Results 17,361-17,380 of 19,162 for speaker:Alan Shatter

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I support the amendments. We are revisiting, yet again, an issue we discussed on Committee Stage. In the context of the amendment, greater detail was needed to establish the type of structure we need. The difficulty I had in drafting it was that it was going to be ruled out of order as imposing an expense on the Exchequer. I hoped that after Committee Stage - I suppose it was a vague hope...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I accept the futility of continuing with this discussion. Although I do not think we will ever see an additional Bill, will the Minister of State let us know the timeframe for producing it? Will we see it next October or December or what priority has it in comparison to the other legislation we expect on the important issues of vetting and child protection guidelines? Can he give us a...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: Amendments Nos. 22, 23 and 24 which are being taken in conjunction with amendment No. 16 relate to a different issue in terms of the definition of father. The Minister appears to believe that in interposing the High Court into all of this he is giving additional protection to fathers. This legislation seeks to ensure, in compliance with our obligations under the European Convention on Human...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: That will mean that every one of those cases will be brought to court.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: Section 18(4) provides that: Where, on an application by an accredited body that proposes to place a child for adoption, the Authority [that is the Adoption Authority] is satisfied that, having regard to— (a) the nature of the relationship between the father and mother, or (b) the circumstances of the conception of the child, it is inappropriate for the accredited body to contact the father...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I wish to press amendment No. 16. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand," put and declared carried.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 19: In page 20, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: "(2) Twelve months after the placement by an accredited body of a child for adoption with an adopter or adopters the agreement of the mother or guardian of the child to such placement shall be irrevocable.". In the area of domestic adoption, of which there are far fewer instances now because of the numbers...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: The other amendments deal with the issue of consent. Our process of adoption is a two-prong one when it comes to domestic adoptions. The mother signs an agreement to place, the child is placed with the adopters and after a reasonable period of time has elapsed and all assessments as to how the child is getting on have been completed, the mother is then asked to sign what is termed the final...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 22: In page 23, lines 4 and 5, to delete all words from and including ", after" in line 4 down to and including "Court," in line 5.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 23: In page 23, lines 35 and 36, to delete all words from and including ", after" in line 35 down to and including "Court," in line 36.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 24: In page 24, lines 1 and 2, to delete all words from and including ", after" in line 1 down to and including "Court," in line 2.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 5: In page 16, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "(iii) is appointed to be a guardian of the child in accordance with the provisions of this Act,". There is a reference to the definition of "guardian" in relation to a child which appears on page 15. It states that: "guardian", in relation to a child, means a person who— (a) is a guardian of the child...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I regret the Minister of State's reply. He did not address the issues I raised. As the Minister of State with responsibility for children, he has given us a sort of mechanical reply that the Bill does not deal with guardianship, this is a matter for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, ergo he will not deal with the matter. That is the explanation he gave. The Bill does not...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 7: In page 16, line 21, after "1991" to insert the following: "by a person or couple ordinarily resident, habitually resident, or domiciled in the State where the adoption was effected". This amendment inserts, in page 16, line 21, after "1991" the following: "by a person or couple ordinarily resident, habitually resident, or domiciled in the State where the adoption was...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I thank the Minister of State for addressing these issues and will withdraw my amendment.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I move amendment No. 10: In page 17, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: ""welfare" means the physical, emotional, social, intellectual, moral and religious welfare of the child.". There is a strange anomaly in the Bill. We discussed this amendment on Committee Stage, but the Minister opposed it, although I cannot understand why. There is reference to the welfare of the child...

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I suspect that we should bring this procedure to an end by accepting the Government's amendments. We could then all go home and not waste the public's time or our time for that matter. The Minister of State's explanation is that because it never occurred to anyone to define, in the 1952 Act, the concept of welfare, we will not define it in 2010. That is the totality of his explanation....

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: I am about to conclude. What the Minister of State has to say on this matter is not credible. In fact, he is undermining the credibility of the entire process in which we are engaged.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: The Minister of State should explain his reasons.

Adoption Bill 2009 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (2 Jun 2010)

Alan Shatter: The Minister of State's explanation is that because it was not done in 1952 there is no need to do it now.