Results 3,801-3,820 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I will press it. It is a pity that it is not being accepted because it is a simple measure. I take Senator Landy's point that there may be a cost attached, but there is a considerable cost attached to the medical services. A significant proportion of the budget is spent annually in the HSE and in the health services, and here we have body which is charged with creating awareness to prevent...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: The work the RPII has done to create awareness about radiological issues is commendable. It was able to do so because it had a single management with a board focused on the narrow objective of protecting people from nuclear fall-out and radon gas. Now, the Government is putting it into a conglomerate with six other different activities, all of which will be competing for the same funding...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 2: In page 5, to delete line 28 and substitute the following:“ “Agency” means the Environmental and Radiological Protection Agency (ERPA).”.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 4: In page 9, after line 41, to insert the following: “Establishment and functions of the Office of Radiological Protection 15. (1) The Office of Radiological Protection shall be established by this Agency within its organisational structure.(2) Management and direction of the Office of Radiological Protection shall be the responsibility of the person who becomes a...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Minister of State for his elucidation of section 6. We would not have a merger without that section being inserted because it is required in order to identify the functions that will transfer. The Minister of State also referred to section 14(1), the purpose of which is to ensure that radiological protection will be prominent in the new structure to be put in place, which will...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I think the Minister of State is agreeing that whoever holds that position should not only have the requisite knowledge and experience but should also be director of the agency.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: That would give the position prominence. If he can clarify that for me I would be happy.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. Section 21 states: "The Agency shall consist of a Director General and five other Directors." It does not state that one of those directors would be the person who is in charge of the office for radiological protection. I note the Minister of State's comments about the relevant experience but I am concerned that the five directors might not...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I ask the Minister of State if he will consider introducing an amendment on Report Stage which would allow for the continuation of this individual.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: Perhaps the Minister of State could table an amendment to the Bill on Report Stage. My concern is that if the person in charge of this office is not a director, it means that the function of which he or she is in charge will obviously be diminished.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I do not wish to labour this point but I thank the Minister of State for elucidating it. I doubt if he is saying, however, that the director general will appoint the five other directors because that position would be totally untenable. I presume the directors are appointed by the State - that is, by the Minister of the day, rather than by the director general. I see that functionaries can...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I accept the Minister of State's bona fides on that completely.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I will be asking the Minister of State to examine this section on Report Stage.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I notice that under "Fundamental principle L" there is a clause about confidentiality. It reads, "The State should establish requirements for protecting the confidentiality of information, the unauthorised disclosure of which would compromise the physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilities." I accept that, as it is written, but I would not like that clause to be used to...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Minister of State.

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: On a point of information, we are not pre-empting Report Stage here, are we?

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I second Senator Thomas Byrne's amendment. I concur with Senator Cáit Keane's request that the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, come before the House in order that we might discuss events taking place in Geneva, yesterday and today, and associated matters, including the organisation of some NGOs. The Minister could also inform the House as to why the Irish...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, after line 41, to insert the following:"(4) One Director of the Agency shall be an expert in radiological protection.".Before dealing with the amendment, I join the Acting Chairman in congratulating the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, on the meteoric, if circuitous, route he has taken to his current exalted...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: Concern has been expressed and not just by Members. The board of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, particularly its distinguished chairman Professor William Reville, has expressed the fear that there could be a diminution of the focus on radiological protection because of the merger. I take the Minister's point in respect of amendment No. 2. Amendment No. 1 is very clear,...

Seanad: Radiological Protection (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 2: In page 13, line 5, after "Directors" to insert ", one of whom shall be the executive officer with responsibility for radiological Protection".