Results 6,721-6,740 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: It is an extraordinary privilege to comment on this Bill. I begin by remembering the vision, tenacious commitment and hard work of the former Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Alan Shatter, on this Bill, and on the milestone reform of family law that it represents. I acknowledge the Minister's extraordinary passion about getting the Bill right for the children and families of...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: The Minister has indicated her objective to facilitate as many non-marital fathers as possible to become guardians. However, I question whether it should be all non-marital fathers and why there is not a presumption for non-marital fathers. Why is that not the case? Fourth, the Bill obliges civil partners to maintain their civil partners’ children on the same basis as applies to...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: Could I have a further 30 seconds, please? There was some coming and going when I started. Why is full guardianship not the norm? If it were the norm, the Bill could also allow the court to grant a more limited form of guardianship in appropriate cases. I have concerns about sections 18 to 20 of the Bill relating to "retrospective recognition" of parentage of donor-conceived children...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: Where a person wishes to adopt his or her spouse's or civil partner’s child, why does the parent have to give up the child for adoption and adopt the child himself or herself? I have concerns and do not understand the rationale behind that. I would appreciate if the Minister would address that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Conveyancing Survey Results January 2015: Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (11 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the witnesses for their presentations. They mention in the survey the two primary reasons for delays seen by IPAV members. The role of solicitors is a primary cause of delay and it would seem that it is in this area that you make a recommendation for change. The second area concerns policy procedures by lending institutions. In my personal experience that side caused delays more...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Conveyancing Survey Results January 2015: Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (11 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I suppose that e-conveyancing could also support the momentum towards the use of modern communication. What Mr. Anderson is talking about is changing solicitors' behavioural practices and how to go about that. Does he have any recommendations on the policy procedures at lending institutions? As I read them, his recommendations primarily relate to what to do about the solicitors' practices...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Conveyancing Survey Results January 2015: Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (11 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: There is definitely a big problem there. I would hope that if there is some movement on e-conveyancing or the movement into the modern world in terms of communications, that would make a difference, but I am not convinced it would sort the issue. I am sure we have all gone through some of the banks' procedures, and they could be integral to solving the problem, as Mr. Davitt has identified....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Conveyancing Survey Results January 2015: Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (11 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: It is the behaviour of the banks.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (4 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. I appreciate the opportunity to have an exchange with her. However, with respect, I also draw your attention, a Chathaoirligh, to the fact that this is my third Commencement matter since the year began and I have not yet been able to get the relevant Minister or even the relevant Minister of State to respond to the matters I have...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (4 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister of State. I respect her views on the matter.I am happy that the Minister of State is willing to communicate my concerns to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. It appears, from what the Minister of State has said, that the Department will do the usual thing - namely, advertise in the national newspapers - with the local authorities being...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Register of Electors (4 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: -----of information to people. I thank the Cathaoirleach for bearing with me while I point out that some civil society organisations have found that the registration process is pretty confusing. It seems the Government does not have a sense of urgency about this issue and is not going to use innovative measures. I ask that the Government listen to my requests and support those who are...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Mar 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I rise to support Senator Paschal Mooney's call for an urgent debate to be arranged with the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs on childhood, child care, early education, the coherence of all of those issues and also costs. Therefore, I must disagree with my right honourable colleague on this side of the House, Senator Bacik, because we cannot wait and the issue is a matter of urgency....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: It is important that the witnesses have come before the committee today, and I thank them for being here. Deputy McGrath complimented Migrant Rights Centre Ireland on its work, and I thank Mr. Montenegro for bearing witness. I was a documented migrant for a number of years before I became a citizen, but I never felt threatened in terms of becoming undocumented. I felt that was because I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: Yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: That is helpful. The witnesses have two recommendations for action, one of which is directed to us to engage, appoint a rapporteur and compile recommendations. If we were to decide to do that, do they have any advice on who we should bring before this committee? Has other research been done in Ireland? Are they the only ones who have done that? They might comment on that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: Would the witnesses comment on their proposals and how they might interact with other schemes? They mentioned direct provision a few times in their presentation, and that is being reviewed, but how can we move forward with a regularisation scheme when there are all the other challenges in terms of the direct provision issue? Could they comment on that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Undocumented Migrants Living in Ireland: Migrant Rights Centre Ireland (25 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I would be in favour, in principle, of the witnesses' proposals for regularisation.

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister. I am delighted to have him respond and am hoping for a positive outcome, as he gave to Senator Brennan. I refer to the need for the Minister for Social Protection to re-evaluate the eligibility rules related to the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, maintenance grant for parents in full-time education who are no longer eligible to receive the one parent family...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: That is a very helpful response. I am most appreciative of that. I take it from that, first, that if they are mid-way through their education they can move automatically, as distinct from going through another assessment process.The second point that the Minister of State is saying loud and clear is that it is a matter for the Department of Education and Science and that it has amended its...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Student Grant Scheme Eligibility (18 Feb 2015)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister of State. He has been very helpful.