Results 14,881-14,900 of 16,849 for speaker:Dermot Ahern

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (30 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I have been informed by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service that the application from the person referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department on 19th September 2008. A decision was reached in relation to the application and was communicated in writing to the person concerned on 5th March 2010. This correspondence was then returned to my Department undelivered. The...

Written Answers — Asylum Applications: Asylum Applications (30 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Arising from the refusal of her asylum application, and in accordance with the provisions of Section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999 (as amended), the person concerned was notified, by letter dated 7 February 2005, that the Minister proposed to make a Deportation Order in respect of her. She was given the options, to be exercised within 15 working days, of leaving the State voluntarily, of...

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (30 Jun 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I am informed by the Garda authorities that the location referred to is in Clontarf Sub-District. Local Garda management is aware of anti-social behaviour in the area, including at the location. I am further informed that local Garda management is not currently in receipt of complaints about the location. Any such complaints reported to An Garda Síochána will be subject to investigation....

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Order for Report Stage (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I move: "That Report Stage be taken now."

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I move amendment No. 1: In page 13, line 13, after "Partnership" to insert "and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants". On Committee Stage I accepted in principle a suggestion made by Deputy Flanagan in regard to the two distinct issues dealt with in this Bill. Amendment No. 1 will avoid creating the impression that the Bill encapsulates all law which applies to cohabitants. There...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: We are talking about a fairly narrow issue. I know some Deputies went into other areas in making their contributions. I thank Deputy Charlie Flanagan for offering to withdraw his amendment in preference to mine. First, I congratulate him on making it back to the Fine Gael Front Bench, despite all the circumstances.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I thank him for his co-operation in the last two years and I wish him well in his new post. Deputy Howlin quoted an academic who said it was unfortunate that these two issues are being dealt with in the one Bill. I would say it is fortunate that we are dealing with the two issues in the one Bill. Part 15 refers to the possible provision of a safety net for cohabiting same sex and opposite...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Ciarán Cuffe, said the Bill does not go far enough. The Bill is a fine balance, as is required by the Constitution, between the constitutional provisions that people be equal in the eyes of the law and that marriage be protected. Without a referendum, we must frame our law to meet the fine balance between those two, supposedly,...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Absolutely. It is a republic. I return to the statement my party issued in our manifesto when we proposed what we would do, based on our republican ethos and building on the agenda of equality to which we are committed. We said we would address these issues and that is what we did. I say, resolutely, to people who suggest there should be a freedom of conscience clause, that if we pass laws...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: The obligations are as per mandated by the court under the redress scheme. When people apply to court they will have obligations to each other, as ordered by the court. The obligations will be based on the orders of the court.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Deputy Howlin is right to say that a Pandora's box has been opened on this issue. Perhaps it is no harm that we get all these things out of the way, because we have a relatively small amount of time. It reminds me a bit of the Bill on stag hunting, when there was much debate about things that were not in the Bill. Exactly the same happened during the debate on the Criminal Justice...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: However, there is no doubt that the representations being made by others - not the registrars - was that there may be registrars who may have a difficulty. I listed out a number of possibilities. When we pass laws in the State, we expect our public servants to implement those laws to the letter without fear or favour under the Constitution. If there were people who decided that they were...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: In effect, that means that no church can be forced to have a ceremony on its sacred ground, its church property, which is used for religious purposes. The only way a church could be used is if the church applied to be registered and applied for approval by the HSE under the legislation. Anybody who suggests that gay couples will now take churches to court for the use of the church is a...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I wish to reply to a point raised by Deputy McCormack that I omitted to answer but, first, I wish to comment on Deputy Flanagan's last point. Thirty speakers contributed to the debate on Second Stage in this Chamber. There was a significant debate on this Bill in Committee, at which some members of the media were present, albeit from one or perhaps two newspapers, and RTE and others may...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No, I know what is in the Bill. We tabled an amendment on Committee Stage raising the period from three years to five years. In the case of a married couple, existing legislation provides that if the marriage breaks down immediately, there is an entitlement immediately for one partner to apply to the other for maintenance. If the marriage breaks down immediately, there is no period before...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: No.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Yes, maintenance. That is what we are talking about in the redress scheme. The redress scheme does not interfere with any succession rights, per se, because the two parties are alive when the application is made.

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: Neither I nor the Government wish to pass legislation that is subject to a time limit within which it may not be possible to deliver the benefits that flow from this Bill in regard to social welfare and taxation provision. Both the Department of Finance and the Department of Social Protection have been working on the template for what is required. I understand the work of the Department of...

Civil Partnership Bill 2010: Report and Final Stages (1 Jul 2010)

Dermot Ahern: I move amendment No. 4: In page 13, lines 20 and 21, to delete "Social and Family Affairs" and substitute "Social Protection". Amendments Nos. 4 and 5 are technical amendments which insert the correct titles of the relevant Departments.