Results 17,561-17,580 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Written Answers — Immigration Policy: Immigration Policy (17 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Government's policy on immigration is to facilitate the orderly migration of non-nationals to the State for a purpose and in a manner which is consistent with the needs of our economy, the security and authority of the State itself, the general welfare of our citizens and respect for the rights of immigrants. The Government's view also is that Ireland must, as a fundamental expression of...

Written Answers — Legal Costs: Legal Costs (17 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: The policy of the Government in this area generally is reflected in the provisions of the Courts and Court Officers Act 2002, the Personal Injuries Assessment Board Act 2003 and the Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004. I have indicated my intention to establish a group to examine the matter of the taxation of costs. Moreover, the Competition Authority, as part of its study of regulatory...

Written Answers — Garda Retirement: Garda Retirement (17 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I currently have no plans to increase the retirement age for gardaí, sergeants, inspectors, superintendents and chief superintendents who were recruited to the force prior to 1 April 2004. The changes in the retirement age for members of the Garda Síochána, outlined in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, will apply only to new entrants who are recruited...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am grateful to the Senators for their remarks. This is an area where we must get the balance right. I said I was not disposed to accept these amendments because, well-intentioned as they are, they do not quite achieve the right balance. For instance, would it be desirable that members of the public could enter courtrooms where such proceedings were going on and listen merely out of...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I thank Senators for their thoughtful and committed contributions on the Bill, which it has been a pleasure to debate in the House. Some small improvement is still to be made to the Bill, but when I bring it back to the House in that improved state, it will mark a significant advance in the civil law of our society. In that context, much of the credit for making sure it is a good Bill falls...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: The motion before the House seeks approval for the continuance in force of those sections of the Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998 which would otherwise cease to be in operation on 30 June 2004. It is worth recalling the circumstances in which the 1998 Act was enacted. In August 1998, the Omagh bomb brutally snuffed out the lives of 29 innocent people and injured more than 200...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I thank both Senators for their contributions. This House is well aware of the seriousness of the threat we face. I echo what Senator Mansergh and Senator Hayes said about the dissident republicans. They are seducing innocent and guileless individuals into a wholly warped and hopeless expression of something which itself is a caricature of what it pretends to be. As Senator Mansergh said,...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: If anyone, in jail or out of jail, thinks I will re-ignite some new torch of Irish republicanism or freedom, he is very wrong indeed. If people think they can bully the Irish Government into backing down or treating them as anything other than what they are — a group of people in pursuit of the impossible through grotesque means — or that they can influence me through protests and so on,...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: On Senator Terry's point, more judges are required. I intend in the near future to bring a memorandum to Government in that regard. If I am successful at Government, I may amend this legislation as it goes through the Dáil and bring it back here in an amended form, providing for extra judges. I must first go through that procedure. I agree that in an increasingly complex world, with judges...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: It is a matter for the president of each court as to whether a judge should be allowed leave for any purpose and how the sittings of the court should be arranged to accommodate a judge who has a particular need of the type mentioned by the Senator. It is best left in its current form rather than put into statutory form. The Judicial Appointments Advisory Board generally operates on the basis...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: One never knows what the male members of the Judiciary would achieve with paternity leave, so we had better say nothing about that matter.

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: This is a slightly different text to substitute section 43.

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: This amendment is to substitute "two years" for "one year" in the Long Title. On Committee Stage, I undertook to examine the issue of the limitation period with my colleagues in Government and the outcome of my consideration of the matter is that I am prepared to accept amendments Nos. 6, 7 and 11, as tabled by Senators Terry and Henry. For completeness, I shall be proposing a consequential...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: This is a technical amendment without substance.

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I indicated on Committee Stage that I accepted the amendments to this section on their merits and that I would consult with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on the exact terms to be used to achieve the aims of the amendments. My amendment, by way of replacement of section 5, states that the provisions of Part 2 of the Bill will apply to personal injuries actions brought after the date...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I do not propose to accept the amendment because the word "disability" is a term of art when used in the context of limitations law and does not mean disability in a colloquial sense. Therefore, extending the provision to include incapacity is not necessary in the circumstances. Disability in limitations law includes that the person is an infant, a person of unsound mind, a convict subject to...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I have already canvassed this amendment which is part of the scheme in changing the limitation period from one year to two years.

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: No, I do not propose to accept the amendment.

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: Amendment No. 13 is introduced to close what could be seen as a possible loophole in the original provision. The original wording "a person who intends to bring a personal injuries claim" was to my mind open to possible abuse. In that regard, it may have been possible for a person to evade the penalty aspect of the provision by stating that he or she did not actually intend to bring an action...

Seanad: Civil Liability and Courts Bill 2004: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages. (15 Jun 2004)

Michael McDowell: I will bear in mind what Senator Mansergh and the other Senators have said.