Results 201-220 of 245 for speaker:Maura Hopkins

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Maura Hopkins: That is helpful. We need to be assured that the State funding provided is used to ensure efficient service provision. I do not feel assured of this at present. My sense is that, as Mr. Hernan stated, a huge root-and-branch restructuring is needed. As representatives, we need to know, in practical terms, what measures Bus Éireann will implement so that there will be for money and that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Maura Hopkins: I apologise for having missed the presentation. Senator O'Donnell and I had to go to a vote in the Seanad. In respect of the analysis of service routes, we know that customers want faster journey times and fewer stops. They want to get to where they need to go in an efficient way. What analysis is being done, and I presume any analysis is being done by the NTA, that ensures that our...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Maura Hopkins: Ms Graham made a reference to a pilot scheme in County Mayo. Is the same analysis made across the country or is there only one pilot scheme in place?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (1 Feb 2017)

Maura Hopkins: I emphasise the importance of services linking up and criss-crossing. We have spoken about centres of population in a number of key urban areas, but a large number of people live in rural areas. Those who do not have access to private transport find it difficult to travel distances if transport services do not criss-cross. It makes sense when issuing licences to ensure a network is being...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Immigration Support Services (26 Jan 2017)

Maura Hopkins: I want to raise the matter of plans to open an emergency reception and orientation centre in the Abbeyfield Hotel in Ballaghaderreen. As the Minister of State will be aware, I have had many discussions with both him and Department officials since first becoming aware of plans to open the centre on Thursday, 5 January. As a community, we, in Ballaghaderreen, understand fully that these...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Immigration Support Services (26 Jan 2017)

Maura Hopkins: Like the community in Ballaghaderreen, I want to be proactive and constructive in supporting the people concerned. The group to be established, headed by an official from the Irish Refugee Protection Programme and tasked with bringing together all local service providers, will be important in ensuring proper communication and planning. My visit to the Monasterevin centre last week was very...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Search and Rescue Service Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the Minister of State for taking this Commencement matter. Sub-aqua clubs engaged in underwater search and recovery provide a vital service at a time of great heartbreak for many people. Much of their work focuses on cases where the time for a rescue has passed and the focus is on recovery of a deceased person in order that a body can be returned to a family. By its very nature,...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Search and Rescue Service Provision (14 Dec 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I very much appreciate the Minister of State's response on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Shane Ross. I emphasise, however, that I am not particularly happy with it. It seems as if there has just been an initial examination of the matter and the outcome is not particularly positive. It is stated: "On initial examination of the matter, it should be pointed...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I want to talk about the plight of young farmers and their inability to access the national reserve scheme. We all know that farmers are the lifeblood of our rural communities and we must be proactive in encouraging young people to enter and remain in farming. It has been really disappointing, and unacceptable, that there was no national reserve in 2016. Any news that it may not open in...

Seanad: Mental Health Services Funding: Statements (24 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the Minister of State for talking to us and debating the important issue of mental health and funding. I thank her for her continued genuine hard work in her role as Minister of State with responsibility for mental health. It is important that we are seeing an increased budget for mental health services. The Minister of State rightly said there was a need for definite improvements...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank everybody for their contributions today. I certainly found them very informative. I met representatives of Teagasc quite a number of times since being elected to the Seanad. Obviously, I am very interested in the implementation of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, CEDRA, report. What implementation has happened so far with regards to the report? Teagasc...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: Can I conclude that point? What sort of assessment do we need to provide the best possible evidence? A proper rural transport system is required, but how do we get that evidence?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (23 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank everybody for their presentations and I have a number of questions. These organisations represent what is very positive about rural life. Over the past few years I have learned about the sense of community that is still within our rural towns and villages. All three organisations really captivate and work in those communities to ensure there is enhanced human contact and increased...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, for coming to the Seanad again today to address Members. As a follow-on from last week's discussion, the Minister has made it clear there are two aspects of hedgerow management, one in respect of ensuring farmers have the ability to manage hedgerows in a restricted way both for tillage and reseeding. It is very important that farmers have an ability...

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: It is about ensuring that we are able to have hedges managed in a specific way for two reasons, first, in respect of road safety and, second, in regard to tillage farmers reseeding their land.

Seanad: Heritage Bill 2016: Committee Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for the opportunity to make a number of comments on the amendments. The big point here - Senator Lombard touched on it as well - is striking a balance. Yes, as Senator Norris pointed out, it is about minding the birds, but it is also about minding the people and achieving a balance in that regard. The Bill asks us to extend the hedge-cutting season for one...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) (Professional Home Care) Bill 2016: Second Stage (9 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the Minister of State for attending. I also thank Deputy Colm Burke who has done a great deal of work in this area in recent years. This is a very important debate around ensuring that people who receive care in their homes across the country are being provided with the best possible care and that we have appropriate structures and regulation in place to deal with the difficulties...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (2 Nov 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the witnesses for speaking to us. My questions are directed specifically to the OPW and relate to flooding. The representatives of the OPW mentioned turloughs, about which I have one question. I am quite aware of the issue relating to turloughs because the national flood conference, which was very informative, was held recently in Ballinasloe. I come from County Roscommon, where...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I apologise as I was in the Seanad earlier and that is why I was late to the committee. I am particularly interested in the presentation of the Western Development Commission, given it is headquartered in Ballaghaderreen. There are two areas on which I want to follow up. Mr. Brannigan pointed out challenges within rural communities in terms of being understood. I understand that for all...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs: Sustaining Viable Rural Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (26 Oct 2016)

Maura Hopkins: I thank the IFA for its presentation to the committee this afternoon. It was very helpful. We all know that farming has been through a difficult few years in terms of commodity prices and weather conditions. In terms of Brexit, the IFA president, Mr. Healy, has pointed to the importance of a positive trading relationship with the UK and the retention of a strong CAP budget as essential if...