Results 14,641-14,660 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: Senator Fitzgerald may have heard that comment also. The Minister has not received legal advice-----

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: There is no legal advice in existence independent of this.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: Perhaps it was something different. The Minister will no doubt let us know if there is legal advice to the effect that there is a difficulty. I do not imagine that could possibly be the case but the Minister might be frank with us and acknowledge if it is the case and, if so, he might indicate what it is. It cannot be a financial difficulty because if it was a financial difficulty this...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: Yes, exactly. For those reasons I would like the Minister to tease out the matter first and address those questions. Admittedly, one of them deals with the Monageer report and the problem with the recommendations. They are the crucial issues. I welcome the Minister's statement that the appointment of social workers is not embargoed but, if not, why are thousands of children at risk? With...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: No. There are many other amendments to be discussed. It would be nice to have a vote but it would be a waste of time.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I support the Labour Party amendment. Amendments Nos. 15 and 30 are in my name. They are similarly worded. I am interested in hearing the Minister's response to them. It is a function of this House to tease out the implications of legislation not just in areas where we have direct concern ourselves but also on behalf of people who request that these matters be examined. I understand...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 13: In page 22, line 2, to delete "not being less than" and substitute "of". I wish to ask the Minister of State about the reference to the Hague Convention in Part 2. The placing of the explanatory report in the Oireachtas Library is completely superfluous. It does not mean anything. Perhaps I will speak to the Minister of State about that in private. I presume I...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: That will mean we can hear the Minister of State's response.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I largely support the arguments made by Senator Bacik and Senator Fitzgerald. They have done us a service by tabling these amendments. One would want to avoid any element of coercion of the mother, and that is the one thing that concerns me. By using words like "persuading" and so on, it feels as if moral pressure is being put on mothers. It is sometimes possible that there could be a...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 33: In page 28, to delete lines 26 to 28 and substitute the following: "After counselling the mother the Authority may make the adoption order without consulting the father if---". This is similar to the other amendments and deals with, in a sense, the excision of the father from the deciding process. For that reason I am slightly half-hearted about it. However, I...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 38: In page 29, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following: "(b) The applicants are a couple of the same sex over 21 years of age who can demonstrate that they have been living together within the jurisdiction for not less than two years and who have demonstrated to the appropriate authorities under this legislation that they are fit persons to adopt.". The...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: To flesh out matters slightly, I referred to this kind of amendment when I discussed the amendment tabled by my colleague, Senator Bacik. It is carefully drafted and I assume that at some stage this is the kind of measure that will be introduced. In the first instance, the amendment ensures the involvement of a stable couple, whose members have been involved in a long-term relationship. In...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 42: In page 31, to delete lines 30 and 31 and substitute the following: "The Health Service Executive, and an accredited body which places a child for adoption, shall establish one or more adoption committees.". This involves the deletion of the opening sentence of section 36, "The Health Service Executive shall establish one or more adoption committees." and its...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: There seems to be some degree of movement on the part of the Minister of State because he accepts there can be a role for an accredited body in support of the HSE. I accept the Minister of State is correct in stating there is a statutory supervisory role for the HSE but he also indicated we could not have a position where the language would state "the Health Service Executive or an...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I beg the Minister of State's pardon.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 48: In page 32, to delete lines 21 to 27. This amendment relates to section 37 and the deletion of paragraphs (b) and (c). Concerns have been expressed to the effect that applicants could apply to adopt children through different agencies at the same time - in other words, multiple adoptions could take place and these would be difficult to assess and control - or that...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: Subsection (2)(b) states that an application shall be made "in conjunction with a separate application under this Act by the applicants for an adoption order or the recognition of an intercountry adoption". This seems to imply that two adoptions could be contemplated.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: That is fine. I accept what the Minister of State has said.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) (14 May 2009)

David Norris: I move amendment No. 49: In page 32, to delete lines 28 to 32 and substitute the following: "As soon as practicable after the Health Service Executive or an accredited body receives an application under subsection (1), the Health Service Executive or the accredited body may take the following steps concerning the adoption proposed under the separate application referred to in subsection...