Results 761-780 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Public Hospital Land: Motion. (31 May 2006)

Jim Walsh: I fully support the amendment to the motion. It is not sensible for us to take a definite position on public versus private hospitals. Many of those who utilise the health services are working class people who pay private health insurance to access the health system. I fully agree that access to health care facilities should be on the basis of medical need rather than on ability to pay and...

Seanad: Supreme Court Judgment on Statutory Rape: Statements. (31 May 2006)

Jim Walsh: I welcome the Minister to the House for this debate and I very much welcome what he had to say. Members requested a debate on this matter yesterday morning and this morning and the Deputy Leader kindly acceded to that request. I am pleased that the Minister actually attended. I listened to Senator Cummins say that there were questions to be answered, but the substantive questions have all...

Seanad: Supreme Court Judgment on Statutory Rape: Statements. (31 May 2006)

Jim Walsh: On Friday at 2.30 p.m.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: I welcome the Minister and the provisions in the Bill, which are necessary to deal with implications of the Supreme Court decision. The court's conclusion that a young person who had sexual intercourse with a girl he genuinely believed to be over 17 should be allowed to put forward the defence of having made an honest mistake is quite right. That is reasonable and logical. The fact that the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: As I understand the amendment, the Senator seeks to add that any person who is more than five years older than the victim would be a person in authority. That might have the effect of diluting the position of those who have real authority, such as parents or guardians and close relatives of the victim and those acting in loco parentis, such as teachers and others in supervisory positions in,...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: We can expect that this subsection will be relied upon as a defence. Therefore, it will be tested severely. The Minister of State explained this issue in a very clear fashion earlier, but I would like him to comment on the last sentence, which states "The court will have regard to the presence or absence of reasonable grounds for the defendant so believing, and all other relevant...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed). (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: The arguments made in favour of this amendment are strong. On Second Stage, I proposed a variation approaching this amendment which suggested that section 3(9) should be extended to cover this category of person. It would encompass people who would be excluded from the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act 2001, the peer group suggested in the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed). (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: No, the Bill before us mentions a person from the peer group who is two years older than the victim. That group would not be subject to the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act. What I am saying is that the peer group should be in the category where the Director of Public Prosecutions would have discretion as to whether a person is prosecuted. Rather than provide a person with cover through...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (Resumed). (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: Section 3(9) states, "No proceedings for an offence under this section against a child under the age of 17 years shall be brought except by, or with the consent of, the Director of Public Prosecutions". In other words, it is not mandatory for the DPP to take a case. I am saying that it should be a child under the age of 17 years, or a member of the peer group referred to in the amendment, who...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: As Acting Leader, I propose an extension until 7.30 p.m.

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: On a point of order, the Leas-Chathaoirleach clearly put the question of a review at 7.15 p.m. to the Leader. That was agreed by the House 30 minutes ago.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Motion for Earlier Signature. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: I move: That pursuant to subsection 2° of section 2 of Article 25 of the Constitution, Seanad Éireann concurs with the Government in a request to the President to sign the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006 on a date which is earlier than the fifth day after the date on which the Bill shall have been presented to her.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Motion for Earlier Signature. (2 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: At 2.30 p.m. next Wednesday.

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: I concur with the comments of Senator Bradford. To its credit, the House sensibly focused on the serious issue before it last week, rather than succumbing to the temptation to play politics, as happens elsewhere. However, it is important that this spirit is maintained and I support Senator Bradford's call for a debate at the earliest opportunity. I have heard reports about measures which will...

Seanad: Order of Business. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: Since their establishment, new legislation has been introduced which allows these issues to be addressed in a more expeditious and less costly way and still be as effective. This is an important development. I am appalled to think that the tribunals will operate to a completely different standard to that of our courts. Hearsay evidence is not permitted in our courts. However, such evidence is...

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: Senator Ryan was logical enough up to his latter point.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: It is a cheap political shot——

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: ——often thrown out by the Labour Party.

Seanad: Housing Policy: Motion. (7 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: I remind Senator Ryan that the party which brought in Part V, which was probably the biggest imposition on developers that I have seen in legislation or, indeed, in taxation, came about through Fianna Fáil and the last Government. Therefore, his point does not stand up to any great scrutiny. The Minister of State, Deputy Noel Ahern, outlined the number of house completions in 2005 at 81,000....

Seanad: Order of Business. (8 Jun 2006)

Jim Walsh: With regard to the likely increase in interest rates of 0.25% or 0.50% this afternoon, given the robustness of our economy we probably should have had interest rate increases a number of years ago to curb inflation and cost increases. However, this issue is governed by the ECB, over which we do not have influence. There are areas, such as those mentioned by Senator Morrissey, where we should...