Results 1,621-1,640 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Perhaps they could be displayed at the Fine Gael Ard-Fheis rather than the extensive reviews and sentencing promises of Deputy Kenny. As I mentioned earlier, the steering committee, in reviewing sentencing systems, worldwide identified those of Scotland and New South Wales as the most relevant to our situation. In this regard, New South Wales has a judicial commission whose major function is...

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: They alone can take all the circumstances in a particular case into account and the Courts Service board has put in place a highly skilled committee to look at sentencing. If Deputy Jim O'Keeffe examines the impressive membership of this committee, he will agree the Minister should await the conclusion of its work before coming to decisions on the issue which is the subject matter of Deputy...

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The problem with the narrow approach mentioned by the Deputy is that it does not address the issue of the protection of young men as well as young women.

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It could pose constitutional problems.

Courts (Register of Sentences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have secured the agreement of the Department of Education and Science in excluding all those categories of persons from that area.

Written Answers — Child Support: Child Support (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, there has been great interest from the public regarding the Early Childcare Supplement, and a number of Questions have been asked in this House about the arrangements for this payment. The payment has also been the subject of a large number of telephone queries, both to my Office, and to the Department of Social & Family Affairs which will be administering it on...

Written Answers — Adoption Services: Adoption Services (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Deputy has raised a number of matters which relate to legislation currently being drafted to update the arrangements for adoption in Ireland in line with best practice, current administrative arrangements and Ireland's commitment to the ratification of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation on Intercountry Adoption. I will first outline the current...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (30 May 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy's Question no 72 dated 27th April 2006 related to the delivery of health and personal social services my Department, as indicated in my reply, asked the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Health Service Executive (HSE) to reply directly to the Deputy. My Department has been informed by the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the HSE that a direct reply was furnished to the...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (1 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The participation of women in the Irish labour force has risen dramatically in recent years, from 40.1% in 1994 to 55.8% in 2004, and this trend is continuing alongside record numbers in employment. The CSO study "Women and Men in Ireland 2004" provides an interesting picture of how women's role in the labour force is changing and how this pattern may continue to develop as older age women...

Written Answers — Social Welfare Benefits: Social Welfare Benefits (1 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Early Childcare Supplement, or ECS, was introduced in Budget 2006. The scheme is under the remit of the Office of the Minister for Children. The administration of the scheme is being undertaken by the Department of Social & Family Affairs, on an agency basis. The scheme is a universal one and all parents or guardians of children up to six years of age are eligible. It is expected that...

Written Answers — Child Care Services: Child Care Services (1 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: As the Deputy will be aware, I have responsibility for the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 — 2006 (EOCP) and the National Childcare Investment Programme 2006 — 2010, which are being implemented by the newly established Office of the Minister for Children. With regard to the application for capital grant assistance under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000 —...

Written Answers — Health Service Staff: Health Service Staff (1 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The first part of the Deputy's question relates to the management and delivery of health and personal social services, which are the responsibility of the Health Service Executive under the Health Act 2004. Accordingly, my Department has requested the Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Executive to arrange to have this matter investigated and to have a reply issued directly to the Deputy....

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Would the Deputy have implemented those recommendations?

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to share time with the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Deputy O'Donoghue, and the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Hanafin.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The point of departure in this debate must be what we have all heard in recent days, namely, the voices of the large number of victims of sexual crimes who live in our country and their relatives and close friends and the pressure and trauma they are put under as the result of the repeated public discussion and debate about these matters. All Members owe a duty to these individuals. During...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Perhaps the Deputy does not like what she is hearing but the matter is being determined in the context of Article 40 proceedings.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I assure the Deputy I am very conscious of my obligations as Minister for Children.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am very conscious of them. Deputy Kenny will have to improve his performance, however, because he has indicated on the floor of the House — not once but twice — that the Government bears direct responsibility for any such release.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The responsibility rests with the courts and any potential Taoiseach should know the precise division of responsibilities in this State between the courts and the Oireachtas.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2006: Second Stage. (2 Jun 2006)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: He has shown himself to be ignorant of it but did that to get a cheapsoundbite on national television.