Results 4,441-4,460 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I have nothing to add to that.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water Meters Installation (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I thank the Senator for raising this matter with which I am dealing on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The programme for Government and the memorandum of understanding with the European Union, the IMF and the European Central Bank, with which the Senator will be familiar, provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water Supply (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I thank the Senator for raising this important issue and his thoughtful remarks and analysis, as always. I am dealing with this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The availability of a long-term, reliable, high-quality and economic supply of drinking water is a key requirement for the future development of the Leinster and the...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water Supply (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I will certainly relay the Senator's additional remarks. I am sure the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government will take due note, as the Senator has asked, of the additional points, including his reference to the necessity to expedite these projects as quickly as possible.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Water Supply (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: Yes.

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I thank the Senator for the comprehensive treatment she has given to this important matter. Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence are serious health, social and human rights issues that affect people across society from all walks of life and all cultural, social and ethnic backgrounds and across all age groups. The majority of victims are women but a significant number of men are...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Domestic Violence Policy (22 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I will relay the Senator's additional comments and I thank her again for raising this important issue. There was a good debate in the House on the broader question some time ago. The Senator raised a specific issue relating to Dundalk. I have given a response as best I can but if she wishes to obtain additional details, I will assist her in that regard.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I have nothing further to add. If I am not mistaken, I spoke on this amendment already.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: The amendment proposes widening the list of medical practitioners permitted to carry out the medical procedure at issue in the legislation. However, other than in an emergency, a termination of pregnancy should only be carried out by an obstetrician or gynaecologist. This strict provision is to ensure that the procedures are carried out by highly-skilled and qualified relevant medical...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: These amendments broadly concern the issue of viability. In making reference to a medical practitioner's reasonable opinion, the Bill places a statutory duty on each practitioner forming an opinion to have regard to the need to preserve unborn human life as far as practicable. This imposes a clear duty on doctors to make every effort to preserve the life of the foetus where possible. We...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: There is often a tendency - I concede that it is not confined to one or other perspective in this debate - to quote from experts and expertise which tend to support or validate the argument one is putting forward. That is perfectly allowable and is a legitimate form of debate. There is no difficulty about it. We are all inclined to reach for studies that tend to support the case we wish to...

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: Who is the person to whom the Senator refers?

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: No, the Senator should place it on the record.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: Plenty of obstetricians-----

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I really must-----

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: This is an issue of order. There was no request to ask anybody to abuse privilege.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: There was no allegation made against anybody. No adverse statement was made in respect of a single person. If so-called evidence is being put on the record so late in the debate, then it is not unreasonable to request the source of that evidence.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: We must listen to everything the Senator says and we do so. However, if she is putting forward some additional evidence which, she says, she was informed about by an Irish obstetrician today, it is not unreasonable to ask the identity of that individual.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: That makes it much more difficult to rely on the evidence.

Seanad: Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (23 Jul 2013)

Alex White: I merely asked the Senator to supply the name. Asking someone a question is not ballyragging.