Results 41-60 of 218 for speaker:Tony Kett

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Mutual Assistance) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (2 Mar 2006)

Tony Kett: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business. (23 Feb 2006)

Tony Kett: I agree with Senators Ross and Norris about Senator Jim Higgins's seat. If we are going down the road of handing seats to people who feel they are marginalised, I suggest we give it to someone with a disability or from the Traveller community.

Seanad: Order of Business. (9 Feb 2006)

Tony Kett: On Tuesday, Senator Ulick Burke suggested the school buses ferrying children to and from schools should be audited. I agree such an audit should take place if the NCT procedure carried out on the buses is not adequate. However, I raise the issue for a different reason. With the mainstreaming of children in schools, many children with a disability are now being ferried to schools on school...

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation: Motion. (1 Dec 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister to the House and the opportunity to speak about the establishment of the commission of inquiry into the Dean Lyons affair. It is not the first commission to be established, a commission under the stewardship of Mr. Patrick MacEntee, SC, into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings was set up only a couple of months ago. The murders of Sylvia Shields and Mary Callanan are among...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Tony Kett: My question may be more relevant to the previous group of amendments. Section 4(2) provides that after consulting the council, "the Minister may, by regulation, designate for the purposes of his Act any health or social care profession not already designated under subsection (1)". A profession not included in section 4(1), and therefore not "designated" under the provisions of this Bill, is...

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Tony Kett: Irish groups.

Seanad: Health and Social Care Professionals Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Tony Kett: They have recognised bodies.

Seanad: Prisons Bill 2005: Second Stage. (27 Oct 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to the House. Like my colleague, Senator Jim Walsh, I assure the Minister that I support his proposals in this legislation. Senator Walsh did not mention that we can hold him responsible in many ways for what happened last night because his substitute during that debate was Senator Cox. I welcome the practical Bill that is before the...

Seanad: Child Care Services: Motion. (26 Oct 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this issue. I am slightly confused, in that I would like the real Government spokesperson to stand up, like on the television programme. I admire Senator Cox's determination on the child care issue. As someone who has followed her comments on the matter since 1999, when she first spoke about it in the House,...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill Amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (25 Oct 2005)

Tony Kett: I thank the Minister of State for his contribution today in finalising the legislation. It is indicative of the caring nature of all strands of Government, in which I include the Opposition, in seeking to provide everybody with an equal playing field on the issue of adoption. Adoptive parents can now achieve the same entitlements as parents of naturally born children. This reflects the caring...

Seanad: Adoptive Leave Bill 2004 [Seanad Bill Amended by Dáil]: Report and Final Stages. (25 Oct 2005)

Tony Kett: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Domestic Violence: Statements. (13 Oct 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate the Leader on putting this issue down for discussion. It is almost two years since it was last discussed in the House. It is a matter of such major importance that it should, indeed, be debated much more often. We should be monitoring the progress being made, if any. I compliment the many voluntary organisations that work at the...

Seanad: Garda Investigations: Motion. (28 Sep 2005)

Tony Kett: I welcome the Minister to the House and the opportunity to say a few words on this dreadful event. It is a sad reflection on our society that we are here discussing such a gruesome, cowardly act. However, it is also very necessary that we do so. The apparent intimidation that is going on in certain parts of the south inner city, as reported, is frightening. If we think of the plight of the...

Seanad: Garda Investigations: Motion. (28 Sep 2005)

Tony Kett: As a society, we have to make it clear that there is no hiding place for these thugs on this island. If we are to think of our society as civilised, we must ensure these individuals cannot avail of any hiding place. I am sure the Rafferty family has taken great comfort and guidance from the endeavours of the McCartney family. We all know what the McCartneys achieved in similar circumstances....

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I also thank the Minister of State and his officials for their great assistance over the past two weeks. They have enlightened my views as we progressed. I particularly commend the Minister of State for the energy he has brought to the issue even though he arrived to the process a little later than the rest of us. His commitment to people with disability, which I believe is genuine, is...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I would not disagree with the sentiments expressed by my two colleagues. If Departments are left out of the loop at this stage, at the very commencement, the mindset that we are trying to engender in Departments might not be forthcoming. Even if those Departments never produced sectoral plans, they should be encouraged to do so. If Departments are not asked to think about disability or to...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I am not sure how I feel about quotas. As was stated on Committee Stage, if one sets a quota Departments might sit on their hands when they reach it and do nothing else. I would rather change mindsets before changing quotas. However, I take the point that one could consider changing them. Given the changes that will result from this legislation, more and more people will be able to gain...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage. (22 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I agree with this sentiment, as part of Part M of the building controls is probably one of the most abused. It has existed for some time but a lack of adherence to it is evident. The Minister of State gave a reasonable answer to this on Committee Stage when he stated that the Government was introducing a building control Bill in the future. I agree also with his statement that local building...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: I think Senator Terry expressed a doubt that the service statement may not be met, as distinct from the assessment. My understanding is that the service statement is resource led and consequently, the service statement, when initiated, will be met. That might not always be possible, although I agree that the principle is a good thing. It might be a good thing to prioritise. I am thinking of...

Seanad: Disability Bill 2004: Report Stage. (21 Jun 2005)

Tony Kett: It will be of help in regional areas to publish a profile of needs. If one needs to know how many people with spina bifida live in the midlands, one will be able to establish the statistics from the information which will now be made available. Going forward, the statistics will be manifestly helpful in establishing funding requirements in various regions. We will have concrete knowledge of...