Results 4,821-4,840 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Yes, quickly. I thank Senators for their supportive comments. It was always my intention, after we published the Bill, and I think I said it in my speech, to give people an opportunity, particularly people who work in the areas and organisations with an interest in the areas, to come back to us with their observations on the provision. I am conscious of the need to provide a proper balance,...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I will ask the Courts Service to examine the matter.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Perhaps I can make a general comment. There is a series of different proposals contained in these amendments which have widened the scope of the Bill. I did signpost that we would do this on Second Stage. Much of what is being done is tidying up areas of law that need to be tidied up and addressing issues that have been long ignored. It has proved possible with the assistance of the...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The purpose of these drafting amendments is to improve the text of the provisions of sections 5 and 8 regarding orders that can be made by the court in regard to press attendance and reporting.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: The main purpose of these amendments is to insert a provision expressly requiring the court from making a decision regarding press attendance or reporting at family law or child care proceedings, to take account of the views of the parties to proceedings and any child to whom the proceedings relate. The need for this amendment was raised in a submission from the Children's Rights Alliance,...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: We are discussing amendments Nos. 1 and 74 to 76, inclusive, together. The purpose of amendment No. 1 is wonderfully simple, namely, to change the Short Title of the Bill to better reflect the content of the Bill in light of the amendments proposed on Committee Stage. As a consequence to the amendments being made to the Bill on Committee Stage, it is necessary to amend the Long Title to...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Following discussions with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, we have agreed that it would be appropriate for the change to the in camera rule provided in the Courts Bill also to apply to court proceedings under the Adoption Act 2010. The relevant proceedings would appear to be those provided for by sections 18, 30, 31, 49, 54 and 92 of the 2010 Act. Amendments Nos. 5 and 6...

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: This provides for the commencement of Parts 7 and 8 of the Bill, which are proposed to be inserted by subsequent amendments.

Seanad: Courts Bill 2013: Committee Stage (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Amendments Nos. 25 and 26 propose to insert a new Part 6 into the Bill which provides for the amendment of the Coroners Act 1962 and the Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 to provide for legal advice and aid in respect of certain inquests. As I mentioned on Second Stage, the Coroners Bill 2007, which has been restored to the Order Paper for this House, is in the course of being reviewed in my...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: That is effectively a nominal provision and we will have to see how it develops.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is not a new model.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: It is the HMG. I know from the discussions what is planned. I also know it is further assessing the need in that area.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Let me give the committee the update on that. One of the key initiatives in 2012 is to cater for the relocation of some 50 military personnel from Coláiste Caoimhín in Dublin to Newbridge. There are great benefits to be achieved by greater integration between the military and civil sides so there is greater connectivity. A spatial audit in Newbridge has been undertaken. Space has...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: No, it is not. When one is talking about connected, integrated government and the myriad other meetings which officials have to attend, including the Secretary General, I think the last Government thought it had discovered a manner of governing which the Romans discovered was a major error when they tried to disperse government around their empire, which subsequently collapsed. It was a...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: In the context of the property portfolio, the obvious ones which have to be properly maintained are all of the different barracks, which members will be familiar with. I will not delay the meeting by going through the list. It includes the naval base and Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel. In addition, a number of smaller properties are used by the RDF. The reorganisation of the RDF has...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: Civilian employees in barracks in 2012 numbered 593. The other number I gave earlier related to the number of civilian employees in the Department.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: I gave those figures to the Deputy previously. In 2011, the figure was 347.74. The 0.74 represents someone working part-time. In 2012, the figure is 349.55, meaning an increase of one and a half employees, in people terms, between 2011 and 2012.

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: First, let me deal with the naval side of things. I agree that what is going on in Haulbowline is fantastic. Commodore Mellett is doing a superb job down there. I visited the college very shortly after my appointment as Minister and spoke with many of the individuals involved in SMEs. It is something that I have particularly encouraged. We established something that did not exist when I...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: We are maintaining our equipment capabilities. One of the interesting issues being further considered on the civil and military side is the joint acquisition of equipment. If we go into to the market as the Republic of Ireland looking for equipment for our Defence Forces, we may only need 30 or 35 vehicles of a particular type. However, if another state such as Sweden or Finland, for...

Select Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Estimates for the Public Services 2013
Vote 35 - Army Pensions (Revised)
Vote 36 - Department of Defence (Revised) (26 Jun 2013)

Alan Shatter: In dealing with retirement issues in particular, they cannot be predicted when dealing with the numbers in the Defence Forces. The number is affected by the number who may retire but at the appropriate moment we engage in recruitment and there will be recruitment this year, most likely in the second half of the year, to maintain strength. By the time we get through September, we will have a...