Results 7,041-7,060 of 7,359 for speaker:Katherine Zappone

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: Can I ask a question about that? The question is not necessarily related to cost.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: There is a reference in the new subsection (2B)(b), as inserted by section 11(e), to the relevance of the motivation of the person making the disclosure. However, section 5(7) reads: "The motivation for making a disclosure is irrelevant to whether or not it is a protected disclosure." One of the reasons we tabled the amendment is that these provisions are apparently contradictory. Perhaps...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: We will try again.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for that gracious response. While I will have a conversation with my colleague across the floor and we may do something later, I will not press the amendment now.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: We are only suggesting one more, not several more specifics.

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: Is that so?

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: The Minister stated that, while an abuse of an authority by a public official in relation to a disclosure issue is not specifically spelled out in the definition of relevant wrongdoings, in the event that it emerged that such an abuse may have taken place, he is confident that this would be protected in the legislation and that, moreover, he has received the advice of the Attorney General in...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Committee Stage (1 Oct 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I move amendment No. 1: In page 9, subsection (3), between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following: “(h) that undue influence is being exercised by a public official including but not limited to the exercise of such influence in relation to the administration of justice and the proper functioning of state organs,”.This amendment relates to the definition of wrongdoing and...

Seanad: Tackling Bullying in Schools: Statements (Resumed) (26 Sep 2013)

Katherine Zappone: What a great teacher Senator Moran must have been and how blessed her students must have been. Well done to her. Like other speakers, I am happy to welcome the Minister and compliment him on the work of the anti-bullying working group. As the Minister went through the steps, I remembered each of them. Many of the Minister's colleagues participated in this with him and I believe what he has...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister to the House. I want to begin by saying how brilliant it is to have the Bill before us today and to note, like my colleague, Senator Byrne, that it is being initiated in the Seanad. I commend the Minister for putting in place a significant plank of the political reform agenda that is contained in the programme for Government, and one I very much agree with. The...

Seanad: Protected Disclosures Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Katherine Zappone: Perhaps that is true, and perhaps the Minister could say a little more on that. I suggest that this level of cross-referencing in the Bill makes it very complicated to understand exactly what a protective disclosure is. By contrast, the UK's Public Interest Disclosure Act amended version lists all of the necessary information in one section. It also defines protected disclosure and the...

Seanad: SI 325 of 2012 - European Union (Quality and Safety of Human Organs Intended for Transplantation) Regulations 2012: Motion (20 Aug 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister of State for attending for this important debate. It is a proper gathering and we are taking our responsibilities as lawmakers seriously. I acknowledge Senator Daly's initiative in this regard. Important points have been raised in this debate. This issue should have been raised during Government business which is why I signed the letter to recall the Seanad both...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cúirt Achomhairc) 2013: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: We are fighting to wish the Minister a great rest and to thank him sincerely for his robust debate, for speaking the truth as he sees it, and for his commitment to access to justice. If that means at times that he speaks with gusto as well as guts, then so be it. I thank him and wish him a good rest.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Cúirt Achomhairc) 2013: An Dara Céim - Thirty-third Amendment of the Constitution (Court of Appeal) Bill 2013: Second Stage (24 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I welcome the Minister and commend him for bringing this Bill forward. It demonstrates great leadership and is another example of the Minister as a reformer. This is a tremendous opportunity for the people to choose "Yes" for access to justice. Like Senator O'Brien, I will certainly be campaigning for a "Yes" vote. As the Minister indicated, access to justice costs money but that has not...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Tuarascáil - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Report Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I am shocked by all of this. I know the Government had this big agenda for substantive Dáil reform to ensure a check and a balance when the Seanad goes, but the first set of ideas came out in a press release with the abolition Bill.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Tuarascáil - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Report Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I saw that press release. The second time I saw ideas being developed was on the Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton's website. When the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, came to the House on the abolition Bill, he expanded a little on those reform ideas. I have already spoken of what I think about those ideas, which is that I do not believe they are substantive enough, by any means, to...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Tuarascáil - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Report Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: The €10 million figure is there in black and white. The Seanad has been effective. We have put forward ideas for reform. As other colleagues have said, on every single amendment to try to include the possibility for reform to be put before the people, the answer is "No", "ruled out of order", "in conflict with the Bill" or "no way to get it in the Bill". The abolition Bill was not...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Tuarascáil - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Report Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: Is that not ultimately a waste of taxpayers' money? I cannot get any answer or an appropriate rationale for why the Government is doing it now.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Tuarascáil - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Report Stage (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I agree with my colleague, Senator Darragh O'Brien, that this is a sad evening, particularly in the light of the vote earlier. It did not make sense that we should not be given time to recommit the Bill. As Senator Feargal Quinn said, we were not able to debate and discuss many articles of the Constitution and, as matters stand, the people will now have to vote in the referendum without...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (17 Jul 2013)

Katherine Zappone: I thank the Minister for his presentation. Will he give us more information as to why there was such vehement opposition to the merger? The proposal has five components. Ireland will opt out of one of them, the merger. If, later in the negotiations, there is an agreement about the merger, will that influence the other components?