Results 1,541-1,560 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: The proposed amendment would allow local authority members to be eligible for appointment as members of the authority or its committees. The authority is an expert board with quasi-judicial functions and, as such, it is not just local authority members who are excluded; members of the European Parliament and Oireachtas Members are also excluded, to ensure there is no political influence in a...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: The amendment relates to section 151(1), which states, "Without prejudice to the generality of section 150, the Minister shall make such regulations as he or she thinks appropriate for the purpose of ensuring that the activities specified in sections 4 and 5 are carried on only by accredited bodies." We all recognise that accredited bodies play a vital role. We have all been under pressure...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank everybody for their contributions. Senator Wilson said that more amendments could have been accepted. It is my first time bringing substantial legislation through any House or committee. The Bill will certainly have the fingerprints of the Seanad on it, whether the amendments were accepted in this House or later. Senator Fitzgerald said it has taken a very long time to get this...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: I thank Senator Prendergast and the Labour Party and I thank Senator Bacik for all she contributed to this. I thank Senator Mary White who contributed considerably on behalf of Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Hospital Services (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this Adjournment debate on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Mary Harney. I take this opportunity to congratulate Councillor Cormac Devlin on the birth of his first daughter last Saturday. I believe the Senator was referring to Caoimhe Devlin. The Health Acts 1947 to 2008 set out the framework for the provision of public acute hospital services...

Seanad: Hospital Services (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney. The Government has shown its commitment to the Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar through a series of capital improvements in recent years. Stage one of the phase 2B capital development at Mullingar commenced in 2006 and is scheduled for completion shortly at a cost of €23...

Seanad: Hospital Services (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: The question, as submitted, did not address that issue. The Deputy must-----

Seanad: Hospital Services (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: The issue of rumours does not really arise in the question and therefore I did not have the opportunity to address it. We can look at it in time.

Seanad: School Enrolments. (19 May 2009)

Barry Andrews: I take this Adjournment matter today on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank the Senators for raising this matter. The Minister is committed to providing information on the allocation of teachers to schools and as a new feature on the Department's website. The process has begun with the provision earlier this year of initial...

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

Barry Andrews: My brief indicates that the Interpretation Act provides that an oath includes an affirmation or declaration. I will, however, reconsider the matter. The information I have at my disposal contradicts that available to the Senator. One of us is obviously correct. I believe we are trying to achieve the same result and that these amendments are not necessary.

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

Barry Andrews: It has been confirmed with the Attorney General's office.

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

Barry Andrews: The phrasing is what is at issue. Section 48 states the authority may take evidence orally or on affidavit. Naturally, if both formats were possible then it is understood by the way described. It is not necessary to insert the two words "or both" because it is already understood and they are not mutually exclusive. I appreciate the Senator's concerns would be well-founded if it were...

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

Barry Andrews: I will check this matter with the Attorney General, including the question about children and apples and bananas.

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

Barry Andrews: The amendment is not necessary because section 49(2)(c) covers the category referred to in the amendment. When a child is in care, the person having charge or control over the child is, in legal terms, the Health Service Executive and its specifically designated officers.

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

Barry Andrews: Amendment No. 61 is not required as the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 puts the welfare of the child as paramount. It is already understood when making any order under that Act that the child's welfare will be paramount. Regarding amendment No. 62, the reference to the 1964 Act includes amending legislation to it.

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

Barry Andrews: I indicated on Committee Stage that I would consider including a provision on tracing and I have consulted the Office of the Attorney General on whether the existing administrative system needs to be put on a statutory basis. The Adoption Board contains an information tracing unit and the recently established preference register has received 6,270 applications and made 500 matches. Last year...

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

Barry Andrews: The applications were for exchanging information.

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

Barry Andrews: The figures refer to the register's first two years of operation. I imagine the figure of 500 will increase.

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

Barry Andrews: The section does not seem to indicate that the register excludes parties from observing it. I will have to check this and come back to the Senator at another time.

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

Barry Andrews: Absolutely. It is a fair point, which I will have to examine. The Adoption Board is anxious to continue carrying out publicity campaigns to notify people of the availability of the register and the traceability options that are available but, as Senator Fitzgerald said, many of the 6,270 who have contacted the board are Irish people and domestic adoptions were involved. Very often adoption...