Results 601-620 of 1,338 for speaker:Kathleen O'Meara

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: While I thank the Minister for his reply, I do not agree with him. He said the amendments represented a radical departure from what the Government and representative associations had agreed the legislation would contain. I thought this was a House of the Oireachtas and that there was a debate taking place on the floor of this Chamber which constituted an exchange of views and an open-minded...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (3 Nov 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: The ombudsman.

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Nov 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I acknowledge the work of Senator Ó Murchú. Will the Leader arrange a debate on maternity services and on the growing crisis in the provision of essential maternity care, in light of the comments by the master of one of the Dublin maternity hospitals? It is shocking to hear that it may be necessary to cap the number of admissions to a maternity hospital at a time when the population is...

Seanad: Children Act 2001: Statements. (20 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I, too, welcome the Minister of State to the House and commend him on reporting back to the Seanad so comprehensively on his management of the implementation of the 2001 Act. It is certainly very comprehensive and important legislation. It has been brought into sharp relief by the constant reiteration by the media of very serious matters relating to children, specifically in terms of justice....

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: There will be.

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I noted the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children's remarks in the other House last evening during its debate on health, in particular her comments on the Hanly report. It appears from those comments that she thinks the information campaign on Hanly has not been sufficient and that if we only got the right information, we would be persuaded about how Hanly is really good for us. She...

Seanad: Medical Cards: Motion (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: It is with great pleasure that I second the motion. I understand that the new Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, will attend the House later to speak on the motion and I welcome that. When she took over the Department, one of her first remarks was to note how the income threshold for the medical card had fallen and that it should be addressed. While I welcome that, the question...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: This is an interesting debate on a very important point. Unlike Senator Minihan, I have no knowledge of the Defence Forces and I listened with great respect to what he said. We are appointing an ombudsman because there are concerns that one is needed. An ombudsman has been requested. We are responding to a clearly stated need from within the Defence Forces themselves. That is a fact. We did...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: What did he say? Was it unparliamentary?

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I move amendment No. 6: In page 9, subsection (1)(g), line 5, after "Act" to insert "(provided that a complaint may be made within the 12 months immediately following the commencement of this Act regarding an action which is taken before the commencement of this Act)". This amendment allows for a complaint to be made to the ombudsman in a one-off period of 12 months prior to the enactment of...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I move amendment No. 8: In page 13, subsection 3(a), lines 26 to 27, to delete "to the public interest or". Again in this section the devil is in the detail. This section refers to secrecy, which is very important in the context of the Defence Forces. I suppose it is the Minister's right to withhold information. The principle is very important and clearly must be contained in the legislation....

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: The section states "may" and not "shall".

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: Yes. Section 10(3)(a) states, "The Minister may give notice in writing."

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: I thank the Minister, especially for his last remark which makes a major difference. It is fair enough that the Minister will have to tell the ombudsman what is being suppressed and why he is requiring it to be suppressed. The broad issue is that the Minister will be allowed to suppress information in "the public interest", even though we do not know what that public interest involves. The...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: ——albeit without definition. The Minister could actually make it up. The public interest has not been specified. The Minister might say he is suppressing it in the public interest, but we will be relying on the Minister's personal interpretation of the public interest. It is much too broad.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: That is fair enough, but I think the section as drafted is too wide. I will withdraw the amendment for the moment. I will see what the Minister has to say on Report Stage and consider my options then.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: We need plain English.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: Senator Leyden has made my argument for me. He should listen to himself because he has made the argument in favour of the amendment.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: The argument the Senator makes regarding delay does not stand up. We are in the House to ensure that legislation is the best it possibly can be. It is up to Members to make that judgment and we have always taken that role seriously. We should consider each amendment on its merits, not in regard to the timeframe involved. In any case, this would not create an extraordinary delay. The Bill has...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (13 Oct 2004)

Kathleen O'Meara: Senator Hayes's amendment is extremely important. At the heart of it is a very fundamental point which relates to the previous amendment regarding the nomination and appointment of the ombudsman, namely, the power of the Government regarding appointments, how that would impact on the office and on how it is seen. This paragraph gives the Government and future Governments power to re-appoint...