Results 901-920 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

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

Frances Fitzgerald: It still has not been sent.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: It is going this week.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am sorry; I missed that.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: This Bill, which deals with the Hague Convention, is in the Seanad, but at the same time the Minister is trying to finalise an agreement with Vietnam which has not yet been sent to the Vietnamese Government. It is a reasonable point to make that it would have been preferable if this had been dealt with before the legislation came in.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I am glad to hear the Minister of State does not have any difficulty with resources. I hope that means he will be able to make progress on the Russian and Ethiopian agreements.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: The point about amendment No. 50 is that the Minister, in section 81, is already allowing for some exceptions which are deemed necessary. The amendment does not, for example, create a right to adopt where a person or couple have previously adopted from a non-contracting state. Rather, as I said earlier, it provides for the making of an exception where the authority deems it required or...

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

Frances Fitzgerald: It was not discussed.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Amendments Nos. 14 and 50 have not been put.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: We have moved on to amendments Nos. 3 and 20.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: However, amendments Nos. 14 and 50 were not called.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: They have been reached. We just discussed them.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: I understand. It was my mistake and I apologise for it.

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

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes.

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: We have seen dramatic changes in Irish society over the years. Until 1972 women had to leave the public service if they got married. I agree with Senator Norris's remarks on former Deputy Máire Geoghegan-Quinn coming into the Houses and decriminalising homosexuality, an act that displayed great political courage. It was an extraordinarily brave action in the political context of the time....

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I welcome the Minister of State's response to the issues that have been raised. The facts that he set out in regard to fostering are valuable because they have not previously been published. The more such information is made available to the public, the better. To take up Senator Mullan's comments on the Mrs. Gill situation and mechanisms for a legal framework around that contact, perhaps...

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: In spite of us.

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: I move amendment No. 5: In page 20, paragraph (b), line 30, after "effect" to insert the following: "stating that she has been fully counselled as to the effect of her decision, that she understands the effect of her decision and that she has made her decision freely". There are some good points in this section which deals with the "Explanation to mother or guardian as to effect of adoption"....

Seanad: (4 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Some of us might not agree that progress has been made. Progress reported; Committee to sit again.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yesterday we heard the "B" word, "budget", from the Taoiseach for the first time when he acknowledged a new budget was needed, but we still have not heard the "A" word, apology. Like any addict or person in rehabilitation, the Government must first apologise and accept the mistakes it has made. It is important the Taoiseach acknowledges some responsibility for the role he and his Government...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Mar 2009)

Frances Fitzgerald: The Taoiseach ought to accept some responsibility. If one wants to find the solution to the economic problems in the country, one has to accept mistakes were made here. The Opposition had a limited briefing on the economy at the Department of Finance yesterday. The House called for a meaningful debate before the new budget is announced. It must be a meaningful debate with Ministers...