Results 881-900 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions of the Passport Office (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: Could I start by not asking a question?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Role and Functions of the Passport Office (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I welcome Mr. Nugent's submission. I have read it and it is very clear and paints a positive picture of the Passport Office, which I am glad to obtain because I have been a critic of it in the past, particularly of what went on at one stage during a campaign against Government policy. It is good to see what Mr. Nugent has here. I have some questions. First, I understand there was an...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank my colleague for allowing me a few minutes to speak, and I also thank the Senators who tabled this motion. I support the broad principles of reform, although I do not support all the details in the proposal. All Senators in the House should be elected, as this is one way of getting away from group-think and the Government control of the Seanad through the very rigid Whip system. We...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: There is something arising. Could we record apologies from Deputy Brendan Smith?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: He is at a funeral. Can I refer to the minutes of the meeting on 16 January? I thank the committee for forwarding a copy of the Bogota Declaration to the Department for its consideration. I hope when we get the response from the Department, we might put it on the agenda for discussion. It is a fairly long-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: That is fine, if the Chairman puts it on the agenda for that meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: The Irish experience was strongly focused on by many of the Colombians, particularly President Santos, as perhaps a template for what they might do and aspects they might apply in their own peace process.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: There is one other matter. Again, it was in the same minutes and related to the suspension of the committee. I am not asking for any decision or discussion now but the Chairman might give some consideration to the committee continuing. It continues if the Senators leave so it should continue if Deputies leave or there could be a pairing arrangement. There might be instances where you...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Business of Joint Committee (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I understand that. Perhaps it might involve discussion with all the Whips but with a majority of about 60 in the House, it should not be necessary to suspend all committee meetings.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I join those who welcome the findings of the European Court of Human Rights yesterday in the O'Keeffe case. The protection of children must always be prioritised. We should recognise that the State has rightly been very critical of failures in the church organisations and various other bodies to protect children, but often it is quite sanguine about its own responsibilities in this regard....

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I do not accept that the functions of that body should exclude Members of this House. It does not involve increasing the cost of the Exchequer but scrutinising and monitoring. There are many Members in this House who would be prepared to do this. Most of us would agree that Senator Sean Barrett, for example, would be a very valued member of the committee and make a good input. Will the...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: Residents will not be too reassured.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: That is anti-Catholic bias.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: That is surely a first.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: There is no "might".

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is arguable that the Minister is going to create more costs than is currently the case.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: On a point of order. I have serious reservations about the Cathaoirleach's ruling but, having said that, he is entitled to make a ruling. Will he go through each of these amendments and give us a reason why they have been ruled out of order? With respect to the House, he should explain precisely why each amendment has been ruled out of order.

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: Please, hear my point of order. It is terrible that the House would be going through this process. I would have thought that we would have learned from past controversies that have arisen from failure to monitor and scrutinise legislation. I am not challenging the rulings but will the Cathaoirleach tell us the reason for each amendment? I suspect that, in the absence of him not doing so,...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank the Cathaoirleach for giving us an outline for the reasons he has ruled these amendments out of order. Amendment No. 8 seeks to maintain the status quo. As of now, there is no imposition on the Exchequer. The Minister is instead abolishing the councils. On amendments Nos. 21 to 23, inclusive, if we cannot challenge specific aspects of the Bill’s principle, then it neuters...

Seanad: Local Government Reform Bill 2013: Report Stage (15 Jan 2014)

Jim Walsh: The Cathaoirleach should think about this. As of today, we are looking for the retention of certain councils which the Minister is proposing to abolish. There is no imposition on the Exchequer, accordingly, as the cost is built into the current structure.