Results 5,561-5,580 of 5,828 for speaker:Fiona O'Loughlin

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Costs (18 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: 239. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take to address the disparity in school costs which exist from school to school throughout the country and which are being demanded of families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30407/16]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: On COM (2016) 381, COM (2016) 382, COM (2016) 383 and COM (2016) 532, is it agreed that the clerk will seek a written response from the Department? Agreed. As Deputy Catherine Martin is delayed but will be with us soon, I propose that we proceed to the presentation by Wake Up SUSI on the non-payment of maintenance grants to students attending private higher education colleges. I propose...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I welcome Mr. Pierce Connolly, chairman of Wake Up SUSI and president of Griffith College students' union and Ms Alisha Houlihan and Ms Suzanne Quinn, students, Griffith College; Ms Emma O'Sullivan president, Dublin Business School Students' Union and Mr. James Roberts, student; and Mr. Martin Byrne, student, Irish Colleges of Humanities and Applied Sciences, Limerick, who are here today to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Houlihan, Mr. Connolly, Ms Quin, Ms O'Sullivan, Mr. Roberts and Mr. Byrne for their passionate and strong opening statements. They have raised pertinent points. I commend them on the work they do on behalf of the other 190 students who have been impacted by this matter. I congratulate Mr. Connolly for starting the campaign. Sometimes it just takes one person to stand up and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: No. To be fair, we will group the questions and then return to the witnesses because if we do not, we will take-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: If that is Deputy Byrne's only question, okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Does Senator Ó Clochartaigh want to come in?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: My apologies, I had skipped over Deputy Martin without meaning to.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank members for their questions and comments and give back the floor to the witnesses. Shall I start with Mr. Connolly as chair of the group?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: If Mr. Connolly wants to ask any of the other witnesses to answer or respond to any of the questions, he should feel free to do so. We are not putting him in the hot seat all the time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Through the Chairman.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Is the group therefore seeking both?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: No, but Mr. Connolly knows what he is paying as a registration fee and an extra fee, or are the two combined?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank the witnesses for the clarification.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That would be useful because the Minister certainly did not write to the committee asking it. It would be helpful if it were read into the record.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: Is it just the legislation?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: There is no need to read that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: I thank Ms Quin and all of the witnesses, and those who have come to support them. They have raised pertinent and highly relevant points about the blockages that exist. We have another witness coming before the committee so I will allow people to speak briefly.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: That is interesting information to have. Will Mr. Connolly name them?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Higher Education Grants: Wake Up SUSI (13 Oct 2016)

Fiona O'Loughlin: The point is well made. The whole presentation has been very informative. There is a great deal of empathy from the members in regard to the particular situation in which the witnesses find themselves. We are all very supportive of equal access to education for all. As I indicated, the Minister has not written to us to say he wanted us to make a recommendation to him. He has written to...