Results 481-500 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister's response regarding deferred members. It is unfair that they have not been part of the process to date and I welcome that a meeting will take place. I look forward to hearing further details on that subject. The group has done a considerable amount of work on the issue and its concerns deserve to be heard. I am disappointed, although not entirely surprised given the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I can assure the Minister that Senators on both sides of the House want to see a fair and equitable resolution to the pension difficulties facing the scheme. It has been going on for a number of years and a fair solution needs to be found. The Minister said he cannot interfere in those arrangements but that is precisely what he is doing in bringing forward this legislation. As my colleague,...

Seanad: Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (11 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome the announcement of the establishment of a commission of investigation to examine what happened in the mother and baby homes. It is important for us finally to uncover the whole truth about what went on in those institutions, the circumstances in which women were sent to them, the conditions in which they and their children had to live, the high...

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I, too, object in the strongest terms to what is being pushed through the House today. It is an absolute farce. The people of Ireland deserve a proper banking inquiry that can get to the bottom-----

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: -----of the practices that led to the financial crisis. People deserve the truth but what they are getting instead is the Taoiseach's own little puppet court, for which he appoints the chairman-----

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: -----and dictates the terms of reference. The conclusions have been drafted and are sitting in the Taoiseach's office, and he is just waiting for the committee to do its business so the members can sign their names to it. It is a farce. Shame on everyone on that side of the House who supports this motion. It is a disgrace.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: People can see what is going on. Instead of getting a proper banking inquiry, we are seeing politics being played on an incredibly important issue in order to serve the narrow and petty political interests of Fine Gael and the Labour Party ahead of the next general election.

Seanad: Order Of Business (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: It is an absolute disgrace. The bankers are laughing at us and at the people of Ireland because they will walk away scot free. The Government has no interest in getting to the bottom of this or in finding out the truth. It simply wants to play politics. Shame on all of you who support this motion. It is an absolute farce.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I second it.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 9: In page 26, to delete lines 16 to 40 and to delete pages 27 to 31.This relates to the superannuation schemes and to Irish aviation pensions. When Members debated this issue on Tuesday, I welcomed the assurance the Minister gave to the House that the expert panel would meet the deferred pensioners before drawing up its report. I then received correspondence from the...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I accept that the Minister was not present at this morning's meeting and does not know what was said. I am simply relaying to him the message I was given by someone who attended it. I am seeking an assurance from him that he will contact the expert panel to ensure that the issues affecting pensioners and deferred pensioners are considered in the report. If all they get is a meeting in...

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (12 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: What if there is a difficulty?

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Adoption Services Provision (18 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: As I am sure the Minister of State can imagine, given all the focus on the mother and baby homes and the issue of adoption over the past few weeks, voluntary organisations are being inundated with requests for support from adoptees and their birth relatives and the wider group of people affected by the mother and baby homes. Groups like the Adoption Rights Alliance are trying to help as many...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Adoption Services Provision (18 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, for his reply. I appreciate that he was answering on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Charles Flanagan. Could he pass on my query about whether the information services he mentioned are additional? I hope they are, because there is an urgent need for extra services. This is the feedback I am receiving, and the Minister is probably getting...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Illegal Israeli Settlements (26 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd. Last year I visited the occupied Palestinian territories with Christian Aid and saw, at first hand, the impact of the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands and how Israel is using illegal settlements to undermine any real prospect of a two-state solution. We visited the South Jordan Valley, the land in which is both very fertile and valuable...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Illegal Israeli Settlements (26 Jun 2014)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State for his reply on behalf of the Tánaiste. I welcome the signal from the Tánaiste that Ireland will move to introduce guidelines if it is not done at EU level. I appreciate that. I am concerned about that as that has been said since 2012 and it has not happened yet. I urge that it would be done as soon as possible. The reply from the Department...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (8 Jul 2014)

Averil Power: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business. I call for the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to come before the House today to discuss the Garth Brooks concerts and the economic impact a cancellation will have on Dublin city. Yesterday, I chaired a press conference in Buswells Hotel comprising the head of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Restaurants Association of Ireland, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (8 Jul 2014)

Averil Power: It is.

Seanad: State Airports (Shannon Group) Bill 2014: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (15 Jul 2014)

Averil Power: I would like to object in the strongest terms to this Bill. I welcome the new Minister and I regret he has come to the legislation at such a late stage because it is controversial. We have had a great deal of discussion on it. It is unprecedented for a Government to pass legislation to strip away the private pension rights of employees, to which they have made contributions over many...

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

Averil Power: I second the amendment.