Results 1,081-1,100 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I accept what the Minister says and I will withdraw the amendment.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 7: In page 16, lines 29 and 30, to delete ", as part of the offender's sentence," and substitute ", by way of a civil order following conviction,". This is an attempt to change the section because it seems to be wrong conceptually to categorise a post-release order as part of a sentence. Perhaps it was badly drafted. Will the Minister provide a response which would...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: The Minister seems to accept there is an issue in this regard as he said there is not too much between us but as Senator Bacik rightly said, the amendment was proposed in a constructive spirit. Despite what the Minister said it does not seem to sit particularly well to describe these orders as being "part of the offender's sentence". If the legislation was not being subjected to such a rush...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I move amendment No. 11: In page 19, lines 20 to 25, to delete all words from and including "if---" in line 20, down to and including "State." " in line 25. I am interested to hear what the Minister has to say about this amendment. The reason for this amendment is that it would appear to be permissible in international law to criminalise someone outside the State who directs the commission...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: On the basis of what the Minister has said, I do not propose to press the amendment. Amendment, by leave, with drawn.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I support the amendments tabled by Senator Bacik and endorse her arguments in support of the changes she wants to make to the Bill. It is important to reflect on the fact that when we were debating the use of the Special Criminal Court and the Minister's apprehension about the intimidation of jurors, we were critical that he did not seek to employ or appear to seek to employ any other means...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: The Senator did personalise the debate. It is on the record.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: It is not unfair.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I agree entirely with Senator Regan's comments. I see no reason Report Stage could not be ordered for tomorrow. Senator Regan is correct that this Bill has been rushed and there is no need for Members to do this as quickly as it has been suggested they must. I support Senator Regan in this regard.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: I agree with Senator Regan on one point, namely, that there was a very good discussion in the course of the day. The Minister was attentive, and I thank him on my behalf and on behalf of my party for his willingness to listen and to engage in the debate. However, part of our role in this House, and in any parliament, is not just to express our opinion but to have the ability to bring...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: That was very clear. With the Dáil in recess it was clear to everybody that this was the case and there is no point in anybody suggesting otherwise-----

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: -----because it is flying in the face of the truth.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Alex White: That having been said, it was an important debate. We carried out our duty as Members of this House to read, study and scrutinise the legislation as best we could. I said I was genuinely open to being persuaded but I do not believe the case the Minister made was sufficiently persuasive, particularly in regard to the core issue of the trials to be heard in the Special Criminal Court. I am a...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Alex White: In so far as Senator O'Toole is allowed to express his sadness at the loss of Senator Bacik to the Labour Party benches, I note with great pleasure that she has joined us on them. I am sure she will impress and prosper as much as she did on the other benches which, I notice, have been augmented by another Senator. We were not informed about that before the House met.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Alex White: I wish the Sinn Féin and Independent Senators well in the forthcoming session. Before we went away for the summer we were told three major reports would be published during the holiday period to which we should all pay attention, which we should all read, understand and be ready to debate when we returned to the House. They were the report on the outline of the legislation on NAMA which has...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Alex White: The Ministers, Deputies Ó Cuív and Cullen, do not like the report. The Tánaiste does not like it. When people come into the Gallery of this House, they wonder how Senators on the Government side very often make speeches that disagree with Government policy. I remind them that senior Ministers are making a laughing stock of their own Government. They are contributing further to what the...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Alex White: The Leader was not asked that question.

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Alex White: There are no doubts about what Senator O'Toole said, that the level of trust and confidence in politicians is at an all-time low. That is absolutely true. Any Member who is in contact with people - I am sure that is the case with all of my colleagues - must know that there is an unprecedented level of anger and frustration evident across all levels of society. The question of expenses is...

Seanad: Order of Business. (6 Oct 2009)

Alex White: It was the second highest "Yes" vote.