I welcome the launch of the new National Plan for Equity of Access to to Higher Education 2015-2019 by Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O'Sullivan TD this week. The Plan has 5 key goals and over 30 actions.
The main purpose of the Plan is to assist in the access to higher education for under-represented groups including people with a disability.
An additional €3m in funding for student support services in 2016 was announced at the launch with €1.5m being allocated to increase the Student Assistance Fund, an additional €500,000 allocated to the Fund for Students with Disabilities and €1m is being provided for a range of other actions. The increase in funding for the Fund for Students with Disabilities will provide continued accessibility in the way of technology and supports.
This launch of the National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education and the additional investments in both the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities is to be welcomed.
While progress has been made at higher education level we still need to continue to remove the barriers to education for students with a disability. Overall, we need to ensure we provide quality opportunities for Irish people to engage in higher education.
Senator Mary Moran
Friday 18 December 2015
Thursday 17 December 2015
Dundalk Positive Mental Health Hosts Christmas Coffee Morning in Oriel Centre
The Dundalk Positive Mental Health Steering Committee hosted a Christmas Coffee Morning in the Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol on Tuesday, 15th December.
We would like to thank Kay Webster, Ciara Mullen Tennyson and everyone at the Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol for allowing us to use this excellent community venue for our coffee morning. Oriel Centre staff were very accommodating and terrific as always.
Particular thanks as well to local businesses for their generous donations which made the coffee morning possible and musicians Melissa Hayes, Sinead McNally and Daire O'HÉiligh for the beautiful music throughout the morning.
We had a great turn out at the Christmas Coffee Morning and many thanks to everyone who attended. The main purpose of our coffee morning was to bring people together before Christmas for a chat over cup of coffee and to provide information on mental health services in the area.
Christmas can be a lonely time for some people and there are a number of local and national services which are available through the Christmas period.
Dundalk Positive Mental Health Steering Committee would like to wish everyone in the community a very Happy Christmas and every best wish for the New Year.
We would like to thank Kay Webster, Ciara Mullen Tennyson and everyone at the Oriel Centre Dundalk Gaol for allowing us to use this excellent community venue for our coffee morning. Oriel Centre staff were very accommodating and terrific as always.
Particular thanks as well to local businesses for their generous donations which made the coffee morning possible and musicians Melissa Hayes, Sinead McNally and Daire O'HÉiligh for the beautiful music throughout the morning.
We had a great turn out at the Christmas Coffee Morning and many thanks to everyone who attended. The main purpose of our coffee morning was to bring people together before Christmas for a chat over cup of coffee and to provide information on mental health services in the area.
Christmas can be a lonely time for some people and there are a number of local and national services which are available through the Christmas period.
Dundalk Positive Mental Health Steering Committee would like to wish everyone in the community a very Happy Christmas and every best wish for the New Year.
Louth Adventures Awarded €50,590 In Capital Funding As Part Of The Ireland's Ancient East Initiative
It has been announced today that Louth Adventures has been awarded €50,590 under Fáilte Ireland's New Ideas in Ancient Spaces' Capital Grants Scheme. This is the second phase of the scheme and total funding now allocated stands at €2.26m.
I am delighted that Louth Adventures has been awarded over €50,000 in funding in this round. This will certainly be a boost to our growing tourism industry.
Louth has much to offer in the way of heritage and history to Ireland's Ancient East initiative which stretches from Carlingford to Cork. I welcome the announcement that €50,590 in Ireland's Ancient East capital funding will be provided to Louth Adventures.
Wednesday 16 December 2015
Historic Moment As Capacity Bill Passes All Stages In Seanad
With Jean Spain Inclusion Ireland and Minister Kathleen Lynch
The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Bill 2013 passed all stages in the Seanad on Tuesday, 15th December following many hours of debate over the last number of weeks.
The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Bill is one of the most important and complex pieces of legislation to pass through the Houses of the Oireachtas in many years.
With the passing of this legislation in the Seanad we are now one step closer to ratifying the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. A goal which is foremost in my work and one in which I am striving to meet day in and day out.
I welcome that at long last the words lunatic and imbecile will be removed from our legislation as a result of the Bill and everyone will be afforded the respect they deserve and are entitled to in our statute books.
It is hoped that the Bill will be signed into law by President Higgins before the end of this year. I will then work to see the speedy implementation of the necessary framework so that this legislation may come into full force as soon as is practicable.
The Assisted Decision Making (Capacity) Bill will make a direct impact on the lives of so many individuals across the country. It has been my pleasure to work with my colleague, Minister Kathleen Lynch on this legislation along with parents,individuals and organisations including Inclusion Ireland.
When I became a Senator I made a commitment to advocate on behalf of people with a disability and their families. More then anything else I wanted to see this legislation pass so that individuals who may have decreased capacity at whatever stage of life may be provided for when necessary. This is a historic and happy moment for everyone through the decades who has worked to see this legislation come to pass.
Tuesday 15 December 2015
Monday 14 December 2015
Local Community Shows Great Support For Clogherhead Polar Plunge
The Special Olympics Polar Plunge at Clogherhead Beach took place on Saturday, 12th December. The Clogherhead Beach Polar Plunge is part of a Special Olympics series of nationwide Polar Plunges which aim to raise funds and awareness for the organisation.
I was delighted to take part in my fifth Polar Plunge on Saturday with members of the Defence Forces from Aiken Barracks and members of An Garda Síochána participating. The local support and enthusiasm shown for the event was heartwarming on an otherwise cold day.
This is the second year the Polar Plunge has taken place at Clogherhead Beach and I was delighted to support and assist in the preparations for the event. I look forward to many more successful years at this location in aid of Special Olympics Ireland.
Friday 11 December 2015
Delighted To Welcome St. Brigid's School Dundalk To Leinster House Today
St. Brigid's School Dundalk
St. Brigid's School with Minister Kevin Humphreys
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