Results 421-440 of 4,119 for speaker:Martin Browne

Committee on Public Petitions: Campaign for a Walking and Cycling Greenway on the Closed Railway from Sligo to Athenry: Discussion (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: I have no doubt, with the meeting being public, that there are people from Mayo County Council and so on listening in to the presentation. As has been said, you put a very good presentation in front of the committee, and that is all we can ask. We will follow it up as much as we can for you. Ms Brennan, do you wish to comment?

Committee on Public Petitions: Campaign for a Walking and Cycling Greenway on the Closed Railway from Sligo to Athenry: Discussion (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: To be fair to Deputy Kenny, I think that is the message he was trying to get out. Both sides of the argument need to be qualifying. It is not one against the other.

Committee on Public Petitions: Campaign for a Walking and Cycling Greenway on the Closed Railway from Sligo to Athenry: Discussion (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: If we start pitting one side against the other, we will be back here in five to ten years' time again because people will dig in their heels and back into a corner.

Committee on Public Petitions: Campaign for a Walking and Cycling Greenway on the Closed Railway from Sligo to Athenry: Discussion (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: Yes. I want to thank Mr. Quinn, Ms Casserly, Ms Brennan, Mr. Cunniffe and Mr. Mulligan for making presentations today. It was very beneficial. Like we have said, we will get in the other witnesses as quickly as we possibly can in order that we can let them put their case, as the witnesses have, and we can make a recommendation or we can put something to the Minister at that stage. That is...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: We have ten petitions for consideration today. The first is No. P00042/21, from Ms Joanna Curtis, which is about saving the services at the Owenacurra centre in Midleton, County Cork. The clerk received an email from the petitioner thanking the committee for all of its support, seeking advice on how to close the petition given that the Owenacurra centre is going to be rebuilt. Two homes...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: I could not; it broke my heart to read it twice this week. Petition No. P00009/23, on reform of the Irish mental health services, is from Mr. Eoin O'Sullivan. This petition has three parts. First, that without delay counselling, psychotherapy and psychological services are deemed an eligible expense for tax relief in line with other health expenses, thereby reducing costs and giving more...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: Yes, there is a lot of stuff between the Department here, the secretariat and the European Ombudsman on that. Next is petition No. P00026/23 regarding equal opportunities for HSE counselling positions, from Ms Áine Daly. This petition relates to the exclusion of the National Association for Professional Counselling and Psychotherapy members from the eligibility criteria for...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: As I said, steps are being taken to afford protections in this area. We will wait for the petitioner to come back to us. P00046/23 is on reducing the age of candidacy for all elections to 18 years of age. The petition is from Mr. Cillian Fraher. It states that in order to create a more diverse and inclusive but well-represented society, it would be in order to have discussions on the...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: Petition No. P00048/23, stop the eviction of Doon men's shed, from Mr. Tom Richardson. A convent in Doon that was publicly funded closed in 2016. In 2018, Doon men's shed started in a space from the nuns at a nominal rate. Ballyhoura Rural Services took over trusteeship for free two years later. It was to continue the nuns' charitable work under the auspices of the Charities Regulator....

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: The correspondence indicated that the SEC is responsible for the operation, delivery and development of State examinations and for the scheme of reasonable accommodations at certificate examinations, RACE. It stated that set out in an attached appendix was detailed information by the SEC about the extensive range of supports available for students with special educational needs who are...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: We will do so. I will go through the first part, concerning background information on the RACE scheme. It indicates that the SAC is responsible for the operation, delivery and development of the State examinations scheme of reasonable accommodation run by SEC facilitates access by candidates who would have difficulty accessing the examinations or communicating what they know to an...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: The reply has gone to the association for it to come back to us.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: We try to move it forward. It is looking for something very-----

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: Nobody would disagree with Senator Lombard. The correspondence has gone out. We should receive a reply in the next couple of days. If we bring the association before us over the next month or five weeks and get that what we need from it, we can then go to the Department and the examination board and try to have changes made this year, if possible. If not, then we will try to have them...

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: If the Senator is happy with that, as soon as we get correspondence back from the association, we will bring its representatives in for discussions. They can outline exactly what the association requires from us in the context of going to the examination board or the Department.

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: Yes, that is right, statutory obligation. That is end of our petitions. Is there any other business? Would any member like to make any final comments?

Committee on Public Petitions: Decisions on Public Petitions Received (25 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: On behalf of the committee, we welcome Martha and Ciaran. As stated earlier, it is a situation where we have had feedback from the public that they were happy and thanking the committee for dealing with their petitions and getting results. That comes down to the amount of work that Leo, Karen, Barbara, Alex, Donal, Clare and Pat do. People come and go. I extend a massive thank you on...

Tribunal of Inquiry into certain matters relating to the Complaints Processes in the Defence Forces: Motion (24 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: I welcome the fact that we are moving forward with a tribunal of inquiry. There are many matters that need to be addressed. The survivors' groups, including the Women of Honour and the Canary Movement, have done huge service in bringing to light various allegations against the background of a historic failure to address particular matters. Sinn Féin recognises the importance of this...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: 503. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a clear account of the measures taken to ascertain the services available locally in Roscrea to facilitate the location of international protection applicants at the Racket Hall, Roscrea; the measures taken to bring those services in line with the availability needed; the engagement his Department...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: International Protection (23 Jan 2024)

Martin Browne: 504. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide a clear account of the measures that are taken by his Department to audit whether the services available in areas being considered to house international protection applicants have the capacity to deal with increased demand; to provide a clear account of how any deficiencies in those services is...