Results 261-280 of 12,629 for speaker:Willie O'Dea

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The arrangements in section 35, to which I have just referred, are designed to ensure that fair procedures and natural justice are respected. Persons who are to be named in reports are to be notified and given an opportunity to have changes or corrections made where they believe fair procedures were not respected. Persons may seek an order from the High Court to require changes to or the...

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Senators for their valuable contributions and acknowledge the contributions of Deputies in the Lower House also. Despite the fact that I could not accept any amendments today, the final shape of the Bill reflects substantially the contributions made by the Opposition. Many of the amendments suggested by Fine Gael and Labour Party Members have been taken on board, sometimes in their...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Senators for their contributions to this legislation, which were well considered and constructive. I had the pleasure of bringing this Bill before the Seanad only five months ago. I was happy to accept substantive amendments in this House and I subsequently accepted further amendments in the Dáil, having reflected on a number of issues first raised by Senators. The Bill has been...

Seanad: Equality Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (7 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I forgot to announce that because of a typographical error, there is a superfluous "and" on page 41, at the end of line 15. In accordance with Standing Order 121, I am requesting the Cathaoirleach to direct the Clerk to make the necessary correction. I sincerely thank Senators Brian Hayes, Ryan and Walsh for their very kind comments. As I stated in the course of my reply, the Bill reflects a...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Over 12 months ago I introduced the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 in the Seanad. The Bill has been substantively amended and I am glad to report to the Seanad on the amendments made to the Bill in the Dáil. Fourteen Government amendments were tabled and accepted on Committee Stage in the Dáil and I propose to outline their effect. Amendments Nos. 1 to 13, inclusive, correct a...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: This arose in the Dáil and I wrote to Deputy Moynihan-Cronin as a result, giving her my interpretation of the relevant section, section 10. It states that if a woman dies after the birth of a child then the father is entitled to a certain amount of time off. The Bill goes on to state that if the mother dies before the expiry of the 16th week following the week of her confinement, the period...

Seanad: Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (8 Jul 2004)

Willie O'Dea: Amendment No. 14 to section 20 corrects an omission relating to the notification of intention to return to work from a period of resumed leave in a case where the employer had waived the right to receive notification from the employee of the intention to take resumed leave. I am satisfied these amendments have improved the provisions of the Bill by offering more flexibility to employees in...

Written Answers — Departmental Websites: Departmental Websites (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Department's website, www.defence.ie is up to date. The site is updated by the information systems branch as required. All Departmental press releases are published on the website as they as issued by the Department's press office.

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Defence Forces headquarters decentralisation implementation group is planning for the relocation of those elements of the headquarters that will be relocated to the Curragh. Some elements of Defence Forces headquarters will also be relocated to Newbridge with my Department. The relocation will take place in two to three years' time. A site for the headquarters has been selected and...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (5 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: The Office of Public Works is currently in discussions with Kildare County Council regarding the possible acquisition of a site in Newbridge for the Department's new headquarters. A total of 385 personnel, of whom 78 are currently serving in the Department, have declared an interest in relocating to Newbridge. The number of staff to be relocated to Newbridge is 200.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Senators. I am very pleased to present this Bill to the Seanad. It marks the realisation of an important political commitment to establish a new statutory office of ombudsman for the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces ombudsman will effect an historical transformation of current military redress procedures. The ombudsman will, in most cases, replace the Minister for Defence as the...

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: No.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage. (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is covered by the Interpretation Act.

Seanad: Ombudsman (Defence Forces) Bill 2002: Second Stage (Resumed). (6 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank all the Senators who contributed. I thank them in particular for their kind remarks of congratulation on my appointment. Each aspect of the Bill has been agreed with both representative organisations. PDFORRA and RACO have been widely consulted on almost each line of the Bill, which reflects the agreement these representative bodies made with the Government. Senator Paddy Burke raised...

Bullying in the Workplace. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: In March 2002, Dr. Eileen Doyle and the external advisory committee group presented their report, The Challenge of a Workplace, to my predecessor, Deputy Michael Smith. The contents and recommendations of the Doyle report were accepted in full. Action to implement the recommendations of the report has been a priority since that time. The follow-up action was driven by an independent...

Bullying in the Workplace. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I thank Deputy McGinley for his kind words of congratulations. As to how short or long a time I will be in the Cabinet, I cannot say. However, it is great to have reached this point and, as the former British Chancellor of the Exchequer, Denis Healy, said, "it is always better to be a has-been than a never-was". I agree with Deputy McGinley that the problem to which he referred is ongoing. A...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: As the House will be aware, a contingent of the Permanent Defence Force, comprising 435 personnel, is serving with the United Nations Mission in Liberia, or UNMIL, since December 2003. Defence Forces personnel serving with the mission are entitled to 21 days annual leave for the duration of their tour of duty, which is six months. I am advised that the average cost of a return commercial...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: It is quite generous. My predecessor, Deputy Michael Smith, made an arrangement that a commercial flight costing €1,200 would be given to people serving in Liberia for €500. That €500 would be deducted from their overseas allowance, which accumulates over the six month period they are there. That is a generous arrangement. When I was in Letterkenny last week, I took the opportunity to...

Overseas Missions. (12 Oct 2004)

Willie O'Dea: I must contradict the Deputy. My information is that the troops are supplied with the relevant protective equipment, mosquito nets etc. They are allowed 21 days' leave during their six-month service period. They can avail of this generous charter flight offer, space permitting. Some 96% of the original brigade availed of it. It appears the uptake among the troops currently serving there will...