Results 21-40 of 2,414 for speaker:Fintan Warfield

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the Minister to the House. The Supreme Court recently found that the laws limiting the electorate for the Seanad university panels are unconstitutional so the Oireachtas must legislate to expand the franchise. I commend Tomás Heneghan and FLAC on taking this landmark case to the Supreme Court. The judgment represents an opportunity for much-needed root and branch reform of...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: This was by a Taoiseach who you would swear did not set out the terms of reference. You would swear he did not even write them. I have the transcript of the debate on 13 February 2019, in which Deputy Varadkar answered questions tabled by Deputies Mary Lou McDonald and Brendan Howlin. Most jarring of all is the then Taoiseach's response.He starts outlining constitutional problems with the...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the Minister of State and his officials. Sinn Féin will support the Bill. However, in our view, the energy credits for which it makes provision do not go far enough. The fact remains that householders are still paying almost 60% more for their electricity and 90% more for their gas than they did in December 2020 prior to the eye-watering and intense increase in energy costs....

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 6: In page 8, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following: “(3) Electricity suppliers shall remove any arrears limits placed on pre-pay meters until the Minister directs otherwise.”. This amendment speaks to increasing protections for prepay customers who might be faced with arrears limits, which, in many instances, result in situations in which...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 7: In page 8, after line 41, to insert the following: “Review by electricity supplier 6. (1) Where an electricity supplier refuses to make an electricity costs emergency benefit payment then the final customer may request the electricity supplier, on or before 30 June 2025 to review its refusal. (2) The request under subsection (1) shall state the reasons why...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I will press the amendment.

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 10: In page 14, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “Reporting 14. (1) The Minister shall, within 12 months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the application of the No. III Scheme and the submeter support scheme to address high electricity costs. (2) The Minister shall, within 12 months of this...

Seanad: Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I withdraw the amendment. I appreciate the Minister’s commitment.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: Regarding Government amendments Nos. 252 to 256, inclusive, which allow for philanthropic or charitable organisations to advertise on on-demand services, social media services and other media, it is fair to say this is the result of pressure that has been applied as the Bill has progressed through the Houses. Thankfully, these amendments have been made to avoid punishing sports clubs and...

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the Minister of State. What this Government has failed to acknowledge, much less address, is that forced emigration is back for the young people of Ireland. Many have already left, while many more are considering emigrating or planning to do so. In the past year, 10,600 people emigrated to Australia alone, an increase from 4,700 in the previous year. They are leaving, not...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am glad amendment Nos. 39 and 40 are being considered together. Both aim to address issues raised by charitable organisations and sporting bodies. They are concerned about the impact the Bill will have on their fund-raising. Our amendments are comprehensive and give a role to the regulator in deciding what is a relevant body. They also...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 40: In page 21, between lines 30 and 31, to insert the following: “Non-application of Act 3. (1) This Act does not apply to gambling activities carried on, by or on behalf of any organisation: (a) that is a registered charitable organisation under the Charities Act 2009; (b) that has a charitable or philanthropic purpose, which shall be construed in...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 47: In page 25, between lines 9 and 10, to insert the following: “(4) In appointing the members of the Authority, the Minister shall have regard to the objective of there being no fewer than 1 member with lived personal experience of harmful gambling behaviours.) "(5) In appointing the members of the Authority, the Minister shall have regard to the importance...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I appreciate the Minister of State's response but Sinn Féin wants to see a member of the board of the new Gambling Authority who has personal experience as a gambler or of harmful gambling behaviours. That is important. We do not have confidence it will happen without the amendment, which is why we want to put it in.

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 56: In page 26, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “(s) participating in the revision of the money laundering/terrorist financing risk assessment as it relates to gambling biennially in collaboration with the Anti-Money Laundering Steering Committee, liaising with An Garda Síochána, the Revenue Commissioners, and any other relevant...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 60: In page 28, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(4) The Office of Government Procurement and the Authority shall produce an annual report, to be laid before the Oireachtas, detailing any and all activities under this section.”

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (26 Sep 2024)

Fintan Warfield: I move amendment No. 70: In page 38, between lines 12 and 13, to insert the following: “34. The Authority shall be subject to section 6 of the Freedom of Information Act 2014.” This is a short amendment. We are not 100% sure that this does not automatically happen. It is to be absolutely certain that the authority would be subject to FOI in the interest of transparency....