Results 141-160 of 227 for speaker:Nessa Cosgrove

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I want to ask about the national play policy. The Government has committed to a child poverty strategy. The issue of local authority direct funding for the upkeep of play parks came up earlier. This ties in with the Vienna model which has play areas within each housing estate. Many of the play parks are run down and the local authorities do not have the money to do them up. One thing we...

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: It is just not nationwide. Could the committee work on that? Publicly owned play areas are just sitting there, not being used after school and during the summer holidays.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: There is one in Leitrim.

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: The Alliance for Insurance Reform is trying to work with local authorities and public participation networks, PPNs, to have play areas taken under the various councils' public liability insurance. The issue of underused school facilities is huge. In the housing estate where I live there is a school right beside us that will be locked up for the whole summer. It has a full basketball court....

Committee on Children and Equality: Engagement with Children's Rights Alliance (19 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Yes, that is great.

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. As all the Seanadóirí have noted, we in Ireland produce food of the finest quality. In recent years, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of generating local markets for sustainable local products and services. I will focus in my contribution on farmers markets and the benefit they provide...

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Should all native agrifood have bilingual packaging?

Seanad: Food Promotion and New Markets: Statements (18 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: That would be great.

Seanad: Balanced Regional Development: Statements (17 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Given that the Minister of State is a west of Ireland man, he will have great emphasis on regional development. Atlantic Technological University has been one of the most outstanding successes in the north west in recent times in tying together the campuses of Sligo, Mayo and Donegal. This has created a truly world-class university in the heart of the north west. This achievement must be...

Committee on Children and Equality: Priority Issues Facing the Department: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (12 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I welcome the Minister and her team. It is great to have the opportunity to raise these issues. I will start with foster care and aftercare services. I worked in that sector in a commissioned service. The Minister said in her opening statement that aftercare services are for 16- to 21-year-olds and are extended to 23 for young people remaining in education settings. Is there any way that...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I am sorry that I have to raise this very concerning matter today. I had hoped that common sense and the inherent human decency of officials at the Department of justice would have resolved this quietly. I, along with Deputies Martin Kenny and Eamon Scanlon and Leitrim councillor, Eddie Mitchell, have raised this issue with the Department. Deputies Marian Harkin and Frankie Feighan have...

Seanad: Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I do not need to list and detail the crimes committed in the residential institutions operated chiefly by religious orders on behalf of the State. We are unanimous in our condemnation of this abuse, and I am sure in our belief that those abusers who are still alive should be punished to the full extent of the law. The others who facilitated, covered up and denied the abuse should have to...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe. Many of my questions have come up already. I will concentrate on my area because the lack of public transport in the north west means more people are forced to use their cars. Recent numbers given to me indicate 1,209 people are waiting for a driving test in County Sligo, 2,317 in County Donegal and 513 in County Leitrim, which is a total of...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: It is great to hear that. I hope the waiting times will come down. Another point has come up. I have heard about it from talking to several young people and driving instructors. There is a lot of frustration among young people that they have to wait six months after they receive their learner permit. They will have done their 12 mandatory lessons and spend a lot of money doing so. After...

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: The problem was the waiting times were so long when people applied for their tests.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: If the waiting time is coming down, then that will make more sense. It was taking too long for people to get to do their tests.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: It would make sense that people would not have to wait the six months.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: I know. It is very frustrating.

Committee on Transport: Driving Test and NCT Delays: RSA (11 Jun 2025)

Nessa Cosgrove: It is especially so in a rural area like mine. I turn next to the waiting times we get from the NCT press office. It was claimed - this was referenced in the opening statement as well - the waiting time to do an NCT was going to be 14 days. I tried it myself on the NCT website on Sunday. I looked for a test in Sligo and Ballina. The next available date in Ballina was 19 August, which...