Results 1-20 of 98 for likes to work speaker:Jennifer Whitmore

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Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Circular Economy: Discussion (30 Apr 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: A huge amount of money would have been spent on designing these machines. They will not be easily retrofitted to make them accessible so this work should have been done. Re-turn Ireland won a contract or was the designated body that the Government established to run the scheme. I gather from what the Minister of State has said is that there was no direct consultation with the likes of the...

Accommodation for International Protection Applicants: Motion [Private Members] (21 Mar 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Ministers for staying here for the entire debate. We often have Private Members' debates where Ministers are not in a position to stay for the whole thing. I was struck by a comment made by my colleague Deputy Gannon earlier. The Deputy asked about what would happen if he was sitting in the Minister's seat and the Minister as sitting in his during the current situation?...

Nature Restoration Law: Statements (7 Mar 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: Where to start? Speaking as someone who has worked and studied in this area since I was 17, the debate so far this evening has been incredibly difficult to listen to. When we have the Chair of a committee talking about the sole purpose of a river being to drain water away from farmlands, I wonder whether we need to have an ecological education programme within the Houses of the Oireachtas....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (22 Feb 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, for coming in today. One of these days the Minister for Education will come in to respond to these Topical issues. I look forward to that day; it would have been nice if it had been today. Today I am raising the issue of school transport particularly for County Wicklow. The applications for the 2024-25 year will open shortly. Last year...

An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Jan 2024)

Jennifer Whitmore: That is a conversation we might have outside perhaps. My proposed amendment is to recognise the provision of care that we see in families, with the family still being the primary caring unit for many. It also seeks to recognise the care provided in the wider community. The Government's wording makes provision for the gender-neutral element, which is obviously welcome and something we will...

Special Report by the Ombudsman for Children on Direct Provision: Motion (30 Nov 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I too want to thank Deputy Pringle for using his time this evening. I also thank the ombudsman and his team. Since becoming involved in politics, I have seen, over the past few years, several robust reports coming from the ombudsman that really show the gaps children are falling into in Ireland. Unfortunately, when the reports come out with those strong recommendations, I do not see a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Enrolments (30 Nov 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: This question concerns the shortfall of second-level school places in Greystones in Wicklow. We had a Topical Issue debate the other night where I welcomed the Minister's guarantee that all children in the Greystones area will receive a school place for September 2024. I would like to specifically look at the accommodation builds that are being planned, particularly for Greystones Community...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Citizens' Assembly Report on Biodiversity Loss: Discussion (Resumed) (21 Nov 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: That is really positive. It is absolutely where we need to go and it is a long-term programme. It does take a long time to get these things done; to get them through the planning system and get the works are being done at the right time and so on. On the ESB, Ardnacrusha and the like, there are conditions that could be put in place and things they could do to help mitigate in the absence...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for allowing me to speak today because it is great to have the opportunity to have face-to-face engagement with the Department. I have had many discussions with the Department via parliamentary questions and emails. I primarily want to raise the issue of capacity in the Greystones area. We have seen a very significant population growth there of...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Cap on Market Revenues) Bill 2023: Second Stage (21 Sep 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: We welcome this Bill and the opportunity to have a debate on it today. Over the past few years, we have seen the impact and huge community and societal cost of the prices. There have been record energy prices for consumers, and record levels of energy poverty and disconnections. At the same time, along with the incredible impact on our communities and individuals, there have been record...

Progress on the National Parks and Wildlife Service: Statements (6 Jul 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I welcome the opportunity to have this discussion. First, I acknowledge the work of the Minister of State and of the Department on biodiversity. Compared to previous Governments and previous Ministers, the Minister of State has really tried to grab this issue and make substantive changes. The reform of the national parks is one of those changes. The staff of the national parks are all...

Energy (Windfall Gains in the Energy Sector) (Temporary Solidarity Contribution) Bill 2023: Second Stage (27 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: ...the Government set it at 75%. However, I wonder whether it could have gone a bit further. Throughout this entire debate when we are having this discussion about this windfall tax or levy, we need to remember that the money we are talking about is money that has been directly accrued on the back of incredible hardships, war and the horrendous situation in Europe. In our own country many...

Education Costs: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I realise that the Minister has to go, so I am glad that she is still here for my contribution. I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this motion. The debate we are having is very important, because it impacts on so many families all across the country. It is very timely because it is at this point that schoolbags, emails and apps are being opened and parents are seeing the full extent of the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I too would like to raise the issue of the retained firefighters. I have also been out talking to them this morning. They are angry and frustrated. Most of all, they are heartbroken. They are heartbroken because they are so committed to their communities and they know the impact this strike will have on the very people they work with, live with and love. I also received an on-call pager....

Retained Fire Services: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (13 Jun 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Sinn Féin and Deputy John Brady in particular for bringing this motion forward. Deputy Brady has worked on this issue for a long time. When I was on Wicklow County Council with him, he put a massive amount of work into the issue. I want to acknowledge that. The Minister referred to his long-standing admiration for retained firefighters and for their dedication. He said he...

Home Ownership: Motion [Private Members] (31 May 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: The Minister of State really just does not get it. He can list all the different initiatives and schemes he wishes, but fundamentally these are pushing up prices and making it harder for people to rent and to buy, especially in their own communities. Yet again we have a situation where this extremely important issue is being raised by the Social Democrats and rather than discussing it, the...

Biodiversity Action: Statements (25 May 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: ..., one fifth of our species would not be threatened with extinction, and one third of our bee species would not be threatened with extinction, nor would half our rivers and lakes be in unsatisfactory condition. We would not have report after report telling us how decimated our natural world. If we were relying on the commitments made on both sides of this House on nature, we and nature...

Government Commitments on Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (Resumed) (24 May 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I welcome the move of the Government from a developer-led to a plan-led approach. That was a positive move to make. My preference would be for much more State involvement in these projects, but it was a positive step to take. Having said that, in line with my colleagues’ points, we need to make sure the planning process will be well resourced and that appropriate and sufficient...

Dog Welfare Report: Motion (18 May 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Deputy Kerrane and the committee for this really important work. Sometimes in politics, I find it quite interesting that it can be the simplest things that do not get done. This is one of the issues where I could never understand why it had not been regulated and why we were not stronger in maintaining good robust regulations, legislation and enforcement. If you talk to 99% of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Renewable Energy and Port Capacity: Discussion (16 May 2023)

Jennifer Whitmore: I thank Mr. Carr. I wish to clarify the position from a co-ordination perspective, given that we have a lot of different port entities. I understand there is a working group in the Department. Have the roles of the different ports ever been examined to say, for instance, we expect Rosslare Europort to be the port of choice with regard to the phase 1 developments? Then, the likes of Arklow...