Results 1-20 of 1,415 for speaker:Tom Kitt

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Statements. (23 Oct 2002)

Tom Kitt: I am pleased to be part of this debate and to listen to the views of so many people. I acknowledge the work of many individuals who are Members of the Seanad, in particular, the Leader of the House, Senator O'Rourke, who did trojan work with her counterpart, Sir Reg Empey, on the issue of gas interconnection and an all-island gas energy market and, indeed, Senator Mansergh who, as others have...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: I thank the Senators who contributed. This has been a helpful debate. Having been a Minister of State in a previous Government, I believe we should discuss issues such as this more often. I thank the Senators who tabled the motion and those who supported it. I, too, agree with those who said that this is an issue we should not politicise, if possible.

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: Maintaining our contribution as a proportion of GNP in these difficult times is a measure of the Government's clear commitment to increasing the aid programme and achieving the UN target of 0.7% on schedule. This commitment has been confirmed on many previous occasions and is part of the programme for Government. As the motion correctly implies, the value of Ireland's aid should not be viewed...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: There has been a letter writing campaign against the fund, which has been accused of supporting abortion. This is not the case and the US has investigated the fund, which Senator Lydon has accepted. I was a Minister of State in the previous Administration and I attended the population conference in Cairo where agreement was reached regarding the need to deal with the world's population. There...

Seanad: Overseas Development Aid: Motion. (27 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: That will happen because the agreement reached at the last major meeting of the WTO in Doha referred to the eventual elimination of subsidies and these policies will have to be brought together sooner rather than later. Agreements were made at Doha, by which we will abide, regarding the CAP but we will have to face up to the merger of development and agricultural policies. However, European...

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: The Government is bringing before the House a Bill to amend the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999. I express my gratitude to the House for its recognition of the urgency involved in passing this important legislation. Given this urgency, the approval of the House for an earlier signature motion will also be sought. The Northern Ireland Assembly was temporarily suspended on 15 October. This...

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: Did the Leader not go by boat on that occasion?

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: We probably meant in the broader sense.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: I will try to cover as many points as I can. We will deal later with any outstanding issues. The parliamentary authority issue was raised by Senator Ryan. The bodies are jointly responsible to their respective Ministers, North and South, and each Minister is responsible to the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly respectively. The annual reports of the bodies are laid before the...

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: Is the Senator saying the Executive, not the Taoiseach, should not have the power to—

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Second Stage. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: Yes. We can go through it section by section. Question put and agreed to.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: We are moving a little ahead of ourselves. On the earlier question, I can now confirm that it is the intention of the Government that the Bill, once enacted, shall expire upon restoration of the Assembly. The Bill provides that an expiry order is to be made as soon as practicable following restoration of the Assembly. At the same time the Government will notify the British Government of the...

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: I can confirm that there is a precedent in this case. The Bill is a temporary and remedial measure to get us over some of the practical difficulties posed by the suspension. It serves its purpose and will allow the North-South bodies to continue to operate in a meaningful way pending the restoration of the institutions in the North and full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which...

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: That is right.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: Both of my colleagues are historically correct. On the agriculture question, the Food Safety Authority comes under the aegis of the Department of Health and Children, but there is a great deal of co-operation at agriculture ministerial level also. Question put and agreed to. Section 6 agreed to. SECTION 7. Question proposed: "That section 7 stand part of the Bill."

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: If elections have taken place but the ministerial council has not been restored, the position is that the Bill will not be in force at that time.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: It refers to the restoration of the Assembly.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: UK Ministers would have to take responsibility in that situation.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: The Assembly would be restored and the Executive would be formed. There would be no need for the exchange of letters and the expiry order would be made by the Taoiseach. That is the sequence of events.

Seanad: British-Irish Agreement (Amendment) Bill, 2002: Committee and Remaining Stages. (28 Nov 2002)

Tom Kitt: The Bill does not fall until the Taoiseach makes an order.