Results 1,521-1,540 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: You have not heard what I have to say.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: I have a point of order. The Leader has made a proposal regarding Commmittee Stage and I am looking to make a comment in that regard.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am merely looking for a committment from the Leader, given the unprecedented nature of the debate, that there will be a real Committee Stage with a Minister able and willing to take amendments. It is not an unreasonable proposition.

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (26 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: Ba mhaith liom cuidiú leis an méid atá ráite ag Baill eile a chur fáilte roimh uachtaráin mo pháirti, an t-Uasal De Rossa. Ceapaim go bhfuil an díospóireacht seo úsáideach agus go mbeidh sé mar pháirt den díospóireacht mhór náisiúnta agus b'fheidir idirnáisiúnta i rith agus tar éis an Choinbhinsiún. This afternoon's debate has been interesting so far, but in some ways a...

Seanad: Convention on the Future of Europe: Statements. (26 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: I was in some doubt about what happened in the last Gulf War. On balance, the bottom line is that Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and there was a clear legitimacy in getting him out of there.

Seanad: Order of Business. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: I wish to take up the issue raised by Senator O'Toole when referring to the demonstrations in Dublin and elsewhere last Saturday. I was astonished to hear the Taoiseach on radio this morning suggest, as only he could do, that people were demonstrating in favour of current Government policy. I would not presume to speak on behalf of everybody who was at the march in Dublin on Saturday, but I...

Seanad: Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: My apologies for being late. I want to make a few general remarks about capital acquisition tax. They may came from a somewhat more nuanced perspective than others. Two or three years ago, during a break in the Committee Stage debate on the Finance Bill, the Minister turned to me and said he did not really understand why we were having the debate because he did not believe in inheritance tax...

Seanad: Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: And the family home.

Seanad: Capital Acquisitions Tax Consolidation Bill 2002: Report and Final Stages. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is far too high.

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is not a country, it is a bank.

Seanad: Finance and Related Matters: Statements. (18 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: Senator O'Toole sought this debate because he questioned the independence of some of the economists and other authorities who regularly lecture us with regard to the economy. I could not agree more and I am not taking a cheap shot as this is an important point. Much of our discussion on these issues is informed by people who should carry a bias warning. The majority of them are academics or...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: The IFA has been bought off.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: The Government has accepted the principle of paying more than current use value.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: I join other Senators in welcoming the thrust of the Bill. It is designed to do two separate but complementary things. The first is to inform policyholders or potential claimants that they may have a life assurance policy that has not been claimed and the second is to set up a mechanism for the transfer and disbursement of funds. In terms of the latter, the balance is about right, although I...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: How does that sit with the notion that it is in the companies' interests to contact policyholders? If they have the use of money for up to 15 years and they are not obliged to pay interest on it, why is it in their interests to contact policyholders before the 15 years have expired?

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am asking about the 15 year period.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is usually a flat amount.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Second Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: A policy worth €20,000 would be of greater value to a policyholder now than in 15 years time. It is not in an insurance company's interest to tell him or her that.

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: This amendment is important, even if it might seem obscure on first reading. The Bill provides for a statutory requirement that only one notice be given, irrespective of the number of policies held. As I said on Second Stage, there should be a requirement on assurance companies to provide a notice at least once each year during the five years or until such time as the legislation comes into...

Seanad: Unclaimed Life Assurance Policies Bill 2002: Committee Stage. (12 Feb 2003)

Derek McDowell: I did not appreciate that this was the case. Perhaps we can tease it out further. Is the Minister of State saying that if, on maturity, €20,000 might be payable, it is the practice of insurance companies that, if the money is not claimed for the five years afterwards, to apply non-contractual interest? What rate of interest would apply and what is the normal practice?