Results 21-40 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for his response. In the recommendation I was trying to put forward two items. The first is the suggestion that in the civil partnership legislation there is no absolute negation of the possibility of a voluntary agreement between civil partners for separation. It does not seem to be contained in the Act. It is true to state there is no allowance for judicial...

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I move recommendation No. 2: In page 16, to delete lines 16 to 20 and substitute the following: " 'maintenance arrangement' means an order of a court under Part 5 or 12 of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010, a rule of court, deed of separation, trust, covenant, agreement, arrangement or any other act giving rise to a legally enforceable obligation...

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the Minister's response. At a personal level, for those who have to go through the angst and grave disappointment of a relationship breakdown, it must be difficult to know their arrangements are not recognised in the same way as those in marriage are. I accept Senator Bacik's point it may be necessary to examine the legislation.

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate the comments made by Senators Byrne, Keane and Mac Conghail. The Minister's response is sufficient, especially in terms of clarifying the matter from Senator Mac Conghail's perspective. In practice, there are not civil partners currently that this will affect because they are just registering their partnerships and we do not have any such partnerships that are breaking down. I...

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I move recommendation No. 3: In page 16, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: "a reference to a child of a person includes a child in respect of whom the person was at any time before the making of the maintenance arrangement concerned entitled to relief under section 465(1).". That is a great idea. There are a lot of words and I have received support and advice in putting the...

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I respect the reasons the Minister put forward. I also accept that there ought not to be tax relief and that parents ought to look after their children. With regard to the Minister's response, let it go forth from this Chamber that there is no express reference to children in this Bill in the context of maintenance arrangements. That is effectively what the Minister said. I understand the...

Seanad: Finance (No. 3) Bill: Committee and Remaining Stages (19 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I appreciate what the Minister is saying. The Minister is right - it is a question of fairness, and that is where my arguments originate. Second, I understand the points made by the Minister. There is no taxation implication and there is no tax relief. If there is not and it is not that big a deal, why can we not include it in a Bill when there is not that implication in terms of public...

Seanad: SPHE Curriculum: Motion (20 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister. I am heartened by his determination to grasp the nettle on the many aspects of the education system where change is required. Not least of these is his commitment to increasing pluralism in the patronage of schools, which has a significant bearing on this debate. It is encouraging to see a Minister so engaged and willing to listen. I wholeheartedly support the...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2011 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (27 Jul 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for his very comprehensive report on the amendments. As he may have anticipated, I wish to offer some comments. When we were last together in the Chamber, I had tabled amendments to the Bill. As he promised, he raised these issues in the Dáil. My amendments were rooted in an attempt to ensure civil partnerships registered in Ireland or recognised by Irish law would...

Seanad: Order of Business. (14 Sep 2011)

Katherine Zappone: It is good to be back, and with all colleagues. The words "equality" and "human rights" - three of my favourite words - were put together with the word "merger" at the end of last week when the Government announced it had agreed in principle to merge the Irish Human Rights Commission with the Equality Authority into a new human rights and equality commission. The press release indicated:...

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (20 Sep 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I am pleased to welcome the Bill which is a significant development in the landscape of further, higher and university education throughout Ireland. With the Bill's full implementation it holds the potential, as the Minister and others have said, to provide more efficiency and coherence across the landscape. Equally significant, the establishment of a single body provides opportunities for...

Seanad: Address by President of the Irish Human Rights Commission (28 Sep 2011)

Katherine Zappone: Dr. Manning asked us two questions about ourselves on Seanad reform. The first was what should the Seanad do? This is what we should be doing, namely, engaging in debate on human rights with a leader such as Dr. Manning. The other question was who should be in the Seanad? It is a great privilege to be here and engaging in debate. My hope is that members of the public in the Visitors...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I acknowledge the learned and timely contributions made by my colleagues in their response to Dr. Maurice Manning's address on human rights and Seanad reform in the House last week. I enjoyed everyone's comments, those whose views I would share and those whose views I would not share, and learned very much from that occasion. The quality of the debate and the questions raised bodes well for...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I am deeply concerned about one aspect as I prepare to head off to Geneva to observe the UN's review of Ireland's human rights record. In terms of the Government's response to this peer review, it has not yet identified a list of voluntary commitments to improve the protection and promotion of human rights in Ireland. It is a core part of the UN process. Generally, countries involved in a...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I do not have a question for the Leader this morning. However, I offer a word of public thanks to him on a matter that is related to the Order of Business and that has significance beyond how Members order their business. Is this acceptable?

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I do not have a question.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: Will I make a question?

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: This has not happened before today.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: I am about to get to a serious moment now. I thank the Leader for his agreement to sponsor my request that a loop system to support those with a hearing disability be installed in the Seanad Chamber. For those Members who may be unfamiliar with the expression, a loop system effectively is a technological system installed in a closed environment that enables those with digital hearing aids to...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2011)

Katherine Zappone: ----- but I have been impressed by the quality of the debate I have heard. However, Members can imagine this places me and others with a hearing disability at a considerable disadvantage, especially when one must engage in an exchange or a debate with a Minister when he or she comes into the Chamber. In this case, the headphones really do not work. Why I will not demonstrate with the...