Results 861-880 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: There is continuing controversy on this question, which I do not propose to pursue further on this occasion, but I reserve my right to return to it on other occasions as it seems likely to arise again.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: I adopt the arguments of my colleague, Senator Coffey, and I do not wish to add too much more to what he stated other than to reflect on the contradiction in terms with regard to what the Minister of State said earlier. He stated that the basis for the pension levy or at least the population of persons to be captured by the pension levy are those who are members of public service pensions....

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: I did not indicate, but I am just as interested in the response to that insightful question.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following subsection: "(3) No deduction shall be made under this section in respect of a person whose remuneration is below €18,000 per year.". The amendment speaks for itself in seeking to exclude from the remit of the levy persons whose remuneration is less than €18,000 per annum. This issue also arose the last...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: The Minister of State's comments will not alter my views but I will not pursue this further.

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 7: In page 7, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following subsection: "(6) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, payments which are not reckonable for pension purposes are not to be liable for pension levy deductions under this section.".

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)

Alex White: Senator O'Toole makes an excellent point about the need to review the level of regulation. As has been pointed out before, this House may have a peculiarly important role to play in that regard. I have a proposal to make to the Deputy Leader which we might consider in the coming weeks. It occurred to me in the context of the publication yesterday of a report entitled National Integrity...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)

Alex White: The report is not all negative and is not an attack, nor does it lack balance. It notes that progress has been made in preventing petty corruption, especially in regard to public matters, and grand corruption, which we have addressed through various tribunals. However, the report also notes with regret that what it describes as legal corruption continues to exist. It states: While no laws...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)

Alex White: Important public bodies should not escape unscathed. It would be valuable if we could find an opportunity to examine the media in a manner which does not seek to demonise or attack people. At a time of significant public concern and fear, there is an extraordinary amount of opinion but very little analysis in the media. These Houses can be accused, perhaps fairly, of a similar failing but...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 1: In page 16, subsection (1), line 5, after "text" to insert "in the English language". This could essentially be described as a drafting amendment. It seeks to amend the section that deals with the interpretation of the term "Hague Convention". The Bill states: "Hague Convention" means the Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in respect of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I may be responsible for taking us down the road of that perhaps not significantly helpful analogy as between the Irish and English languages if an issue arises in terms of what the Constitution means. The point we are making in this amendment is a somewhat narrower one, that if one refers to the Hague Convention in the interpretation section of the Bill, it states: "Hague Convention" means...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I am grateful to the Minister of State that it will be looked at again. I may have taken us down something of a siding on the interpretation point. I accept what the Minister of State says. There is an issue about the version of the convention to which we should have regard and I agree it would clearly be the English version. This, however, is more of a drafting amendment and does not...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I will withdraw the amendment on the basis that the Minister of State has said he will look at the issue again.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 2: In page 16, line 30, after "Convention" to insert the following: "and includes an adoption from a country other than one a party to the Hague Convention or a bilateral agreement if the Authority considers that the adoption can be effected from a third country in a manner compatible with this Act". This issue that arises from widespread concern expressed by those with...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I also welcome the commitment the Minister of State provided in respect of the draft agreement with Vietnam. He indicated that he has informed the various interested bodies with regard to this matter. It is good that he should do so. As recently as yesterday morning, one of the organisations in question, the International Adoption Association, IAA, did not appear to have been informed of...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I am sure the Minister of State will contact the IAA because he is aware of its interest in and the amount of work it has carried out in respect of this matter. The Minister of State indicated that there has been a lengthy period of consultation in respect of the legislation. There is no doubt that this is the case. It would appear that such consultation was extremely meaningful,...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: This week.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: I will reserve my position for Report Stage so I will not press the amendment at this point. I ask the Acting Chairman for clarification as I am still a relative rookie. We were dealing with amendments Nos. 2, 14 and 50, and perhaps I was expected to address Nos. 14 and 50 at the same time, but they have not been called yet.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: It is amendments Nos. 14 and 50.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Alex White: The Minister might have anticipated amendment No. 14 in some of his remarks a few minutes ago, but it is a considerably different proposal to that made in amendment No. 2, which had to do with a third category of possible inter-country adoptions. I will not press that amendment at this stage but reserve my position for Report Stage. Amendment No. 14 is a proposal akin to a grandfather...