. Can members of the panel carry forward their yearly increments? I might submit further details to the Minister's office but there seems to be a difficulty on that issue. It is possible there is some confusion but SNAs do not believe they can carry forward their yearly increments. If the Minister cannot clarify that now, I will submit it to his office at...

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 49. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the service monitoring the SNA sector which is in place to ensure that SNAs and trainees are being treated fairly in their employment. [45004/17]

Other Questions: Special Educational Needs Staff (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: What service is in place to monitor that SNA sector to ensure they and trainees are being treated fairly in their employment?

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I thank the Minister for his reply. Unfortunately, that is not the experience of most parents sending their children to school. There is considerable pressure on parents to pay the so-called voluntary contribution and, in some instances, schools are starting to call them school bills and making it very clear that the contribution is not voluntary. There is a good deal of pressure in terms...

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I suggest that the circular be reissued to schools or that schools are reminded of this. Barnardos undertook research into this recently which shows that 56% of primary schools and 69% of secondary schools, which is a very large number, still have a voluntary contribution. I understand it is illegal. I am not saying the message is not being passed on to schools, but they are not picking it...

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 44. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that parents of students in primary and secondary schools are increasingly being asked for voluntary contributions of up to €100 upon registering with a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45003/17]

Other Questions: School Costs (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: My question relates to voluntary contributions and what we are now hearing are being deemed as registration or re-registration fees. Particularly at second level, parents are being asked to pay a re-registration fee if they are interested in continuing their child's education at that particular school. Unfortunately it is on the increase. I ask for the Minister to comment on it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: I welcome that and the fact that the Minister accepts there were unacceptable delays. Hopefully, he will keep this high on the agenda. They seem to have been on lists for a very long time but always seem to be forgotten. Hopefully, this time around, they will not be forgotten and will get that much-needed new building.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Priority Questions: Schools Building Projects (25 Oct 2017)

Kathleen Funchion: 39. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the promised project for the building of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford which was in an advanced stage of architectural planning and scheduled to start construction in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45105/17]