Results 1,981-2,000 of 2,099 for speaker:Ivor Callely

Seanad: Visa Applications. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: However, there are another two children. The Refugee Act 1996 contains provisions which oblige the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to allow family reunification to certain family members of refugees, including a spouse and dependent children. This provision operates on the premise that, since a person who has refugee status is unable to return to his or her country through fear...

Seanad: Private Registrar Services. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: Births, stillbirths and Roman Catholic marriages are registered by the registrar of births, deaths and marriages for the district in which the event occurred, as provided in the Births and Deaths Registration Acts 1863 to 1996 and the Registration of Marriages Act 1863. As the Senator is aware the provisions of the new Civil Registration Act 2004, when introduced, will replace these...

Seanad: Schools Building Projects. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: On replying to the second Adjournment matter, I said I had provided two out of two. I am hoping to satisfy the House by giving it three out of three. I thank Senator McHugh for raising the matter of St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny, and for providing me with the opportunity to respond without using a script to some of his points. The list of summer work schemes has been published. These are...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: I thank all the speakers for their contributions on Second Stage. It is evident with regard to the threat to public health from tobacco consumption that there is strong support in the House for this important public health initiative. I listened with interest to the last few speakers and I have been monitoring the debate. Senator Burke indicated much concern about the Public health (Tobacco)...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: I also say to the Labour Party that in the recent past it also had the opportunity of having a Minister for Health. I would like to use one particular measure to endorse what I believe is the very strong commitment of Fianna Fáil-led Administrations since 1997 regarding the improvement of our health services. Two very good strategies have been introduced, in the cardiovascular and cancer...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: We have also gone from a figure of about 60,000 people employed in health to close to 100,000 people. We have the strategies and the personnel, and we have put the money in place.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: Having said all that, we are still not satisfied with the efficacy and the efficiencies within the health services.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: We have our health strategy and the implementation of the various reports that have been undertaken on behalf of the Department. We recognise that there are some difficulties in the provision of our health services, which is why we are again taking innovative steps to ensure that we will have a first class health service in place.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: I must address some of the comments made, fairly and squarely. From the responses I am getting, I think I might be hurting a little bit.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: It is important that people understand the genuine commitment of this Government to the improvement of our services. We will not be found wanting in regard to the improvements-——

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: ——we intend to put on our record. If one looks at the comparisons, they will certainly stack up in favour of this Government and its predecessor. Senator Ulick Burke asked if this legislation was just a piece of paper. We are a long way from that which is what he may want or what his party might have done in the past. Leaflets have been given out in schools, there has been a public...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: In a European context, we had some new ground to cover which created some delays. Concerns were raised about nursing homes, prisons, psychiatric hospitals and other locations which have been exempted. We then had to identify the most appropriate date for implementation which has now been agreed. Delays were not the fault of the Government. Senator Browne gave me a bit of a hard time but he...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: He was a friend of mine and we worked well together.

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: Senator Browne indicated that he was never a smoker. I am a former smoker and I am not that different from many other former smokers in that when I decided to give up cigarette smoking, I did not do so on my first attempt. It takes a number of attempts and it is quite difficult for those who are addicted. Giving up smoking is quite a difficult process and there are many failures. However,...

Seanad: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage. (4 Mar 2004)

Ivor Callely: I will try to clarify that issue for the Senator but my information is that they are being re-enacted on legal advice and were never commenced. Public health authorities in many countries have grappled with the problem of how to prevent people taking up smoking and how to get smokers to break their addiction once established. The introduction of the Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill is...

Seanad: Revenue Commissioners: Motion. (18 Feb 2004)

Ivor Callely: I apologise on behalf of the Minister for Finance, Deputy McCreevy, who would like to be here but cannot attend because he is taking Committee Stage of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2003 at present. I support the Government amendment, which highlights the Government's commitment to, and support of, the work of the Revenue Commissioners and their increasing...

Seanad: Revenue Commissioners: Motion. (18 Feb 2004)

Ivor Callely: That is a matter for the courts, not the Revenue Commissioners.

Seanad: Revenue Commissioners: Motion. (18 Feb 2004)

Ivor Callely: The Senator is somewhat selective in the figures he is quoting.

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (17 Feb 2004)

Ivor Callely: The development of services for people with Alzheimer's disease is based on the Action Plan for Dementia, published by the National Council on Ageing and Older People in 1999. Considerable progress has been made in service development since the publication of the report and, in each of the years since 1999, my Department has provided additional funding to psychiatry of old age — more than...

Written Answers — Care of the Elderly: Care of the Elderly (17 Feb 2004)

Ivor Callely: The policy of my Department regarding the care of older people is to maintain them in dignity and independence in their own home for as long as possible in accordance with their wishes. This policy was first enunciated in the care of the aged report, published in 1968, and confirmed in the report, The Years Ahead: A Policy for the Elderly, published in 1988. Numerous research studies have...