Results 4,841-4,860 of 4,887 for speaker:Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to address the leader of the Fine Gael group about a disappointing matter. Three weeks ago, I put down a Commencement issue for the attention of the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath, relating to Tír na nÓg respite services. I am very disappointed because on the day I received an insufficient reply. What should happen when a Minister is called to the House to...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tenant Purchase Scheme (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to discuss the need for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to amend the terms of qualification for the new tenant purchase scheme so that people on social welfare are not excluded. It has been over two years since a tenant purchase scheme was brought back to local authorities to enable tenants to purchase their homes. I am very disappointed in this. How...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tenant Purchase Scheme (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: On a point of order, we have had no tenant purchase scheme in any local authority for nearly three years.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tenant Purchase Scheme (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: To clarify, the scheme was introduced in January and the local authority in Carlow only sent out the forms in March, so in my eyes the period in question for the scheme to be examined was only three months. My point is that no scheme was in place for the previous two and a half years. We have a housing crisis. From what the Minister of State said, everything must be addressed, including...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Tenant Purchase Scheme (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes, it is very good.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Previous speakers have spoken about back-to-school expenses, but it is frightening to think that in 2012 it cost €686 for a child to go back to primary school and now it costs €967. It cost €1,090 for a child to go back to secondary school in 2012, while it now costs €1,474. To know that parents have cut back on food is frightening. As I have said to the...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil supports this Bill in principle but it will be putting forward amendments to it on Committee Stage. I welcome all of the contributions thus far on the Bill. I would like to put it on record that Fianna Fáil was the only parliamentary party to oppose the abolition of the Seanad in 2013. I believe reform has started in the context of the 42 new Senators elected in 2016....

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Fianna Fáil is happy to support this motion. We need to ensure that people with disabilities are given equal opportunities and access to essential services. Some 13% of the population is classified as having a disability. I hope the new national disability inclusion strategy, which is due to be in place by the end of 2016, will reflect this. I think this is crucial. I also welcome...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Like previous speakers, I welcome the publication of the Cassells report and the recommendations for addressing the funding crisis in the higher education system. This report makes it clear that there is a funding crisis across our third level education system and that more funds need to be invested in this sector to accommodate the young population. There has been a decrease in Exchequer...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water Services Infrastructure (6 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, to the House. I am seeking clarification and a commitment from Irish Water to allay residents’ fears with regard to systems installed by county councils in housing estates over the past 50 years where main water and sewer lines pass through households, gardens and yards. In October 2015, the then Minister for the Environment,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Water Services Infrastructure (6 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I welcome the Minister's of State reply. This issue must be addressed seriously and urgently. A timeline is important. The old age pensioner I mentioned cannot come up with €2,500 for this work and every house on his road is affected because they are all experiencing problems relating to their water and sewerage systems. Will the Minister of State come back to me as soon as...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I wish to propose an amendment in line with non-Government motion 6 on the Order Paper. The Fianna Fáil group proposes: “That Seanad Éireann calls for a Seanad committee representative of all the political groups to be established in order to examine councillors’ terms and conditions, including PRSI class K status, pension rights and other related matters and that...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes. Following the 2014 local government reforms, the areas served by councillors have expanded and their workload has increased. In counties with a small population, like Carlow, councillors are faced with a shortage of funding to carry out even basic works like grass cutting, for example. This leads to a lot of frustration. Councillors have to deal directly with communities who are...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Senator O'Donnell is correct that the noise was very loud.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Absolutely. It is not only important but essential that the Minister sets up this committee to liaise with AILG, LAMA and all of the political groups. Councillors deserve a proper stamp and pension rights. I was a councillor for 19 years on Carlow County Council, and like other councillors and Senators who have been councillors previously, I was honoured to represent my community....

Seanad: Local Authority Members' Terms and Conditions: Motion (5 Jul 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I move:That Seanad Éireann calls for a Seanad committee representative of all the political groups to be established in order to examine councillors’ terms and conditions, including PRSI class K status, pension rights and other related matters and that this committee consult representatives of both the Association of Irish Local Government, AILG, and the Local Authority Members...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I am very disappointed to realise that the pay-by-weight system the Minister agreed to a week ago has not been clarified. My Fianna Fáil colleagues and I will agree to the Sinn Féin amendment. I proposed yesterday that the Minister address the Seanad. A week ago, we agreed there would be a 12-month freeze for everyone and that there would be information and consultation so that...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Jun 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: May I raise a point of order?

Seanad: Waste Disposal Charges: Statements (30 Jun 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Minister. I have to say I am a little confused. I spoke to the Minister about this issue last week. I have three or four questions for him and I want him to answer them for me. I thank him for coming in to clarify these matters. The Minister said last week that it had been agreed that there would be a 12-month freeze from 1 July 2016 to 1 July 2017. He said there would be an...

Seanad: Waste Disposal Charges: Statements (30 Jun 2016)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: Yes. It will be available in January 2017. I am trying to get my understanding of these issues confirmed. I understand that as part of these arrangements, the transitional 12-month period for the operation of the pay-by-weight system and of the wider waste market will be reviewed. I also understand that when a decision is being made on the arrangements beyond 1 July 2017, the intention...