Results 261-280 of 2,156 for speaker:Tom Parlon

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (1 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: Part of the temporary razor wire installed at Farmleigh for the 1 May accession event has already been removed. The firm engaged to take down the wire is working on removing the rest of the temporary wire and expects to have the work completed in the week ending 4 June 2004.

Written Answers — State Property: State Property (1 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: The fencing referred to was erected at the request of the Garda to provide a high level of security for the temporary helipad in use during the 1 May EU accession celebrations. It was provided at less than the usual cost by the company staging a concert on the same site in the park on 12 June. By allowing the fencing to remain in place between the accession day celebrations and the concert,...

Written Answers — Outdoor Events: Outdoor Events (1 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: A licence for MCD Productions to stage a major concert in the Phoenix Park on 12 June is in the final stages of preparation. An application has also been received from Aiken Promotions for a licence to stage a free concert on 4 September. Both concerts will entail the partial closure of the park for up to 24 hours. The park was also closed on 1 May this year as part of the security measure...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: Nobody mentioned it in the budget.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: Only one Fine Gael Senator is present.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I was anxious to hear Senator Bannon's contribution before I spoke. The cloud of uncertainty and confusion he reckoned was over his head is spreading over that side of the House. There is a great deal of hot air——

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I am delighted to have the opportunity to address the Seanad this evening on the Government's decentralisation programme. When the Minister for Finance announced the details of the extent of the new decentralisation programme in his budget speech in December last year, several commentators were of the view that it would be many years before progress could be achieved on moving the programme...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: Apparently there will also be a crèche.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: In Carlow, a superb site has been acquired from the local authority for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which has been universally approved by all local authority members.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I compliment Carlow County Council on the expeditious manner in which it dealt with the matter.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: A Senator referred to the fact that an alternative site had been suggested to the Curragh as the location for the Defence Forces headquarters. I am happy to inform the House that the State owns the land in the Curragh where the Defence Forces headquarters will be situated. Likewise, the Department of Education and Science site in Athlone is State-owned. The OPW expects to have in excess of 20...

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: There has been a substantial link-up.

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: From where did that cynicism come?

Seanad: Decentralisation Programme: Motion. (2 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I also mentioned Athlone and the Curragh.

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I cannot accept the amendment. The advice of Parliamentary Counsel is that it is necessary to include the term "AND TO PROVIDE FOR CONNECTED MATTERS" in the Long Title of the Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to amend the Adoptive Leave Act 1995. However, it also makes amendments to the Unfair Dismissals and Redundancy Payments Acts. The proposed amendment would give rise to an incomplete...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: As indicated on Committee Stage by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, the review of statutory periods of leave such as adoptive, maternity or parental leave is a matter for consultation and negotiation by Government with the social partners through the partnership process, where the views of all relevant stakeholders can be taken into consideration. The...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I cannot accept this amendment. It would result in granting bereaved adopting fathers a more generous leave entitlement than that of a bereaved natural father. As stated on Committee Stage, the maternity working group considered the periods of maternity leave available and made recommendations to increase both maternity leave and additional maternity leave by four weeks each. These increases...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: I reject the amendment. The Adoptive Leave Act 1995 already makes provision for leave prior to placement in the case of a foreign adoption. Section 8 of the 1995 Act provides that in the case of a foreign adoption, an employed adopting mother or sole male adopter may avail of some or all of her eight weeks additional unpaid adoptive leave prior to the placement of the child for...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: This amendment is rejected. The provision in section 8 of the Bill for termination of additional adoptive leave on the sickness of the adopting parents is consistent with the provisions in section 6 of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill 2003, which implements the recommendations of the maternity working group on this matter. The review group recommends that in the event of illness, an...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Tom Parlon: This amendment is also rejected. The proposed amendment is inconsistent with the recommendation of the maternity working group and gives rise to an anomaly with the provisions of the Maternity Protection (Amendment) Bill. The working group recommended that provision should be made for the postponement of the maternity leave in the event of hospitalisation of the child, subject to the...