Results 1,901-1,920 of 4,915 for speaker:Jim O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Garda Stations: Garda Stations (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 226: To ask the Minister for Finance when building work will commence on the new Garda station on Pottery Road, Dún Laoghaire to replace the existing Garda station at Kill-o-the-Grange; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8451/07]

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 464: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the special rate of maintenance grant available to applicants of HEA grants; the qualifying criteria therefore; if the number of dependants in the parents family is taken into account; and if not, the reason for same. [8390/07]

Written Answers — Water and Sewerage Schemes: Water and Sewerage Schemes (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: Question 513: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm that the contract documents for the waste water treatment plant for the Skibbereen sewerage scheme, which is part of a grouped project with schemes for Baltimore, Ballylickey, Dunmanway and Schull, will now proceed; and if he will provide an estimate of the time frame involved. [8307/07]

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I can only say I would not like any of my daughters, aged 16, to be involved in heavy, light or any other petting with a 55 year old man.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: On this issue, my support swung from one side to the other depending on who was speaking. I could understand from where Deputy Howlin was coming and his anxiety to protect young boys, yet there is the view that whatever we do should be gender neutral as far as possible. I will stay out of it on this issue.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I am genuinely not sure what is the correct approach. It indicates these are issues we should explore in much greater detail and on which we should take much more advice if we are to get the best answer. This short discourse will not produce the type of circumstance to enable us to get the best answer.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I considered the part of the United Kingdom Act that formed the basis for the Fine Gael Bill to be fairly clear and explicit and that it almost could be adopted as it stood in its entirety. As mentioned earlier, I am prepared to take on board the technical changes suggested by the Tánaiste. However, I am unsure whether this section of the United Kingdom Act translates readily into Irish...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: It is quite difficult to interpret.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: It is quite opaque.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: There is no danger of that. At this stage, I can confirm that in drawing up the Fine Gael Bill I had the assistance of somebody who once worked in the Attorney General's office. I was happy it was largely acceptable which is why I pressed it so strongly.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I accept the points raised by my colleague, Deputy Howlin. However, in drafting the Bill initially, I was cognisant of the difficulties of proving issues arising from the exchange of texts and Internet communication and the proofs which would be necessary to constitute an offence. I agree entirely that while the main issue is covered in the Fine Gael Bill now incorporated in the Minister's...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I have to accept responsibility here. I initially raised questions about this when we were preparing the original draft.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: First, one would ask what is meant by grooming. It was put to me that grooming did not arise from a chance encounter, and I accepted that ultimately. From that point of view, in order to prove grooming it had to be proved that a person lulled a child into a sense of false security and trust and that, essentially, it would not be grooming if that arose from a chance encounter on one...

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: Exactly. I was asked earlier about the exact definition of soliciting and importuning.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: That is the distinction.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: It is a legitimate question.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: I gather that they exist on 3G telephones.

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: As regards the change from the 2004 Act, where the amendment was made under section 3(1)(a) of the 1998 Act——

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: Was there a particular reason for changing the reference in the amendment to the principal Act, in this case the 1998 Act? Instead of having it referred to as subsection (3)(a) it is now referred to as subsection (2)(a). Is there a particular reason for this?

Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (6 Mar 2007)

Jim O'Keeffe: It was not a question of relating it to a particular section or subsection.