Results 61-80 of 4,073 for speaker:Mary Mitchell O'Connor

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: He said it was not agreed. He said it three times.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: He did say it.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I swear he said it.

Defence Forces: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: We did not say that.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As the House knows, I am the Minister of State in charge of higher education-----

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McHugh. As a former school principal, and I am not just saying this, I pay tribute to the wonderful work being done by SNAs everywhere to support children. I thank SNAs, of whom there will be 15,950 by the end of the year, for their efforts. I understand the Senator's frustration because what she outlined has happened in my...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Needs Assistants (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will bring the matter to the attention of the Minister.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy McHugh, who is currently out of the country. I thank the Senator for raising the matter and I am aware that Councillor Finola Armstrong-McGuire has made many requests on behalf of this school. As a former school principal, I congratulate the people responsible on amalgamating the two schools,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: School Accommodation Provision (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am very cognisant of the schools in Carrick-on-Shannon and Sligo. I will talk to the Minister because I know Senator Feighan has been pushing this. In the short term, the school should apply for the two grants I mentioned.

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Free Travel Scheme (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty.As Senators will be aware, the free-travel scheme is available for all people aged over 66 years, carers and people in receipt of certain disability-type payments. Currently, 944,000 customers are in receipt of the scheme, with an annual allocation of €95 million, and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna (Atógáil) - Commencement Matters (Resumed): Free Travel Scheme (13 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I will raise the matter again with the Minister but we should also raise it with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. While I will undertake to do so, I am sure the Senator will do the same.

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Order for Second Stage (11 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018 [Seanad]: Second Stage (11 Jun 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am pleased to bring the Bill before the House. It will amend the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, which established Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher education sectors. The...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Amendments Nos. 1 and 32 address the use of the title "university" in the State. Amendment No. 1 represents a consequential change to the Long Title and is required in order to ensure that amendment No. 32 is captured in the scope of this Bill. Amendment No. 32 is an amendment to the Universities Act 1997 to establish a new pathway for institutions to access and use the title of...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the House. I received a great deal of support in devising this Bill. I thank my Fianna Fáil colleagues, including Senator Gallagher. Senator McDowell has put a lot of work into it, as have Senators Reilly and McFadden. We all put this legislation together and this measure is the right thing to do. Senator Mullen asked whether graduates would still be awarded an NUI degree....

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: As signalled on Committee Stage, these are further amendments to section 8. This section provides Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, with statutory powers to evaluate a provider’s corporate fitness. While the Bill, as drafted, enables QQI to conduct a fit and proper test of the provider itself, amendments Nos. 2 to 4, inclusive, and 7 to 14, inclusive, will empower QQI to...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Senators have captured what we are trying to do, namely, to ensure students get a proper language education, along with ensuring staff and employees in these language schools are treated properly and fairly. I am sending a message loud and clear through the Seanad today that no provider should think that it can come into Ireland and set up a shady or dodgy school. QQI now has the powers to...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: On Committee Stage, the House voted in favour of the Labour Party amendment to section 25, amending the provisions of the international education mark, IEM. This amendment requires QQI, in establishing the codes of practice for the IEM, to specify requirements relating to compliance with quality standards for the recruitment, employment and cessation of employment of employees, and with...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: I thank the Senators. This is highly progressive legislation. The message I give to the English language schools is that they should enter into dialogue with Mr. Patrick King. The IEM will be a marketing tool that high class, top quality English language schools can use. It will also remove substandard schools that teach English as a foreign language. The legislation will benefit schools...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Report and Final Stages (22 May 2019)

Mary Mitchell O'Connor: Section 23 provides the legislative mechanism for the inclusion of the awards in the national framework of qualifications, NFQ. Following consultations with relevant stakeholders, amendments Nos. 15 to 18, inclusive, have been brought forward to provide for a more streamlined process primarily for the inclusion in the NFQ of those awards made by the designated awarding bodies, including the...