Results 2,581-2,600 of 21,096 for speaker:Charles Flanagan

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 3: In page 13, to delete lines 14 to 22 and substitute the following: "(2) This Act shall come into operation on the day that is 3 months after the passing of this Act.". I will not labour this point as I made it on Committee Stage. I reaffirm my view that having clarity regarding the commencement of the Act is important. We have engaged in the passing of legislation in...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: In view of what the Minister has said I am reluctant to divide the House on the issue. I therefore withdraw the amendment.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 8: In page 15, line 24, to delete "may" and substitute "shall, on the commencement of this Act". I was hoping the Minister would have examined since Committee Stage the matter of recognition of registered foreign relationships. The Bill, as drafted, states the Minister may, by order, declare that a class of legal relationship entered into by two parties of the same sex...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: In view of what the Minister has said, I withdraw my amendment.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: Only when Lourdes is involved.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: My understanding is that the Minister's proposals merely conform to the position that pertains with regard to a marriage ceremony. If that is the case, I concur with him and welcome the amendment.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I do not have a problem with any aspect of this amendment, which is reasonable and welcome.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome the commitment made by the Minister. This issue arose on Committee Stage and I am pleased he has taken on board a suggestion made in that debate. The only difference between the Minister's amendment and my amendment is in the matter of stamp duty. I am disappointed that express mention of stamp duty is not made in the amendment. My amendment makes clear that stamp duty would not...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: Can the Minister confirm these provisions will accord a similar regime to that which exists in respect of spouses under current law?

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I will not labour the point as we deliberated on it at some length on Committee Stage. I find it regrettable that the Minister is not for turning, notwithstanding what he said about the legal advice of the Attorney General. In effect we are introducing an element of discrimination by treating the child of a civil partner differently. Later in the legislation we can see that what we are...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 25: In page 50, line 14, to delete "Subject to section 117(3A),". The Minister may have given this matter consideration since we debated it on Committee Stage. The arguments and points in favour of the amendment remain the same. I wonder if the Minister has given further consideration to the matter and if he is prepared to accept any of the points put forward on...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 33: In page 85, line 23, to delete "and committed". This issue was the subject of considerable debate on Committee Stage. I do not intend to revisit the arguments that were made, other than to suggest there may be a difficulty with the definitions of "cohabitant" and "qualified cohabitant" in the Bill. Section 170(1) provides that "a cohabitant is one of 2 adults...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 35: In page 86, to delete lines 21 to 29. This concerns the definition of a qualified cohabitant under section 169. We propose that subsection (6) of section 169 be deleted because it is unnecessarily restrictive. I am concerned that the consequences will give rise to difficulty. It is interesting that this subsection was not included in the original heads of the Bill,...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I do have a difficulty with it.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I move amendment No. 37: In page 100, line 29, to delete "6 months" and substitute "12 months". This is a straightforward and simple administrative matter on which I will not dwell to any great extent, other than to ask the Minister to facilitate the introduction of an element of conformity. A spouse has 12 months from the grant of representation to assert his or her rights but a cohabitant...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I welcome this amendment introduced by the Minister. It confers a certain jurisdiction, particularly the jurisdiction conferred in the Circuit Court, which I welcome. It is important and it is regrettable that it was not included in an earlier stage in the Bill. I thank the Minister for its introduction.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Fifth Stage (1 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: I join the Minister in welcoming the passing of this very important legislation which we have been debating for several months, not in the glare of the media but in a manner that has been comprehensive. It represents an important step forward for persons in our community who were discriminated against for many years. It is a lengthy Bill of 118 pages and 205 sections and includes a lengthy...

Written Answers — Installation Aid Scheme: Installation Aid Scheme (6 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: Question 575: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the position regarding an application for installation aid in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29398/10]

EU Fines (8 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: Question 9: To ask the Minister for the Environment; Heritage and Local Government the position he has taken in response to threatened EU fines for failure properly introduce planning and environmental legislation; if will make a statement on matter. [30553/10]

Written Answers — Prisoner Releases: Prisoner Releases (8 Jul 2010)

Charles Flanagan: Question 404: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will clarify the grounds a prisoner on conditional release may be recalled to prison, on whose authority such a recall order is made; the administrative procedure for dealing with recalled prisoners; if a prisoner is recalled to prison, is the time spent on conditional release deducted from their sentence; and if he will make...