Results 2,001-2,020 of 3,623 for speaker:Ulick Burke

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I am concerned by the Minister's comment about vested interests. The appointees to the board should have equal status and work well under the direction of the chairperson. However, the chairperson, who will be designated by the Minister, could have a vested interest. How can the Minister be confident that the appointee will not have a vested interest? The Minister stated he or she will have...

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 4: In page 10, subsection (1), line 6, after "with" to insert "the residents in the Grangegorman neighbourhood,". Throughout Second Stage and the various contributions, both here and in the other House, there was widespread support for the idea that the residents in the immediate area of Grangegorman be consulted at every possible opportunity because of the impact of this...

Seanad: Grangegorman Development Agency Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: The functions of the agency are listed at section 9. Section 9(k) states that one of its functions is to arrange for a communications strategy that will include among those involved "residents in the Grangegorman neighbourhood". Section 12 also refers to communications and strategic developments. The residents are interlinked with the process. By omitting them from this section, we do them a...

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I support the calls that have been made for an urgent debate on the Tánaiste's decision on risk equalisation. It effectively means the Tánaiste is sanctioning a substantial increase in premiums to be paid by VHI subscribers, which will follow in quick succession on the increases of the past 12 months. The anticipated increase means that premiums will have increased by approximately 35% in...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: The amendments were never intended to stifle the commission in its work. They are intended to provide criteria whereby one can identify why certain people were called before it. There is a vagueness about the vast majority of the Minister's words and the terms used by Senator Fitzgerald like "most representative" and "allow the commission discretion". The complainants and the general public...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 5: In page 7, to delete all words from and including "but" in line 42 down to and including "abuse" in line 44. The Bill provides that an alleged abuser will only be identified if he or she has been previously found guilty in respect of an offence involving abuse. I ask the Minister to outline carefully the reasoning behind this change. The amendment will limit the...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: The main thing many of the abused persons wanted was a situation where the people who abused them had no hiding place but were brought out into the open and identified. At the time the Bill was on Committee Stage in the Dáil I heard people making submissions to the effect that they were frustrated and aggrieved that there was somebody out there who had abused them savagely but was still...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: Although I accept the ruling on amendment No. 7, how can Members get confirmation regarding the resources made available under section 6? What guarantee is there that the resources which are required in many different ways will be made available and the frustration of the past will not recur? That was the sentiment behind the amendment. It specifically mentioned the Taoiseach to reflect the...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No 11: In page 15, line 4, to delete "one year" and substitute "three months". The sentiment behind this amendment is to get the education board up and running in the shortest possible time. While certain steps must be carried out to facilitate its proper establishment, when the Oireachtas dealt with the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004, it agreed...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 14: In page 18, subsection (1), line 33, after "Finance" to insert the following: "and these employees shall be selected following an open selection procedure". This amendment seeks to ensure that a representative cross section of individuals can be considered for appointment, representing the different victims' groups, individuals and perspectives.

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: All the institutions and the residents of those institutions over the years have the opportunity, through this legislation, to tell their stories. Will the Minister agree there are other children who have been abused who do not have access to this structure to tell their stories and have redress? It is important that provision be made for day schools. I hope the Minister will see the merit of...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I too thank the Minister and her officials for the work they have done over such a long period. Since 1999 when the Taoiseach made the apology, the Department officials and various Ministers have worked hard to bring to a conclusion the hardship and the terrible trauma that so many people in this country experienced in the care of the State and in particular under the auspices of the...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, before section 3, to insert the following new section: "3.—References in the Principal Act to the Minister for Education and Science shall be construed as references to the Taoiseach.". I welcome the Minister to the House. On Second Stage yesterday, I acknowledged the fact that she had a very difficult task in taking over at a time when great difficulties...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: It is not fair to draw parallels between the commission and other inquiries and commissions because all the others are dealing with external matters. The difference in this case is that the Department is investigating itself, whereas the cases with which the Minister drew parallels do not involve internal investigations. The Minister has repeatedly stated that marvellous progress has been...

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I support this highly relevant amendment. Last night on "Tonight with Vincent Browne" there was a very good example of what we are discussing. A woman on the programme told how she was put into an institution as a child. She did not know why she was put into the institution at seven years of age or why she was then transferred from one institution to another. She had no idea of the reasons....

Seanad: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005: Committee and Remaining Stages. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I move amendment No. 3: In page 7, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: "(iii) where cases do not proceed to full inquiry this shall be on the basis of clear and objective criteria, decided in consultation with representative groups,". These amendments seek to secure clear information for the public. The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse must give victims the greatest...

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I ask the Leader to make an immediate request to the Minister for Finance to call on the Revenue Commissioners to indicate clearly the reasons they issued guidelines to lending institutions recently which constitute what can only be described as an assault on first-time buyers. It is difficult for young people to provide for their own homes without assistance from parents or other family...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: I ask the Leader to move the suspension.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: Amendments Nos. 26 and 27 are cognate to amendment No. 25 and they will be discussed together by agreement.

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Ulick Burke: Senators Quinn and Henry have also tabled an amendment similar to Government amendment No. 27, which has already been discussed with amendment No. 25.