Results 12,521-12,540 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The position regarding Temporary residence status is that it cannot be determined until an application has been fully considered under section 3 of the Immigration Act 1999, as amended. I expect the file to be passed to me for a decision in due course.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: When one has faith, one does not need indoctrination.

Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (6 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to share time with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and the Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Conor Lenihan. During the debate on the pre-budget Estimates, we took stock of the scale of expenditure in the different sectors and, more important, the depth and breadth of the services...

Written Answers — Garda Strength: Garda Strength (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. The number of attested members of An Garda Síochána as of 31 October 2007, the latest date for which figures are readily available, was 13,513. There is a total of 1,075 Student Gardaí, 279 in Phase I, 515 in Phase 2 and 281 in Phase 3. The next intake of trainee Gardaí into the Garda College is scheduled for 4 February 2008. An...

Written Answers — Residency Permits: Residency Permits (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I refer the Deputy to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of Thursday, 4th October, 2007 and the written reply to that Question. The position remains unchanged.

Written Answers — Video Conferencing Facilities: Video Conferencing Facilities (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: My Department has video conferencing facilities available to staff in the main buildings in Dublin and Killarney and there is an ongoing programme to install video conferencing facilities in other buildings. I have not yet had reason to use the Department's video conferencing facilities.

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Some 353 staff in my Department availed of commuter tickets under the Travel Pass Scheme in 2007.

Written Answers — Waste Management: Waste Management (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I propose to take Questions Nos. 252 and 253 together. The nature of the Department's waste disposal services are such that the information sought by the Deputy is not available.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The issues raised by the Deputy have been considered by the Commission on Public Service Pensions. The Commission considered the issue of parity of pensions for members of An Garda Síochána who retired prior to 1993 (who do not receive the unsocial allowance element in their pensions) and for those who retired prior to 1982 (who do not receive rent and other allowance elements in their...

Written Answers — Citizenship Applications: Citizenship Applications (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: An application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to in the Deputy's Question was received in the Citizenship Section of my Department in January 2005. Officials in that Section inform me that processing of the application has commenced and that the file will be submitted to me for a decision in the near future. I will inform the Deputy and the person concerned of...

Written Answers — Child Abuse: Child Abuse (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am informed by the Garda authorities that they have no record of any relevant correspondence between investigating Gardaí and the Department of Education and Science during the period referred to by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Garda Operations: Garda Operations (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In the time available it has not been possible for the Garda authorities to supply the details requested by the Deputy. I will be in contact with the Deputy when the information is to hand.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: On Senator Alex White's technical amendment, I come back to my core point that the timeframe is supervised by the court. The newspaper or publisher has an incentive to give a quick apology because that will reduce the person's damages. That is the best incentive. Senator Regan said the section refers only to actions and not to the promptness of the apology. It refers to an apology before...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The defendant whose editor had one opinion about the honest opinion and whose journalist who wrote the article had a different opinion would be in a weak position in any court proceeding. The credibility of his or her case would be undermined by the conflict within the defendant's command structure in respect of the publication. Regarding this practical matter, Senator Walsh's concern is...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The purpose of the amendment is to give greater clarity to the provision. These are the circumstances in which the defence of honest opinion fails. It fails unless the defendant proves the truth of the allegations, which has to be there. If the defendant does not prove the truth of the allegations when dealing with a matter of opinion, the opinion could not be reasonably understood as...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This amendment provides that the new defence shall be known as the defence of fair and reasonable publication on a matter of public interest and not public importance. Having examined the debates on the previous Committee Stage, I am persuaded by the argument that for greater clarity it may be better to use the term "public interest" which is well understood and well established in case law....

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Public interest brings greater clarity into the law which is always desirable. Public importance does not have a term of art meaning in the law in the same sense. Apart from established case law in this area, a matter of public interest can be distinguished clearly from a matter of private interest. Public clearly connotes the concept of a zone of private interest and, therefore, increases...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: This is a technical drafting amendment to improve the text of the Bill. The word "shall" appears twice in section 19, in lines 1 and 4. The reference to "shall" in line 4 is superfluous and this amendment proposes to remove it.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I have some sympathy with the views expressed. I will consider the issue and table an amendment on Report Stage. It certainly reads more elegantly with the insertion of the conjunction.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006: Committee and Remaining Stages (Resumed) (5 Dec 2007)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am withdrawing my current amendment because of the Senator's observations on it and revisiting the issue the Senator raised on Report Stage. There is no point in amending the Bill with the Government amendment now and coming back to it on Report Stage.