Results 6,981-7,000 of 7,082 for speaker:John Paul Phelan
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 4: In page 12, subsection (1), line 36, to delete "â¬500" and substitute "â¬250". I mentioned, when discussing amendment No. 1, that the figure of â¬500 is used in the Bill. This amendment is designed to question how or why that figure was arrived at. My understanding is that, in similar legislation dealing with dormant bank accounts, a figure of â¬100 or thereabouts...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, to the House. I am somewhat satisfied with part of what he has said. He noted that the Minister envisages the possibility of lowering the threshold in the future. We come back to the financial institutions that will be affected by this. I would imagine that many accounts, particularly older ones, would fall under the â¬500 threshold, and it...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I agree with Senator McDowell. The Minister of State mentioned a company which holds 500,000 small policies, a staggering amount. The purpose of asking questions is to ensure the money goes back to its rightful owners. While I accept that the Minister of State will speak to the Minister concerned, we require something more concrete.
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I concur with Senator Quinn. In my short time here he has been very consistent on the issue of communication via the most up-to-date technology. He has outlined the case very well. As the facilities are now available and more people are computer literate in the technological age, his amendment is entirely appropriate. I ask the Minister to accept it.
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 5: In page 13, subsection 3(b), line 11, after "policies" to insert "and the number of such policies". The Minister of State, Deputy Gallagher, stated earlier that one of the financial institutions holds 500,000 policies under the value of â¬500. In light of that startling figure it would be appropriate that any advertisement published would contain the number of...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: That is the reason for the amendment. We often do not pay too much attention to newspaper advertisements, but including an estimate would cause people to take more interest. They would then find out if they had an unclaimed policy themselves.
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 6: In page 13, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following new paragraph: "(f) thatâ
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I am somewhat reassured by the Minister of State's statement that the Minister for Finance is considering the matter. However, there is still rather loose terminology as to what consideration is really being given. In terms of cost effectiveness, to which the Minister of State referred in his reply, I believe it would be quite cost effective and very easily accessible to people. That has to...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 10: In page 18, subsection (3)(a), line 22, after "undertaking" to insert "in accord with regulations set by the Minister". I will be brief because I know you are anxious about the time, a Chathaoirligh. The wording in this subsection is too loose and the object of the amendment is to tighten it up. The subsection states "subject to any charges or deductions that may be...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I move amendment No. 11: In page 19, subsection (2), between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following new paragraph: "(f) the making of all reasonable efforts to identify unclaimed policies.". Section 17(2) states: Each insurance undertaking shall furnish a certificate of compliance to the regulatory authority, not later than one month after the end of each financial year, in the form and...
- Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I know it is only one amendment, but the idea of having Committee Stage and Report Stage on the same dayâ
- Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I support the calls by Senators Terry, Feeney and others for a debate on crime. I spoke to a lady yesterday who was mugged in daylight in New Ross last week. I know of another lady who suffered a similar fate the week before in Kilkenny.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: This is an important issue on which a debate was called for over several weeks. I urge the Leader to ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come into the House and debate this vital issue which is affecting communities throughout the country.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: Is that a question or a statement?
- Seanad: Order of Business. (5 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: A bit like the Minister for Finance.
- Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: There is no danger of that happening.
- Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)
John Paul Phelan: I thank Senator O'Toole for sharing his time and Senator Quinn for tabling this motion. I am glad the Minister of State, Deputy McDaid, has attended this important debate.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Dec 2002)
John Paul Phelan: It was electrocuted.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Dec 2002)
John Paul Phelan: I was at a council meeting in Kilkenny yesterday.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (17 Dec 2002)
John Paul Phelan: I am not talking about the dual mandate. An issue that arose at the council meeting is pertinent to the Seanad and I would like to mention it in the presence of the Leader. I am concerned about the standard of accommodation available to middle-aged and elderly single men. Many such people in Kilkenny and other parts of the country live in prefabs, which is completely unacceptable.