Results 8,421-8,440 of 20,459 for speaker:Frances Fitzgerald

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I would say it will continue to be at the discretion of the court to consider the facts and the circumstances of individual cases.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously when the Bill was being drafted, careful policy consideration was given to all aspects of the development of the legislation, including this aspect but, obviously, the conclusion was that this would be an issue in the sense that because we do not have statutory provision relating to consummation there is no need to make an equivalent exception. That was the policy decision arrived...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank Senator van Turnhout and I acknowledge that this is an extremely well drafted amendment. I can confirm that the interdepartmental group has met and has been considering this issue. Under the law as it stands, as the Senator has said, it is normally an impediment to marriage if a party is under the age of 18. However, it is not an absolute impediment. Young people, as the Senator...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I thank the Senators who have contributed on this point, which I propose to address in some detail. This amendment proposes to amend the Pensions Act 1990 to allow access to the complaints mechanism set out in the Act, as amended. The context of this proposed amendment relates to certain circumstances in which people who have pensions do not have any associated survivor's benefit for a...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will raise it.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will communicate with my colleague on the points that have been made in this debate and will raise the issue with him. He is happy to do that because he has considered the matter extensively. He has not agreed to any change. He has outlined the position very clearly. Today is an historic day when I hope we will pass this legislation. I accept that issues arise in regard to the...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Under the law as it stands, a registered solemniser is not permitted to solemnise a marriage except in accordance with a form of ceremony approved by an tArd-Chláraitheoir. This is set out in section 51(3)(a) of the Civil Registration Act 2004. In the case of a religious solemniser, there is an additional criterion, which is that the form of ceremony must be recognised by the religious...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: No.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Yes, absolutely.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I will respond to Senator Walsh by saying the answer is "Yes." That clearly is the intention of the Bill. That is the meaning of the Bill, as I have made clear. The Bill could not be more clear in this regard, as it states "Nothing in this Act or any other enactment shall be construed as obliging ... a religious body to recognise a particular form of marriage ceremony for the purposes of...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Obviously. To take up some of the points made, I assure Senator Mullen that my officials met the Irish Council of Churches and obviously were happy to explain the legislation and, in particular, to clarify that nothing changes for religious bodies, religious solemnisers or religious ceremonies. Again religious marriage does not become gender-neutral. I also can confirm that an...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The legislation is clear. My attitude to the points the Senator makes has nothing to do with timing. I simply have told him that I consider them to be redundant. They are not needed because the Bill takes careful and meticulous account of the position of religious bodies and is completely respectful of the constitutional guarantee that each religious denomination shall have the right to...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: My officials met with the churches on 3 September.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: Today the Seanad made history by passing the Marriage Bill 2015. When the President signs the Bill into law, couples will have the right to marry without distinction as to their sex. Once the Bill commences, those who married in other jurisdictions will have their marriages recognised. When I sign the order, they will go from being regarded as civil partners in Irish law to married...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: A young gay man or woman will not feel the same pressure to conform to hide his or her identity. A young transgender person will not feel as nervous about the public aspects of transitioning. The decision of 22 May has sent a powerful message that homophobia is unacceptable to us. The decision has confirmed once again the vitality of our Constitution. To adopt a phrase from Lyndon B....

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: It has been a huge honour for me to bring this legislation before the House today. I thank all Senators for the fact that the Marriage Bill 2015 is about to be passed into law. Before I conclude, I would particularly like to thank staff of my Department who worked so carefully on this. I thank Dara Breathnach and Carol Baxter who join me here today, as well as Michael Holohan and Conan...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Strength (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will appreciate the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the distribution of personnel among the Garda Regions, Divisions, and Districts. Garda management keep this distribution under continual review in the context of crime trends and policing priorities so as to ensure that the best possible use is made of resources. The information regarding the number of Gardaí...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Domestic Violence Incidence (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: As the Deputy will be aware the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as the national statistical agency, is responsible for the publication of recorded crime statistics. In relation to the matters referred to, I have requested the CSO to provide the available statistics directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Residency Permits (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: I am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a right of residency in the State, accompanied by the right to work, based on parentage of an Irish citizen child in respect of the person referred to by the Deputy. I am also informed that INIS has recently developed a new application form for these types...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Garda Misconduct Allegations (22 Oct 2015)

Frances Fitzgerald: The particular case to which the Deputy refers is amongst those considered under the mechanism established for the independent review of certain allegations of Garda misconduct, or inadequacies in the investigation of certain allegations, which have been made to me as Minister for Justice and Equality, or the Taoiseach, or other public representatives with a view to determining to what extent...