Results 7,621-7,640 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Yes. It is clear that the children of same-sex parents who enter into civil partnerships are greatly disadvantaged. I have tabled these amendments with the intention of starting the process of redressing this wrong. I believe, from the comments of the Minister in his speech earlier today, that it is his intention to address this at some stage. I was told there would be a vote on Second...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I must confess there is an element that I significantly left out in what I said, which was-----

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Yes, very much so. It is a directly relevant element. It is the practical question of payment and financial support. That is in the first amendment. Some of the others deal with guardianship and so on. I am parking to one side the question of adoption and whether single parents are capable of doing the job or whether two parents are needed. I am just considering the question of...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I am just making a general point. I do not believe that the liberals are rushing headlong towards a liberal agenda or-----

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: ----- jumping the queue. It has been a very long queue - 2,000 years long. To try to ease up towards some resolution after 2,000 years is not jumping the queue at all.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I would never wish to do that.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I propose, with your permission a Chathaoirligh, to address some of the remarks the Minister has, most helpfully, made. I will be as brief as I can.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: In that case, I will return to these issues. However, I must address one matter to which the Minister referred, that is, the decision of the Supreme Court concerning a de facto family. I found the judgment of Mrs. Justice Denham surprising. In any event, I believe it has been overtaken by a recent decision of the European Court of Human Rights. The Minister will know better than I do that...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Interfered with the Minister?

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Exactly.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Good.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: It is clear the Government has won a victory and I deliberately front-loaded my concerns about some of the other issues involved in a general discussion on the first couple of amendments. That was the only vote to be called by me and it is perfectly obvious we will not have any more. It is very important that we get that out of the way in order that we can discuss the principles and the...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: This is a most practical amendment. We can be very pleased that at a very early stage a Fianna Fáil Minister for Defence, Mr. David Andrews, indicated there would be full equality in the consideration of gay members of the Defence Forces. This is clearly a practical arrangement which applies not only to the Irish diplomatic and foreign service but also to those of other countries. I am...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: The Minister indicated that there might be some question of a particular, if fairly flexible, timeframe. Does he have in mind a timeframe within which residence or domicile might be established? In this regard it must be borne in mind that a question of domicile relating to a member of his party, who is also a Member of this House, has given rise to difficulties.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: A question relating to the domicile of a Member of the House is before the Select Committee on Members' Interests of Seanad Éireann.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I am glad the amendment has been ruled out of order. Is it possible for the Acting Chairman to outline the grounds on which this ruling was made?

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: Were there no grounds for ruling it out of order?

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 5: In page 14, before section 4, but in Part 1, to insert the following new section: 4.—In a case where one of the partners in a civil partnership has, or had prior to the entry into a civil partnership, adopted a child or children to whom they may or may not be biologically related, and in the event of the death of that adopting parent, the surviving partner shall be...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I think Mr. Brian Barrington drew it up.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

David Norris: I wonder if I can correct some misinformation I have given to the House. Having looked at my documents, I realise it was Dr. Fergus Ryan of the faculty of law in the Dublin Institute of Technology who prepared this specific amendment at my request.