Results 5,321-5,340 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: One must look at the organisations that will be excluded, such as the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Amnesty International. These bodies, while supportive of the Government in some instances, have been critical of it in the past. It appears there is an attempt to muzzle the voice of legitimate criticism. Among the organisations this applies to, section 3(10)(j) includes organisations...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: The Minister of State gives the impression that to include this would be to include a new body, idea or concept. I ask for clarification. The section, as proposed in the Bill, reads: (10) In this section "purpose that is of benefit to the community" includes— (a) the advancement of community welfare including the relief of those in need by reason of youth, age, ill-health, or disability,...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: I accept that but if the Acting Chairman checks the Official Report he will see that every time I spoke I introduced some new material. The Minister of State is plainly embarrassed by this. It is obvious from his uneasiness in giving his last few answers. It is obvious to me the Minister did not make this decision. It was made elsewhere or by other people. The Minister is attempting, by...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: Was it the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform——

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: Yes, any of those people. This House should be given the reasons for it and the advices given to the Minister of State, who is plainly troubled by it. On other far less significant amendments the Minister is prepared to give a commitment to the House that he will consider them again and take further advice. It is significant that he made no such offer to the House on this amendment. His...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: Exactly.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: It is not clarified because——

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: With specific——

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: That makes the presence of——

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: The Minister of State has fundamentally misunderstood the purpose and function of Seanad Éireann under the Constitution. We are here to amend and improve legislation, not maintain the status quo, which is an absurd position. I am profoundly shocked to discover that the instructions came from the Revenue Commissioners. We have at last flushed it out. They are not a legislative body and...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: The Senator is a genius.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: Not only is it not good enough, it is an insult to the House. If the Minister of State wished to sustain the position that the advice comes from the Revenue Commissioners, presumably they produced an argument. Is it a budgetary issue? Do they think money will be saved? Will the Minister of State be kind enough to outline how much money he will save by excluding human rights? It would be...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: When the Minister of State refers to policy, is he talking about a Cabinet decision? If there is to be a delay, there need not be a very detailed discussion. Could this not go back to the members of Cabinet to ask them, because they are making complete asses of themselves? Otherwise, the Seanad is just being treated with contempt. It is hardly worth coming in if, on the most serious issue...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: I approve wholeheartedly of the idea behind Senator Hannigan's amendment but I am a little concerned about it. If he had stopped at humanism, I would be all right, but it goes off into what seem rather less defined areas, such as "philosophical life-stance", which could be anything. It would cover some groups I do not especially want to be covered. I would not want Scientology and my nice,...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: They should be covered by something else.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: The amendment is rather broad and will cover some fairly unsavoury things. Humanism certainly should be included because it is an ethical stance, although it is devoid of any specifically religious content. As an ethical stance, it should be protected or recognised.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: When I made my comments about cults during the debate on amendment No. 8, I had not registered that this careful limitation was proposed. I assume that some similar formula will be put before the House on Report Stage, which I will be pleased to support. A certain amount of rewording may be required but it is a useful proposal. I will support the reworded series of amendments when it comes...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: No.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 19: In page 14, lines 22 to 29, to delete subsection (2) and substitute the following: "(2) Any default in the relationship/agreement between the Charity and the State Agency/Public body whereby the Charity would be at a loss, would not be counted as such where the Charity has little or no option but to comply with standards/practices set out by the particular body. In...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

David Norris: This is precisely the problem highlighted in the submission I made when I spoke first on this amendment. Those working in Respond, as a result of the discussion in the Dáil, were aware of the introduction of the clause. Virtually everything I said indicated their unhappiness with it. The Minister of State has not responded to their continuing unhappiness. He has responded very fairly to...