Results 3,161-3,180 of 3,550 for speaker:Dominic Hannigan

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, after line 40, to insert the following: "(2) This Act applies to humanism as it applies to religion.". While the Labour Party tabled this amendment on Committee Stage, it withdrew it because there also was a reference to cults. I have resubmitted it to state "This Act applies to humanism as it applies to religion." The Minister of State will be aware that...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I appreciate that.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I appreciate the comments of my colleagues from both sides of the House. I am disappointed that the Minister of State will not accept this but I will not press it.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 8: In page 11, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: "(b) the promotion of human rights,". This relates to the promotion of human rights. It is a slightly different wording than that of my party's amendment last week. This would give the same definition that is included in other jurisdictions such as England and Wales where, in both cases, the protection and...

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: Members feel strongly about the failure to accept these amendments. Those on the Opposition benches have been approached by organisations such as FLAC, Amnesty International and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties in respect of this matter. Senators on this side have posed questions, as has Senator Boyle on the Government side. I agree with the latter in that there is a large hole in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: Yesterday, the credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded its risk assessment in respect of Irish banks. The agency is particularly concerned with regard to economic conditions for small businesses and stated that, while our guarantee in respect of the banks addressed short-term liquidity problems in the Irish market, it failed to take account of long-term issues. Will the Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: Steady on.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Admissibility of Evidence) Bill 2008: Second Stage (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I welcome the Minister to the House. I commend the Fine Gael Senators on introducing this Bill to the House. It shows their concern for the criminal justice system and their knowledge that it is facing incredible pressures at every level. The Labour Party supports their well-intentioned motives which are firmly directed at improving the lot of the innocent in society and the victims of...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: From recollection, the measure to which the Minister of State referred in section 31 operates on a temporary basis. I accept what he said in regard to section 34(2), that a local authority can enter into an agreement to receive payment by instalments. I accept Senator Callely's implication that the instalments could be set at a low level. I would prefer if the amendment was accepted in its...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 39: In page 37, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: "(2) This Part also applies with necessary modifications to a dwelling provided by an approved body and constructed prior to the commencement of this Part.". When we debated this on Committee Stage, I had the impression that the Bill took account of what I was trying to achieve. With regard to the...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: We can set down in law the procedure by which one could purchase the house in which one resides. I do not understand why my provision must be excluded but I will not press it.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I accept we cannot force the owners to sell them but we could make allowances in the legislation.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 40: In page 38, to delete lines 3 to 7. We debated this issue on Committee Stage. While we accept issues arise in respect of management fees for apartments and that the inclusion of apartments in the incremental purchase scheme would give rise to difficulties, we do not accept those difficulties cannot be overcome. We received promises from various Ministers in recent...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government also has a role to play in addressing the issue of management companies. I will not press my amendment but I put the House on notice that I will not let up on the issue. I would like the scheme to be extended to tenants in apartment blocks.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I should also like to thank the Minister of State for introducing this Bill. My party is very positive about it and we believe it has great potential as regards benefiting not just current tenants, but people on waiting lists as well as the homeless. On the whole, we welcome the Bill. We are pleased the Minister of State has accepted a number of our amendments. We would have liked to him...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I am not pressing my amendment.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 31: In page 25, between lines 28 and 29, to insert the following: "(i) procedures for supporting tenants who fall into rent arrears designed to assist them in sustaining their tenancy.". The purpose of this amendment is to put in place measures to support tenants who have fallen into arrears in respect of rent, to assist them in getting out of those arrears and as such to...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: On a point of clarification, as Senator McCarthy is jointly proposing this amendment, is he not entitled to speak again?

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I fail to see how the amendment could be considered in any way vague. I am glad to hear the Minister of State intends to re-examine the issue. Some time has passed since it was first raised and this is the first time the proposal has been described as vague. I am unhappy with the Minister of State's response and I believe the matter could have been dealt with in this House.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Report and Final Stages (10 Dec 2008)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 33: In page 34, after line 49, to insert the following: "(5) Where exceptional circumstances arise such that arrangements under section 34(2) cannot be put in place without causing undue hardship, a housing authority may cancel the obligation of a household to pay part or all of the moneys referred to in that section.". This amendment relates to the amount of money owed...