Results 121-140 of 939 for speaker:Noel Treacy

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I propose to share time with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Cowen. This Private Members' Bill proposes new procedures for the appointment of the chair and boards of public bodies and for special appointments to international bodies that are currently at the discretion of the Government. We do not support the Bill. The practices and procedures adopted by this Government follow those...

Appointments to Public Bodies Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: The arrangements for the composition of and appointments to the boards of State bodies is usually set out in legislation establishing the bodies. Normally these appointments are made by the Minister with responsibility for the body, subject to the consent of the Minister for Finance. Ministers must consider the merits of the appointees and ensure they have appropriate skills and experience...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I listened with great interest to all the contributions before the sos. I always listen to contributions and I take notice of what is said. The best advice I could give to Deputy Crowe is to refer him to a Latin maxim, verba volant, littera scripta manet, meaning, words fly, the written word remains. I ask him to read the record of the House and balance what he said against what I said in...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: Deputy Costello might not have been listening but I did so. A number of Members referred to sweeping powers being granted under this legislation. I wish to make two points. First, such powers will be limited to Ministers and, second, they can only be used, where necessary, to give effect to our European Union obligations. We are not creating a carte blanche situation.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: The Deputy is an experienced Member of Parliament and he knows that we are not doing so. Every Minister is an elected Member of Parliament——

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I am somewhat confused. I was of the view that on Report Stage we could only focus on the amendments and that the proposer, Minister and other Members could each make contributions before the proposer replies to the debate.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I want everyone to have an opportunity to debate the various amendments.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: We are not granting sweeping powers to Ministers.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: Ministers are elected and then appointed by the Parliament. They are guided by the Attorney General of the day, the parliamentary counsel and other legal advisers who help to ensure that legislation, both primary and secondary, conforms with the Constitution and takes account of previous Supreme Court decisions and our obligations as a sovereign domestic Government and as a member state of...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: May I respond on the amendment?

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I would like to respond on the amendment.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: One would think we were reinventing the wheel, which is not the case.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: Governments have been doing this since 1922 through primary legislation and statutory instruments. The constitutional validity of our approach is set out clearly in this legislation and it was accepted in the Supreme Court in the Meagher v. the Minister for Agriculture case in 1994, IR 329, regarding the equivalent provision in the 1972 Act.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: We are responding to two Supreme Court judgments and updating the legislation. As I stated on Committee Stage, I cannot accept Deputy Costello's proposal that regulations which make provision for indictable offences should cease to have effect after three months unless confirmed by an Act of the Oireachtas. This arrangement would be completely unworkable, as it would be a retrograde step,...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: That status of regulations made in good faith by Ministers to give effect to European Community law would constantly be in doubt. Failure to pass the required Act of the Oireachtas within the three-month period would cause significant uncertainty for both the Government and the citizens and that would not be fair. We cannot create a scenario where there is doubt about it. Deputy Allen...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: Our transposition rate is 2.7% and still reducing.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: The amendment is inspired by the original sunset clause in section 4 of the 1972 Act. That clause has proved to be completely unworkable, as I stated on Second and Committee Stages. The wisdom of Parliament subsequent to that was that it was deleted by the Oireachtas shortly after the Act came into force. The original section 4 arrangement was less practical than Deputy Costello's complex...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: In the interventions, Deputies Allen and Crowe made negative general comments about the European Union.

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: Deputy Allen said we ought to stop praising the European Union and respond to public concerns over jobs and enlargement. I do not agree with him. Fifty years of European achievement is well worth celebrating, as happened in Berlin last weekend. The EU has transformed Europe into a peaceful and prosperous place. It has also transformed Ireland. We need to remind ourselves of these gains...

European Communities Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (28 Mar 2007)

Noel Treacy: I was a little boy in national school 40 years ago.