Results 1,881-1,900 of 2,723 for speaker:Barry Andrews

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: While it is not the Senator's intention to give the wrong impression, it would be an unintended consequence of allowing the 78% figure to hang in the ether. On the issue of adopting siblings from countries which have not adopted the Hague Convention and do not have a bilateral agreement with Ireland, the problem, as I outlined, is that, having signed up to the standards of the convention and...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: My point was that we will probably spend more time on the bilateral agreement with Vietnam but we are making progress with Russia. In other words, we are addressing the issues which arise in this regard. I do not wish to give an impression that the process has stalled completely but a great deal of our time is taken up with the agreement with Vietnam because it is the most popular country...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: My office has outstanding human resources available to it. The effort and work of my officials is not constrained by time issues. Complex issues must be resolved, which takes time. I reject any suggestion, although no such suggestion is being made in the House, that anyone has failed to apply himself or herself or that public servants have caused a delay.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: As I stated, no such inference was made by anyone in this House. However, I make the point that it is unfair to portray anyone who works as hard as my officials as having caused a delay or that delays are typical of Civil Service inertia or any suggestion of that nature. Such accusations are absolutely unfounded.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I listened to everything that was said in this debate. Senator Fitzgerald, for example, described what was taking place as "disgraceful".

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: The record may show something different. Let us not get stuck on this issue. While I apologise if I have provoked Senators, I acknowledge the hard work being done in my office on this issue. We are determined to secure a bilateral agreement with Russia before the Bill is enacted. We cannot guarantee this outcome will be achieved and it would be dishonest of me to suggest we will do so...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: It has not been sent.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: No.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I said it was to be sent this week.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: Yes, I hope. I will clarify this for the Senator's benefit.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: We have communicated this to the support groups and they are aware of the position. I hope to be able to send this proposed agreement through the Department of Foreign Affairs to the Vietnamese Government in the next day or two — certainly this week. It will then be up to the Government of Vietnam to decide whether it will sign up to that agreement. There may well be negotiations and...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: We will have to agree to differ. I do not think it is disgraceful.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: Senator Alex White drew an analogy between the constitutional position regarding Irish and English and the reference at the back of the Bill to French and English, but it is understood that the English version is the one that is to be interpreted in the event of a dispute. I argue that it is a given that such would be the case. There is no constitutional position of the French language...

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (4 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: Senator Alex White is trying to anticipate where there might be a conflict in the future and where there might be a possibility of two interpretations arising from the two languages, French and English. There can be no doubt that English, being a constitutional language in this country, is the language in which it will be interpreted in the event of that happening. As I stated, I will look...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I understand that the youth project concerned is the Gweedore Youth Project, Co. Donegal. An application for funding was received by the Department of Education and Science, on behalf of this Project in 2008 under the Special Projects for Youth Scheme. This was one of 85 new applications received under the Scheme in 2008. The Department of Education and Science was not in a position to...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I propose to take Questions Nos. 159 to 161, inclusive, 173 to 175, inclusive, 198 to 200, inclusive, and 207 to 209, inclusive, together. As the Deputies are aware, the youth sector has received considerable financial support over the past number of years. Funding expanded from €35.5m in 2004 to €52m in 2008. While this funding has allowed for some expansion in the sector including the...

Written Answers — Youth Services: Youth Services (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: I have met with the National Youth Council of Ireland and a number of its constituent bodies on a number of occasions regarding funding for the youth sector in 2009. I am aware of the valuable work carried out by the youth sector and have assured the sector that every effort will be made to minimise the impact of the reduction in funding available to the youth work sector and to preserve and...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: My Department has not provided any financial assistance to this organisation in 2007, 2008 or 2009. I have referred this question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as to whether they have assisted the organisation in meeting their expenditure.

Written Answers — Health Service Funding: Health Service Funding (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: My Department has not provided funding to this organisation for their symposium. I have referred this question to the HSE for direct reply to the Deputy as to whether they have provided any direct funding.

Seanad: Legal Services Ombudsman Bill 2008: Committee and Remaining Stages (3 Mar 2009)

Barry Andrews: Senator O'Donovan refers to section 21. The ombudsman can accept a complaint after the six-month period if he feels justice requires it. Returning to the section we are dealing with, to answer Senator John Paul Phelan, section 19 also deals with the superannuation of the staff and the ombudsman. While the 10%-10%-80% divide might seem a little unfair given that solicitors are at the coal...