Results 1,661-1,680 of 1,827 for speaker:Jillian van Turnhout

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: Today is international women's day. On 2 February, this House started a journey with the Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011. Will the Leader ask the Minister to consider the Independent group's amendments on political donations and gender quotas? I encourage the House to play a strong role next week in giving the amendments full consideration. At noon in the Mansion House,...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: Here is something to remember for today. Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did. She just did it backwards and in high heels.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: There are no other speakers indicating so I will ask Senator Colm Burke to conclude. He has four minutes.

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank the Minister for attending the House for the debate on this Private Members' motion. I thank my colleagues in Fine Gael, particularly Senators Burke and Keane, for bringing forward this motion. I was not very informed on the subject of rare disease care so I welcome the fact that I had to immerse myself in the subject and learn more. It astounded me the number of rare disease...

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: It is Senator Colm Burke's motion. To be absolutely clear, it is a Fine Gael motion.

Seanad: Rare Diseases: Motion (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: No, I just wanted to clarify the matter.

Seanad: Early Intervention and Family Support Services: Statements (7 Mar 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I welcome the Minister to the House. As we approach the Cabinet's first anniversary I recalled when the post of a minister for children was announced and I was in Brussels. I have learned that people in politics keep saying that they are not surprised by announcements. I did not expect such an announcement and was surprised. The Department has great potential and for once we had joined-up...

Seanad: Child Abuse: Motion (29 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I move: "That Seanad Éireann: - Notes the adoption by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, on 13 December 2011, of the Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA. Among wide-ranging provisions in relation to criminal offences and sanctions in the area of...

Seanad: Child Abuse: Motion (29 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I thank all my colleagues and, in particular, the Minister. He has paid full attention throughout the debate and he has listened to what we have had to say. He has given a commitment to fully consider blocking sites in the context of the development of the planned sexual offences Bill and I strongly urge him to do so. Both the Garda Síochána and Interpol wrote last year to Internet...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I move amendment No. 31: In page 25, line 35, to delete "30 per cent" and substitute "40 per cent". Since we last spoke on this issue the representation in our Independent group has gone up by 10%. This is a unique fact about women's representation in Irish politics. Of the total number of 1,620 Seanad seats filled between 1922 and 2009, fewer than 10% have been filled by women. Since the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I have listened to the debate on all sides of the House with great interest. I was very encouraged to hear so many supporting the view that even 40% is not enough and that we should aim for a ratio of 50:50 by 2020. My colleague, Senator Mullen, agreed with the principle of increasing female representation in politics and this is extremely encouraging. The Bill is welcome and has the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I second the amendment on donations and concur with the points made by my colleague, Senator Fiach Mac Conghail.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I agree with everything Senator Mac Conghail said in respect of amendment No. 29.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: We are discussing a group of amendments, of which amendments No. 29 is one. I am of the view that all allowances should be fully vouched. This is the first occasion on which I have been obliged to deal with different people in the context of different aspects of my income. In a normal job, one is given a contract of employment and one deals with a single entity such as a salaries section...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I want to ask for clarification from the Minister in regard to the banning of corporate donations, which he said would be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. How, then, can France ban all donations from private and public sector companies, as happened in 1995? In Portugal, donations by corporations are banned by...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: The Minister specifically quoted the European Convention on Human Rights and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Perhaps he could clarify this.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I second the amendment and concur fully with what Senator Mac Conghail said. Our group has put forward this amendment. As the Minister said, the Bill presents an opportunity to increase transparency. When he launched the Bill he spoke about addressing the question of unhealthy relationships and corporate donations are part of such unhealthy relationships. The Minister said that we have...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Jillian van Turnhout: I also contend the Oireachtas (Ministerial and Parliamentary Offices) (Amendment) Act 2001 should be included in section 2 and should be in the scope of the Bill. We will deal with it later when discussing amendment No. 29 to section 26. The Standards in Public Office Commission should oversee the expenditure of leaders' allowances which should all be fully vouched. The Bill is an...