Results 4,681-4,700 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites and Underused Spaces: Discussion (1 Feb 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites and Underused Spaces: Discussion (1 Feb 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That was not a question for Dr. Sirr.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites and Underused Spaces: Discussion (1 Feb 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I also welcome the witnesses here today. For clarification, I have spoken about staffing and resources in local authorities on several occasions. Local authority staff do good work in spite of being understaffed. In my local authority in the past five years we lost 110 staff who have not been replaced. That is unacceptable. If someone is on holidays there is no one to replace him or her....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites and Underused Spaces: Discussion (1 Feb 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I know everyone is doing their best, and people are going out thinking there is loads of money, but it is different when one goes into whatever local authority. The witnesses might say there are some vacancies, but we now have what we never had before, namely, homelessness clinics, which are chock-a-block. People cannot find housing, whether rented accommodation or whatever. Most people do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Derelict Sites and Underused Spaces: Discussion (1 Feb 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Local authorities have bought back many houses in the past year, in fairness to them, and I compliment the witnesses representing local authorities on that. It is very good. Do the local authorities intend to buy back many more local authority housing units? They have bought in both areas: private housing and local authority housing. Will that be a big thing this year? Will local...

Seanad: Health Service: Statements (25 Jan 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I do not want to repeat what has already been said, but I wanted to meet and speak to the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, because he is my neighbour in Wicklow. I have been dealing with him in regard to a particular case, which I am sure the Minister of State has heard of, involving the respite centre, Tír na nÓg, which at this stage has been closed for more than a year. Even...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Jan 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: On the rural programme referred to by previous speakers, it is important that disadvantaged rural areas or CLÁR areas get the funding they need. Small post offices, shops, schools and GP surgeries in rural Ireland are in decline and unless money is put into a proper programme, the plan announced by the Government will not work. It is important that Senators make sure that the most...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (18 Jan 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I think many of the questions I was going to ask have already been mentioned. I would like more clarification on the pillars themselves. As I understand it, the figures and statistics are not available. That is crucial. I spent my whole Christmas trying to get people I represent into hotels and trying to get funding in my own area, and it was a massive issue for me. I will address that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government: Quarterly Progress Report Strategy for Rented Sector: Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (18 Jan 2017)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: To clarify, the Department has brought forward the new tenant purchase scheme under which local authority tenants can purchase their home. A lot of people have come to tell me that they are going to the banks but that they are not getting the money from them. Because the new scheme has been brought forward recently after years without it, the Department needs to put a system in place...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service Accommodation (13 Dec 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: This is my second time addressing the Minister of State on this issue so I will just go over why I have called her back for some answers today. Following the health and safety audit of the building in which Carlow ambulance and paramedic services were located, the building was condemned as it was deemed to be not fit for purpose. In light of this, I asked the Minister for Health for an...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service Accommodation (13 Dec 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister of State for her reply, which is the same as the one I received more than a month ago. My real anger is with the HSE and the lack of information I receive from the Minister, Deputy Harris. I am constantly e-mailing but I am still none the wiser. Is the new prefab temporary? The Minister of State has said a different area of the St. Dympna's Hospital campus is being...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Ambulance Service Accommodation (13 Dec 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I would appreciate that.

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome the Minister for Social Protection to the House. My main concern is the telephone allowance, an issue raised by other Members. It is urgent because it affects every elderly person. I know many elderly people who had to have their telephone taken out because they could not afford it. These are the most vulnerable in our society and the Minister needs to examine this. Up to 59%...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome the ministerial amendment but there is a slight difference between amendments Nos. 6 and 7. We want a report to be prepared for the Oireachtas but that has to do with all the different housing agencies. I and other Senators are members of the joint committee that deals with housing. Our view is that it is crucial to have the input of all the various housing agencies and then for...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Local authorities play a massive role because they deal with this on a constant basis. Will the Minister of State clarify whether the report, which will involve Members of the Oireachtas, will also involve local authorities and the expert housing agencies, which are the leading bodies?

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: That clarifies the situation.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: While I welcome the amendment and agree with it in principle, I believe the Fianna Fáil amendment is slightly stronger. The Bill does not address the issues raised by the Tyrellstown case, namely, that receivers and lenders are not considered landlords under the Residential Tenancies Act 2004. Lenders or receivers may seek to evict a tenant without giving the notice required under law....

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We understand her.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We need to clarify something. Fianna Fáil proposes an overall reform package to deal with rental inflation and increase the supply of affordable rental properties. The package proposes regulations to reduce excessive rent inflation and increase security of occupancy for tenants coupled with a range of incentives to expand the supply of rental properties. Incentives to increase supply...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Housing) and Residential Tenancies Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (29 Nov 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: We have and we are working on it. We will have a submission going into the Dáil for some of the incentives here relating to tax treatment and all the different things we will work on. It is not as easy as Sinn Féin makes out. One cannot compare different areas. I deal with homelessness every day in clinics. I hear what Sinn Féin is saying but I know that a balance can be...