Results 121-140 of 12,487 for speaker:John O'Donoghue

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: Should they listen to people who argued for an amnesty for asylum seekers, that asylum seekers should have the right to work and that we should have an open door policy on immigration? Or should they listen to people who understood the situation and did not flinch under the most enormous pressure?

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: Let it be remembered that the people who are arguing against the referendum, or the timing of it, are the people who believed a few years ago that such a referendum was unnecessary, but looking back from this position, it is necessary. If they were wrong back then why should anybody expect them to be right now? The truth is that they were wrong back then and they are wrong now. It is well...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: In 1998 a change was made to the Irish Constitution which provided that every child born on the island of Ireland was entitled to claim Irish citizenship.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: It was never intended that people coming in from abroad, mostly illegal immigrants, would seek to take advantage of that in respect of children born here. Ireland is the only EU member state to grant an automatic citizenship right and we cannot ignore the fact that non-nationals are coming here so that they can have children born as Irish citizens.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: I recall when I met the Nigerian President, Mr. Obasanjo, to sign a re-admission agreement, he outlined that there were people working in banks, in solicitors' offices and in various professions in Nigeria specifically coming to Ireland so that their children could claim Irish citizenship.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: I had hoped to resolve the situation through the courts when I was Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform. The Supreme Court decided that parents of an Irish child did not have an automatic right to stay but that the children had an automatic right of citizenship. No other country grants this facility. It is reasonable for the people to change the Constitution to provide that a child...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: It is most important that our citizenship and immigration laws are respected and upheld. When they are consistently breached and abused, a fertile seed for racism is sown. Whether people like it or not, there has been a change in migration flows throughout the world. The whole question of immigration will become more of an issue in the coming years. No one should be under the illusion that...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: The Irish who went to America and Australia in the 19th century did not claim asylum there. They went as emigrants leaving a famine-ridden country in the depths of despair.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: Many of the asylum seekers in the EU are escaping the same circumstances. However, 21st century Ireland, on the periphery of Europe, cannot be compared to the vast continents of America and Australia. The Irish economy cannot be compared with any degree of seriousness to that of the largest economic engine in the world, the United States of America. The truth must be told. The truth is that...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: This constitutional amendment is a simple solution to a problem that has arisen. The referendum will ask the people to amend the Constitution in that context. On 11 June, the people will make a sovereign decision on the citizenship rights under their Constitution. That is their prerogative and it is theirs alone because they are Irish citizens. That is how it has been ordained and it is a...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (21 Apr 2004)

John O'Donoghue: Accordingly, citizenship cannot and should not be granted lightly. In the hierarchy of rights, it is the principal one and, as such, is entitled to protection from abuse. There has been abuse which must end now.

Written Answers — Property Acquisitions: Property Acquisitions (4 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: My Department has had no discussions or negotiations which might lead to the acquisition by purchase or leasehold of the property in question.

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (4 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: The 2004 sports capital programme was advertised in the national newspapers on 30 November and 1 December 2003. The closing date for receipt of applications was 16 January 2004. A total of 1,304 applications were received before the closing date, including one from the organisation in question. All applications are currently being evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria, which...

Written Answers — Arts Council: Arts Council (4 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: I have no powers to direct the Arts Council, as suggested by the Deputy.

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (13 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136 to 138, inclusive, together. The 2004 national lottery-funded sports capital programme was advertised in the national newspapers on 30 November and 1 December 2003. The deadline for receipt of applications was 5 p.m. on 16 January 2004. A total of 1,304 applications were certified as having been received before that deadline and these were evaluated...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (13 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: Decisions on the allocations of funding under the 2004 sports capital programme were finalised late last week with a view to publication of the complete list of successful applicants on the Department's website on Friday. Arrangements were also made for the simultaneous release of information to national and local media. Unfortunately it took somewhat longer than had been anticipated to...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (18 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: The 2004 national lottery funded sports capital programme was advertised in the national newspapers on 30 November and 1 December 2003. The closing date for receipt of applications was 16 January 2004. A total of 1,304 applications were received before the deadline. They were evaluated against the programme's assessment criteria, that were outlined in the guidelines, terms and conditions. On...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (18 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: My Department operates the business expansion scheme for the music industry. Details of the scheme are in section 496(8) of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997. The Finance Act 1996 broadened the scheme to include investment in qualifying musical recordings and the Finance Act 2004 extended it to the end of 2006. The tax incentive scheme allows an individual to obtain income tax relief on...

Written Answers — Sports Capital Programme: Sports Capital Programme (18 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: The national lottery funded sports capital programme allocates funding to sporting and community organisations at local, regional and national level throughout the country. It is advertised on an annual basis. A review of the programme was completed at the end of 1998. Since then every application for funding each year is treated on its merits and evaluated against detailed assessment...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (18 May 2004)

John O'Donoghue: My Department approved grant aid of €1,500,000 for the development of an arts and resource centre in Castleblayney. To date payment has not been made because a legal framework is still being worked out between my Department's legal advisors and solicitors for the project. Payment will commence without delay once the outstanding legal issues have been resolved.