Results 13,621-13,640 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Immigrant Investor Programme (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Immigrant Investor Programme and the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme were opened for applications in April 2012. Since then, the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service have received 28 applications for the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme and 10 Applications for the Immigrant Investor Programme. Fourteen applications have been approved under the Start-up Entrepreneur Programme,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Spent Convictions Legislation (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012 is awaiting Report Stage in the Dáil. It has passed all stages in the Seanad.The Bill is intended to work in harmony with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. However, elements of that Act concerning the disclosure of convictions are under review at present having regard to a recent judgment of the UK...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Subsidiary Protection Applications (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The necessary legislative provisions to implement the new arrangements are in preparation in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, and they will be put into operation as soon as possible. Further details are available on the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) website - www.inis.gov.ie and these will be kept updated as developments occur.

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Departmental Properties (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: An encroachment generally arises when a person, club, company etc. wish to have use of Department of Defence property on an ongoing basis. Encroachments are governed by a Licence Agreement which states the conditions under which the Minister (Licensor) allows the encroachment. Licences are generally reviewed on an annual basis. Charges are currently levied in respect of one hundred and twenty...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Disability Act Employment Targets (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The target for my Department, including all agencies and bodies, regarding employment of persons in the special category with disabilities is 3%, in line with Government policy. The target of 3% has been achieved. Based on the most recent returns, we currently have 50 employees with a disability, as defined in the Disability Act 2005, serving in my Department and subsidiary offices. This...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Military Service Pensions (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The Military Service Pensions Act 1934 (the 1934 Act) provided for a Referee, assisted as required, by an Advisory Committee to investigate and report on all applications referred to them by the Minister for Defence under the Act. The findings of the Referee were final, conclusive and binding on all persons and tribunals whatsoever and could only be reopened on the ground that evidence not...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Common Foreign and Security Policy (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: The European Council meeting in December next will include, for the first time in five years, a thematic discussion on defence issues. The European Council will discuss three clusters of issues. These are (a) increasing the effectiveness, visibility and impact of CSDP; (b) enhancing the development of defence capabilities; and, (c) strengthening Europe’s defence industry. As part of...

Written Answers — Department of Defence: Naval Service Vessels (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: In consultation with the Naval Service, the Department of Defence recently sought expressions of interest from qualified persons who could assist the Department with the sale of L.E. Emer and L.E. Aoife following the decommissioning of both vessels. The closing date for the receipt of such expressions of interest by the Department is tomorrow Thursday 23 May 2013. Following the deadline for...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Unlicensed Money-Lending) Bill 2013: Second Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I would like, at the outset, to express my appreciation to Senator MacSharry for publishing the Criminal Justice (Unlicensed Money-Lending) Bill 2013. The Senator has, through this Bill, put on the agenda once more the important issue of illegal moneylending. Responsibility for legislation on the regulation of moneylending and the prohibition of illegal moneylending lies with the Ministers...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Deputies for tabling these amendments as it gives us an additional opportunity to tease out the Bill. I am afraid I am not willing to accept amendment No. 1 for a number of reasons. It attempts to replace the carefully worded proposal contained in the Bill with a much broader proposal, which seeks to substantially rewrite the relevant provisions of the Personal Insolvency Act...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I will come to that.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: We are in the process of preparing one on which we have done a certain amount of work and we need more time.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I will start with the issue Deputy Donnelly raised. Very careful consideration was given to what the period should be. One could argue for two months, three months or four months. There are a range of possibilities. A number of issues were factored into the two month period. It is important that people do not find themselves in a position where repossession proceedings are issued if...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is one of the things that should be there. I do not think we should require that all loans are like that but I personally would like to see our financial institutions offering non-recourse mortgages as a product. That would guarantee responsible lending right into the future. Of course, the banks cannot be blamed for all of it. There were many people who individually borrowed way...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I will conclude on this. In the context of amendment No. 7, it was something that was suggested during the debate on the Personal Insolvency Bill. I cannot accept the amendment, however, because I do not think the courts could properly impose on mortgagers the costs of a personal insolvency practitioner. For example, the personal insolvency practitioner may well, having consulted with the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: Let us consider this matter carefully for a moment. What is terribly important is that debtors are not misled as to the practical possibility of entering into personal insolvency arrangements. One of the ways of ensuring that PIPs will be experts and will put forward practical proposals - they will put forward only proposals which are practical - is that they will not be paid unless the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: There obviously will be people who will consult PIPs and for whom, because of the genuine difficulty of their financial circumstances, personal insolvency arrangements will not be a practical possibility. The only real option for them may well be bankruptcy. That will go beyond the issue of simply repossessing the family home. A well-trained PIP who is familiar with the workings of the...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I do not know if I am on or off.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: A little bit of silence would be a good thing. If only I was not being obliged to run around the Houses to deal with so much legislation today. This is the second Bill with which I have dealt today and there is a third with which I must deal later. First, there are no moneys available to create a central fund. Second, we must wait to see how the insolvency legislation will work in...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Committee Stage (22 May 2013)

Alan Shatter: I do not know whether Deputy Donnelly wishes to speak to amendment No. 5 as well, because we are taking them together.