Results 1,201-1,220 of 1,730 for speaker:Aisling Dolan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I welcome Mr. Ahern, Mr. Sharpe and Ms Sheridan O'Callaghan. Mr. Ahern addressed the committee previously. It is great to see them. I am delighted they are talking about apprenticeships. One of the key messages we are trying to convey relates to the opportunities for students at leaving certificate level. There are so many ways for them to get to the career they want. Sometimes it comes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (Resumed) (7 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: We will share that. I was going to say "well done". There is an incentive of €2,000 for employers to take on an apprentice and another €1,000 if they keep them on after six months, so that is there. Well done. We will work with the Cathaoirleach to ensure that leaflet is circulated. It could be the case that it is sent to people within the school and it just needs to be...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (2 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I wish to speak about the Connecting Ireland campaign. It is the plan of the National Transport Authority, NTA, for the next five years, from 2022 to 2026. It aims to invest in new and improved public transport services for our rural areas to connect the towns and villages all across Ireland. Why do we need to see that? We need everyone's voice right now to look at what those proposed...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Foley, to the Seanad. I thank her for visiting St. Teresa's Special School in Ballinasloe, which is one of two special schools in the area to confirm a new site. The additional accommodation had been expected in September, but I hope it will be there in January to support the children from that school who are now trying to manage in classrooms in other...

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Education): Statements (2 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Minister. It was great to have her there.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: The Innovation in Politics Awards 2021 take place tonight in Brussels. Politicians from across Europe will be recognised for their creative and courageous political projects that our improve our lives as citizens. The awards are based on the European values of social balance, democracy and human rights. A jury of over 1,000 European citizens have evaluated 413 projects. There are 90...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (1 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Covid-19 and the New Measures (Health): Statements (1 Dec 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank colleagues for their contributions and time. I always find debates in the Seanad really valuable, useful, thought-provoking, challenging and important, so I thank Senators as always for their time. I will try to address the various issues raised as best I can and I apologise if I miss some of them. Senators asked about progress on the Delta wave. We are dealing with two different...

Seanad: Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: We have six minutes each.

Seanad: Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: Can the Acting Chairman confirm that I have six minutes?

Seanad: Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, for being here. It is crucial that we talk about peat, transition and climate change, but who is talking about people? Who is talking about people and about jobs? We are talking about peat. I live in Ballinasloe. Less than 10 km from Shannonbridge, there are seasonal workers who have lost their jobs. I know people who have lost their jobs....

Seanad: Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021: Second Stage (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: According to the EU: The Just Transition Mechanism (JTM) is a key tool to ensure that the transition towards a climate-neutral economy happens in a fair way [a fair way not for some but for everyone in this country] leaving no one behind. It provides targeted support to help mobilise around €55 billion over the period 2021-2027 in the most affected regions. Frans Timmermans...

Seanad: National Development Plan 2021-2030: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I want to ask the Minister about hospitals, particularly in regional areas. Portiuncula University Hospital is in the HSE's capital plan. We have a 50-bed unit there that I hope will move on to the second stage of procurement and that construction will start in January or February of the coming year. We have Roscommon University Hospital where there are many good things happening, such as...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Homes Redress Scheme: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: It is very fitting that Senator Boyhan is in the Chair given the work he has done on this issue. I welcome the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, to the House to speak on the mother and baby homes. I also welcome his decision to visit Tuam to meet survivors. He and his team have engaged in in-depth consultation processes with many of the survivors and groups advocating on their behalf. This is a...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Homes Redress Scheme: Statements (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank the Chair. It is wonderful to be here today and I welcome all our speakers. I know Dr. Smyth from the ESRI, Dr. Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland, Ms Costello from IBEC and Mr. Donohoe from our expert group on future skills needs and Mr. McDonnell from ISME. We are all here to talk about reform of the leaving certificate. It is great to hear that in the submissions, from...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank Dr. Freeman. It is true that it is about connecting with students to show that it is a path that is open to them, and it is about accessibility.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank Dr. Smyth. As a member of the first ever Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Mental Health, I welcome that. It is crucial that there are safe places for people to talk and that they feel confident about talking about schools or clubs. In sixth class classes in Galway and Roscommon, there is a programme with Galway Sports Partnership, where 11 and 12-year-olds run marathons. They do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Leaving Certificate Reform: Discussion (30 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I thank Mr. Donohoe for that response. On apprenticeships, the new technological universities, particularly for Athlone and Limerick, the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, Midlands Midwest, and the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which will be kicking off with the Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, the Institute of Technology, IT, Sligo and the Institute of Technology, IT,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Education Schemes (25 Nov 2021)

Aisling Dolan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ossian Smyth, to the Seanad. I thank him for taking this Commencement matter, which is about the DEIS, that is, delivering equality of opportunity in schools. Schools have not been assessed for years for DEIS and, as such, schools cannot get DEIS status. This has been going on since 2015. A small number of schools were added in 2017 but no schools...