Results 641-660 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I move amendment No. 34: In page 32, subsection (5), between lines 9 to 10, to insert the following new paragraph: "(a) 1 shall be appointed jointly by the Law Society of Ireland and the Bar Council,". I give way to Senator Bradford.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: My reluctance to speak to the amendment arose from a certain diffidence in proposing that an organisation of which I am a member should be represented on the board. Nevertheless, the case in favour of doing so stands up. Irrespective of whether we like it, members of the Law Society and the Bar Council have significant experience of the type of business which will be dealt with by the new...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am agnostic on that matter.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: The Irish Insurance Federation is represented on the board. The Tánaiste has no problem with having the Irish Insurance Federation represented on the board ex officio. It is specifically mentioned in the legislation.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Insurers are on one side of the equation. Claimants are the other side.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: These matters have traditionally been pursued by lawyers as people who seek to uphold the rights of their clients. As a result, they have a fair degree of expertise in dealing with these kinds of claims and, as such, it is not unreasonable to reflect this on the board.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I would be more open to the Tánaiste's argument if the Irish Insurance Federation was not represented on the board.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: As the Leas-Chathaoirleach correctly pointed out, we have discussed amendment No. 37 already. I do not wish to delay the House but ask for his indulgence since I did not argue in favour of the amendment earlier in the debate. The reason for the amendment was to remove the gagging order. It is fairly routine when setting up a State board that its members or, at least, its chairperson is...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is possible the chief executive officer would appear before a committee dealing with the Tánaiste's Department and it is likely that he or she would be asked to comment—

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Does it apply to all committees of the Oireachtas?

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: It states "by the Committee of Dáil Éireann established under the Standing Orders of Dáil Éireann to examine.".

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is not clear but perhaps that is what is intended.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: My argument would be more cogent in the context of the enterprise and employment committee. Nevertheless, even in the context of the Committee of Public Accounts, the type of question that is likely to be asked would be about the nature of claims, the type of claims being processed and whether, for example, it would be reasonable to ask the chairperson of the board if the aims of the board...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: As a general rule, more flexibility should be given to people on State boards to be open, even at the risk of criticising Government policy. We should be slow to go the usual route of imposing gagging orders, which is what we do routinely. I tabled this amendment with that in mind. This is a good example of a board that is not implementing Government policy. It is not like CIE. It would not...

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Are the staff of the board civil servants?

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: There is a reference to offences in the section. I did not see any offences in the Bill. To what offences does the section relate?

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: The fines are quite low.

Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (24 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: With perhaps one or two exceptions, I do not intend to table on Report Stage all the amendments we dealt with today. It appears entirely pointless to repeat the argument tomorrow. The Tánaiste suggested she will consider some of the points we raised. I am sure she will do so during the debate in the Lower House, therefore, I do not intend to raise the issues tomorrow afternoon.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: Senator White does.

Seanad: Book of Estimates 2004: Statements. (26 Nov 2003)

Derek McDowell: I welcome the opportunity to address the issues raised by the Estimates. Surprisingly, I found myself agreeing with many of Senator Minihan's comments, the valediction of the Minister and the Government excepted. His economic commentary, however, was interesting and I agreed with much of what he said.