Results 61-80 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Appropriation Bill, 2002 [Certified Money Bill]: Second and Subsequent Stages. (12 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: We always aspire to being a little more raucous.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House. My life has not been the same for the past six months without our regular jousting in the other House but I am sure he is doing splendidly with my successor, Deputy Burton.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: The Government knew before the election.

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: Why cannot it be done by the central unit of the Minister's Department?

Seanad: National Development Finance Agency Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (17 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: Why can the unit not provide it?

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: It is appropriate that I should say at the outset that Labour Party Senators do not sympathise with any legislation that will create a fortress Ireland. The Minister is aware that I do not agree that immigration officers, who already have too much power, should be given additional powers to enforce a state of mind such as that represented by Deputy O'Flynn in the other House. It is a mistake...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: Like many others, he revels in such criticism as it plays into his hands.

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: It is a sad fact that people like Deputy O'Flynn are quick to gain political advantage from the unfortunate problems of others. It is clear that the Labour Party wishes to oppose the work of commercial traffickers – people who bring others across continents for significant financial gain – and it supports any measure that will bring an end to their activities. The amendment moved by...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: That is an appalling distortion, as I said nothing of the kind. I said that we were in favour of the principle of preventing criminal gangs from trafficking people across countries for gain. We are not against the idea but we are not in favour of enforcing a law which would oblige people to subject those whom they casually pick up, such as hitchhikers, to interrogation and to inspection of...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: I am not trying to cause devilment, but I am not clear on whom the primary liability falls or who the carrier is in any particular case. The definitions section defines carriers, including the owner, and then further defines "owner" to include part-owner, charter manager or operator. It is not unusual for ships or, for that matter, planes to have quite a complex pattern of ownership in which...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: It is not that simple. CityJet is owned by Air France but Servisair operates the check-in facilities and employs the ground staff in Dublin Airport. Who is responsible for checking the documentation? Is it Servisair, the airline or the owner of the aircraft?

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: I am capable of devilment but here I am genuinely trying to tease out what "carrier" means in the definition section of the Bill. The carrier is the person who is liable under section 2 of the Bill for the offences. Going back to the example, would Servisair, the owner of the aircraft or the operator of the aircraft be liable?

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: The Minister is saying that the people responsible for checking passports in Dublin Airport are not those who will be held liable, but the airline that owns the plane being boarded. I came back from Roscoff during the summer. There is a hut at the entrance to the port where passports are checked, or not, as happened to me. I presume the French immigration service or the police operate that...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: We might get far more valuable cargo than intended by the Bill if we were to implement checks on flights or vehicles coming from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: I would have thought that immigration officers already had legal power to require people to pass through particular channels or do particular things when they disembark from a ship. Perhaps the Minister might enlighten me about the basis on which they currently give such instructions or require people to behave in a particular way. What changes are we making?

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: I want to tease the matter out. I do not understand what is meant by the section. Is it suggested that the carrier is responsible for getting people from the ship to the point where their passport is checked? In Rosslare, that may be a couple of hundred metres. Why are we trying to impose such a responsibility on a ship owner?

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: That is the point. This imposes the same obligation.

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: He wants to make it again.

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: The point made by Senator Ryan is a good one. I am not altogether confident of the terminology of our amendment but it is more than reasonable to point out that subparagraph (c)already defines a difference and puts obligations on a carrier in respect of non-nationals. That in turn suggests that there is, therefore, a requirement on ship owners, for example, to distinguish a non-national from...

Seanad: Immigration Bill, 2002: Committee Stage. (18 Dec 2002)

Derek McDowell: So immigration officers already have the power to require people to go through a particular channel, for example, or to go onto a ship and inspect it?