Results 16,161-16,180 of 16,537 for speaker:Brian Lenihan Jnr

Sexual Offences. (30 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment. The area of the city to which the Deputy refers has a reputation as one in which prostitutes have operated for a long time.

Sexual Offences. (30 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: That is correct. The Deputy will note from my script that I rephrased the opening sentence. I assure him that the Garda and the Minister share his concern in respect of the problems caused to residents of the area by prostitutes and their clients. The legislation governing this activity is quite modern, with the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 1993 being the most recent statute. As...

Order of Business. (30 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is a waste of space.

Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I am pleased to give the Minister for Education and Science's position on the motion. I will focus on the Government's commitment to the development of our higher education sector with a view to the realisation of the agenda set for the EU in the Lisbon strategy. This commitment also dovetails with the theme the Minister has chosen for our education Presidency, Building an Inclusive and...

Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Learning is always difficult.

Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: If Senator Brian Hayes wants to know, it is something to do with policy.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: Senator McDowell should address his question to Senator O'Toole. This was the precise point I endeavoured to make during the last debate. Specific arrangements will be made in specific contexts in the future. The purpose of the pension commission was to determine a pensionable age and make a recommendation, which the Government accepted. This was notwithstanding some degree of unease as...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It would not be in the education sector but in a specific arrangement for a specific purpose.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I do not wish to add to what I have already said. I do not know whether Senator Phelan was present when I replied. We are discussing the issue again. It is important to bear in mind that the Minister for Finance has effected very substantial improvements in the conditions of service of Members. Senator Phelan was not here in the bad old days when salaries and expenses were not good. The...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I will ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to look at it.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It is not covered in the Bill one way or the other. The staff have raised the question of payment of PRSI contributions by those over 65 in future, which will happen if the PRSI regulations are not amended in an appropriate fashion. Pension contributions arise too in the context of those discussions but this legislation does not deal with them.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: No.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The Minister has the power to make the determination in the case of a dispute and the Minister would be obliged to follow the rules of natural justice and entertain any representations because he is vested with a legal power.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: It does not, but it can be reasonably implied. We will look into it.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: These are technical amendments and are proposed because the schedule as drafted does not fully reflect the purpose of section 2(5) whose intention and meaning is that all persons who held an office post before 1 April 2004 will not fall within the category of new entrant. This would include persons appointed as attorneys general who were not Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas at the time...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed). (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: The revised text fully reflects all the circumstances intended to be covered by section 2(5) of the Bill. The Government amendment stems from the need to clarify the position of former Attorneys General who were not Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I wish to make a correction under Standing Order 121. Am I in order making such a request on Report Stage?

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: In the new subsection (II) inserted in section 5 to insert "behalf of" after "on" and before "the Official Side". In the new subsection (2) inserted in section 5 regarding the title of the Act of 1919, the term "Prison Officer" should be plural.

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: I thank Senators both for the discussion earlier in the week on Second Stage and for today's analysis of the Bill, which was searching, thorough and comprehensive. In its technical aspects the Bill is sufficiently robust to perform the required tasks. The wider questions raised confirm the wisdom of the Government in initiating the Bill in Seanad Éireann. I do not believe the type of...

Seanad: Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2004: Report and Final Stages. (26 Feb 2004)

Brian Lenihan Jnr: That is my considered opinion having listened to the views of Senators today. Clearly the Minister for Finance and his Government colleagues have reflected on the commission report. The Minister made a decision on politicians and took a view. He decided to link us with the pension report notwithstanding the fact that it did not refer to us. I thank Senators for their contributions to the...