Results 8,521-8,540 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White
- Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)
Alex White: I may be responsible for taking us down the road of that perhaps not significantly helpful analogy as between the Irish and English languages if an issue arises in terms of what the Constitution means. The point we are making in this amendment is a somewhat narrower one, that if one refers to the Hague Convention in the interpretation section of the Bill, it states: "Hague Convention" means...
- Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)
Alex White: I am grateful to the Minister of State that it will be looked at again. I may have taken us down something of a siding on the interpretation point. I accept what the Minister of State says. There is an issue about the version of the convention to which we should have regard and I agree it would clearly be the English version. This, however, is more of a drafting amendment and does not...
- Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)
Alex White: I will withdraw the amendment on the basis that the Minister of State has said he will look at the issue again.
- Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)
Alex White: I move amendment No. 2: In page 16, line 30, after "Convention" to insert the following: "and includes an adoption from a country other than one a party to the Hague Convention or a bilateral agreement if the Authority considers that the adoption can be effected from a third country in a manner compatible with this Act". This issue that arises from widespread concern expressed by those with...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)
Alex White: Senator O'Toole makes an excellent point about the need to review the level of regulation. As has been pointed out before, this House may have a peculiarly important role to play in that regard. I have a proposal to make to the Deputy Leader which we might consider in the coming weeks. It occurred to me in the context of the publication yesterday of a report entitled National Integrity...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)
Alex White: The report is not all negative and is not an attack, nor does it lack balance. It notes that progress has been made in preventing petty corruption, especially in regard to public matters, and grand corruption, which we have addressed through various tribunals. However, the report also notes with regret that what it describes as legal corruption continues to exist. It states: While no laws...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Mar 2009)
Alex White: Important public bodies should not escape unscathed. It would be valuable if we could find an opportunity to examine the media in a manner which does not seek to demonise or attack people. At a time of significant public concern and fear, there is an extraordinary amount of opinion but very little analysis in the media. These Houses can be accused, perhaps fairly, of a similar failing but...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: The Minister of State's comments will not alter my views but I will not pursue this further.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I move amendment No. 7: In page 7, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following subsection: "(6) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this section, payments which are not reckonable for pension purposes are not to be liable for pension levy deductions under this section.".
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I adopt the arguments of my colleague, Senator Coffey, and I do not wish to add too much more to what he stated other than to reflect on the contradiction in terms with regard to what the Minister of State said earlier. He stated that the basis for the pension levy or at least the population of persons to be captured by the pension levy are those who are members of public service pensions....
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I did not indicate, but I am just as interested in the response to that insightful question.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I move amendment No. 5: In page 6, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following subsection: "(3) No deduction shall be made under this section in respect of a person whose remuneration is below â¬18,000 per year.". The amendment speaks for itself in seeking to exclude from the remit of the levy persons whose remuneration is less than â¬18,000 per annum. This issue also arose the last...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I will be brief. The meat of the amendment concerns the question of a sunset clause. With respect to the Minister of State, section 13 of the Bill does not meet the point. I read that section, which relates to review, as the Minister of State raised it and it is a rather questionable provision in the legislation. I query the constitutionality of at least dealing with pay or taxation...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, line 32, to delete "as amended by" and substitute "inserted by". This is not a drafting amendment. The Chapter concerned is inserted by the 2007 Act, not amended by it. It is an issue that has arisen before in legislation and is a point that comes up over and over again.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: There is continuing controversy on this question, which I do not propose to pursue further on this occasion, but I reserve my right to return to it on other occasions as it seems likely to arise again.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I move amendment No. 1: In page 4, before section 1, to insert the following new section: 1.â(1) This Act shall expire on the day that is 2 years from the date of its passing unless renewed by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas. (2) Any such renewal shall be expressed to be for a period not exceeding 2 years.". This amendment seeks to ensure the Bill will expire unless it is...
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: It is country music the Senator should watch out for.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: I have no difficulty supporting the call by Senator Norris for a regular debate on the economy. Perhaps it is something we could deal with at the Committee on Procedure and Privilegesââ
- Seanad: Order of Business. (27 Feb 2009)
Alex White: ââif we have a meeting of that body soon. I will vary Senator Norris's suggestion. I am not sure whether it would serve us to have a debate along the lines of an extended Order of Business on the subject of the economy. While it is valuable for us all to speak, very often motivated by the events of the particular day or crisis, it would be much better to have such a debate structured...