Results 10,201-10,220 of 11,444 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: It is important that we scrutinise whom we appoint to boards such as the Property Services Regulation Authority. Real problems have arisen within Fianna Fáil because apparently it saw nothing wrong with appointing cronies and buddies to boards. We need to move away from that practice. As the Minister will be aware, the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: A little like Fianna Fáil in government.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I move amendment No. 27: In page 30, lines 8 to 17, to delete subsection (10) and substitute the following: "(10) A licensee who fails to comply with a code of practice is guilty of an offence.". This amendment is to ensure there are more teeth to the code of practice. As the Minister will be well aware, section 28 of the Bill will make it an offence to offer a property management service...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I accept there needs to be more detail in the amendment. The amendment is simply to set down a marker. Clearly, we have not prescribed any penalty and, as drafted, it is a rather vague offence. I certainly can come back with a more precise drafting. I take the Minister's point that the code is supposed to be by way of guidance. There is a bigger issue about how standards are to be...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: A better approach to section 35 might be to insert a provision which would allow the authority to refuse a licence to a person where it felt the person had not complied adequately with any code of practice issued by the authority under section 18. I take the Minister's point about avoiding the creation of unworkable criminal penalties. It would seem to me, however, that such a provision...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I was proposing an alternative to the criminal penalty proposed in amendment No. 27. It may give more teeth to the compliance with the code of practice provision. Section 35(4) states various extreme conditions, such as declaration of bankruptcy and an insufficient level of professional indemnity insurance which would allow the authority to refuse a licence renewal while section 35(6) deals...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to comment on section 59 to highlight an issue for consideration before Report Stage. I welcome the provisions in Part 6 of the Bill which will vastly improve the level of people's trust and confidence as both vendors and purchasers of houses. It is important to see the new rules being put in place. Section 59 which I also welcome requires licensees to retain records of the sale of...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to the Minister for that response and apologise for my vagueness in raising it. I knew I had seen it somewhere. I believed it was in the programme for Government and I am glad to hear discussions are ongoing with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I am aware that among consumer groups and the general public there is an enormous demand for this...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: The Labour Party has always stood for transparency-----

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: -----and indeed the Labour Party introduced the freedom of information legislation, which was then rolled back upon by Fianna Fáil in government. That has been to the cost of greater transparency.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: The Minister means it is more convenient for the Government.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I am a practitioner and I represent people who use the freedom of information legislation. There are more obstacles placed in their way by virtue of the restrictions imposed.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: The facts are very clear. This Government, led by Fianna Fáil, placed restrictions on freedom of information legislation. I have provided the Minister with the opportunity to put on the record the fact that he was too zealous in complying with freedom of information legislation, a fact of which I was not aware. On a more serious note, when it is convenient for the Government, data...

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: Following that digression and digressing a little further, it reminds me of the old joke of why there is only one Competition Authority. I ask the Minister to consider this on Report Stage. Question put and agreed to. SECTION 60.

Seanad: Property Services (Regulation) Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I move amendment No. 57: In page 58, subsection (4), lines 15 and 16, to delete all words from and including "which" in line 15 down to and including "persons" in line 16. These amendments are suggested to ensure a more meaningful level of penalty is provided for against a person who contravenes the regulations under section 60. Other offences created in this Bill carry the possibility of...

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Order for Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I move: "That Second Stage be taken today".

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Áine Brady, and I thank her for her interest in this issue. I am delighted to introduce this important Bill on behalf of the Labour Party. My colleague, Senator Prendergast, will refer to the health implications and definition of female genital mutilation or FGM. FGM is a practice carried out in certain...

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Senator.

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I believe it should say published by the summer recess.

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Ivana Bacik: I thank all speakers who contributed to what has been a strong and impassioned debate. I thank my Labour colleagues, Senator Prendergast who seconded the motion and spoke from her extensive experience as a mid-wife and Senator Hannigan who spoke of the experience in developing countries in the fight against FGM and the importance of that fight within aid programmes. This legislation has been...