Results 1-20 of 3,447 for speaker:Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I appreciate Deputy Tully raising this important issue on the practicality of the new return scheme and how it will work for everybody, and where there are difficulties, how they will be addressed and fixed. This scheme has obviously been in development for a number of years. To inform the design of the scheme, the Department undertook two public consultations in 2020 and 2021 on how it...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It seems obvious.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Recycling Policy (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: The Deputy must forgive me that I do not have more detailed information on the consultation that took place in advance of this scheme being introduced. It would appear to me to be a totally obvious and natural thing to consult disability groups. That may have happened. I cannot answer regarding the number that are accessible, but there are more than 2,300 return points operational from 1...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Care Packages (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I agree with the Deputy. It is important to highlight that notwithstanding that this is the highest number in all the different regions, we are still not meeting the need. While we recognise that there are recruitment challenges, both for the public and private sector, the emphasis on management of resources and management from the perspective of the user is still very important. An hour a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I might suggest that the Deputy take that up directly with the Minister in the parliamentary party meeting to place priority on it.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It is for the Minister for Education to make such a determination. The review of the school transport scheme has been going on for a long time. It commenced in February 2021 and was conducted over three phases. I am told that work will begin on planning for a reduction in the distance criteria that the Deputy highlighted from 2025 to 2026, so there is still a ways to go. That work is very...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Home Care Packages (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Deputy for raising what is an important issue for everyone in the House and the people we represent. A key focus of the Sláintecare reform programme is recognising, facilitating and enabling older people to age well at home and in their communities for as long as possible. Therefore, improving access to home support is a priority for the Government. Since budget 2021, we...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Deputy O'Connor. I would like to confirm what is the ask specifically.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I understand. I will pass that information on to the Minister. I just was not clear exactly what the ask was. Following Government permission to do so, earlier today, the Minister announced a significant review of the school transport scheme, which is important. It is very important with regard to this question specifically for the town. Deputy O'Connor is correct that the contractor...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Facilities (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Cassells for raising this important matter. The return of the power-sharing Executive is very important for the people of Northern Ireland and has brought renewed hope regarding what we believe is achievable through the Good Friday Agreement. Last Tuesday, the Government agreed a range of funding allocations worth more than €800 million to affirm our commitment to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Sports Facilities (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank the Senator for making the point so forcefully. It is extremely important now that the Executive is back up and running that our commitments are matched. The Irish Government has not been found wanting in that regard. It is meeting a longstanding commitment in this regard and indeed through other forms of investment on the island for the benefit of everybody. The Irish Government...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Carrigy for raising this question and for his work as Chairman of the autism committee. I had the good fortune to be able to work closely with him on that committee. It was a real privilege to be able to be engaged in that work. I thank the Senator for his commitment to it and his work in this area. To answer his question very directly, as the Senator is aware, six special...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I thank Senator Clonan for raising this important issue. Senator Clonan knows there is probably no issue closer to my heart than the experience of children in hospital in Ireland and I am glad to have the opportunity to provide the answer I have been given by the Department to the Senator. First, in respect of the experience of the children, additional needs, whether they be medical,...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Hospital Services (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Perhaps I will not comment on the capacity of the surgeons or indeed the current management team. I will say that in my experience, the longer I am a public representative and engage with the hospital system, the more I know about the value of management processes in delivering for patients, for example in the reduction of some waiting lists. Although some hospitals do not seem to have...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medical Aids and Appliances (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Senator O'Loughlin for raising the matter. I hope I can provide some clarity, although I am not sure if I can provide all the Senator seeks. I will try to come back to the Senator on anything that I cannot clarify. The Health Service Executive provides an extensive range of aids and appliances to individuals living with different medical...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Medical Aids and Appliances (27 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: That is also my reading of it, but I am at 96% and I like to be at 102%. That is my gap but that is also my read of that reply. I would like the opportunity, however, to go back to the Department, to clarify for the Senator so that we can get to 102%.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (21 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: And in Cualanor.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jan 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: It was a case of spend, spend, spend.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jan 2024)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: Exactly.

An Bille up an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: An Dara Céim - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Second Stage (14 Dec 2023)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill: I wish to address some of the points made today on the two amendments. On the Article 41 change, on the broadest equality guarantee, I always believed it was wrong to narrow down equalities. You cannot pick and choose your equalities. The broadest possible equality guarantee seemed to me to be the most obvious and important thing to have and retain exactly as it is. I was glad to hear...