Results 2,481-2,500 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: It has been suggested there is an administrative difficulty with the amendment. I see no potential difficulty in filling in forms. One should merely have a box to tick indicating whether one is married, divorced, single or in a civil partnership. We have left in the phrases "civil partnership" and "marital status" specifically because we want to retain the phrase "marital status" in the...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I asked a question-----

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: If I am allowed to continue, the Senator will see how it is relevant.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: Absolutely. The removal of the phrase "marital status" is the source of concern, as I indicated to the Minister in writing in December 2008. My specific inquiry concerned the implications of removing that phrase, given that the European Court of Justice had a remit to consider anti-discrimination measures. Therefore, as a result of what we were doing in this Bill, we could be landed in a...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: It relates specifically to a concerns which has motivated us in tabling the amendments before us and show why we feel so strongly about the issue. We are concerned about the implications of removing the phrase "marital status" in the Acts mentioned, particularly the Equal Status Act. I have not received clarification in that respect. My second point relates to the importance of marriage...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: With respect, I did not suggest that.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I never made that suggestion.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I never said that. What the Senator is stating is a misrepresentation of what I said.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: By all means, let us be absolutely honest. In such circumstances, the Senator should not misrepresent what I said.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I do not want to be misrepresented. I have had enough of that in respect of this issue from Members on this side and on the other side of the House.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: The Senator got it wrong; she misunderstood what I said.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: What about the issues I raised in the letter I sent to the Minister?

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I am not questioning the Minister's bona fides. He knows me well enough to know that I am a straight talker. We tabled an amendment which, despite what anyone might say, is inconsequential to the interests of people who are in same-sex relationships who want to enter civil partnerships. There is no way the amendment could denigrate the position in this regard. However, the amendment...

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: Just one second.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I want the Minister to clarify the position in respect of this matter and indicate whether we have moved beyond the issue of family law, with regard to which the European Court of Justice had no jurisdiction. What will be the effect of this section on the Equal Status Act as a result of the removal of marital status? This is a matter of genuine concern.

Seanad: Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (7 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I move amendment No. 11: In page 19, line 26, to delete " "civil status" for "marital status" " and substitute the following: " "marital status and civil partnership status" for "marital status"".

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: I support the calls for a debate on the national development plan. It is important that we focus on such issues because they impact on the provision of infrastructure and competitiveness in general and, as was said, are significant in terms of employment creation. As someone who has supported the Government on the challenges faced and the difficult decisions it has been brave enought to...

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: It is absolutely typical.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: Many respected Members of this House, namely, Senators Ó Murchú, Mullen, Ross and others, have consistently called for free votes in the House on issues of conscience. Speaking to Members privately, others share that view. We should move towards that approach in debates where people's consciences are engaged.

Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Jul 2010)

Jim Walsh: The rigid adherence to the Whip system tends to some extent to bring politics into disrepute.