Results 181-200 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: On that last point, has any consideration been given by the Minister or the Department to any consequences of this redefinition which could affect the Judiciary? This is a new situation. Our marriage laws and our definition of marriage have changed since the referendum and once this legislation has passed. Has any consideration been given as to how this might impact the thinking of the...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: As usual, the Minister has not answered the question I put to her. The question is specific. Has the Minister or her Department given any consideration to any implications this change may have with regard to the issue of consummation and how the courts might interpret that? I understand from her response that the answer is "No" and that she is leaving it to the discretion of the Judiciary....

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: I concur with the generality of what has been said. I think there is a very significant issue in other cultures with regard to forced and early marriage. I am involved in a parliamentary organisation NGO which has campaigned strongly in this regard and has held seminars in various countries where this is a prevalent issue and problem.Last week it made a presentation to the UN, a body about...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: We do not.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: Everybody in the House will be aware of my strong opposition not only to this legislation but the outcome of the referendum. However, I am a democrat and the people have spoken. I remain concerned about the welfare and wellbeing of children and what may happen in our schools. I deplore some of the calls by the INTO and others that children be sexualised from an early age, which I believe...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: No, I do not want to speak about the new section. I am responding to the comments made by Senator Norris. In the interest of fairness, I believe the Senator has raised an important point and it should be examined. I also believe there is need for review and reform of pensions generally. The fact that there are so few people qualifying for pensions will be a major issue as the demographics...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: Impossible.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: Aontaím le cuid den méid a dúirt an Seanadóir Mullen ach nílim cinnte go bhfuil an ceart aige i ngach rud a dúirt sé. Tá suim agam san ábhar seo agus ba mhaith liom é a phlé leis an Aire chun go mbeidh mé féin cinnte nach bhfuil dáinséar sa Bhille seo atá romhainn. I welcome the Minister's answer. I concur with...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: Perhaps the Minister clarified the position, but I cannot recall hearing it. On the point Senator Mullen has made with regard to the declaration, I note that under this particular section, it states "a husband, a wife or a spouse, as the case may be." Can the Minister put on record that it is entirely within the discretion of and acceptable for any religion to decide to opt for the language...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: If she could clarify this, it certainly would satisfy me and perhaps my colleague.

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: I want to thank the Minister for her clarification. It certainly satisfies concerns I have about this area. I also thank Senator Mullen for putting down this amendment. It is important we had this debate and brought clarity to an issue which is of concern to some people. Our role as legislators obliges us to be here at 2.40 p.m. in an afternoon rather than facilitating any desires for any...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: I was not happy with the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015. There are certain aspects of it with regard to children which still concern me. It may not be part of this Bill, the Acting Chairman may rule me out of order and it may be beyond the Minister’s remit, but the constitutional position regarding the best interests of children should be paramount. In that regard, I...

Seanad: Marriage Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: I think it was John F. Kennedy who, after a particular political debacle, coined the phrase, "Victory has a thousand fathers but failure is an orphan". I will speak on behalf of the orphans today. As a democrat, I accept the decision of the people. However, if I said I welcomed that decision, I would be a hypocrite because I do not welcome it. I still have fears and I hope that in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Oct 2015)

Jim Walsh: It is not just south County Roscommon, but the whole of rural Ireland that is being decimated. It is one of the major failures of the Government. I agree with Senator Mullins's comments on Ibrahim Halawi. It is a disgrace and sad reflection on the justice system and on the Administration of President el-Sisi in Egypt that once again Ibrahim Halawi has been incarcerated because of the...

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (30 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Teach. How long do I have? I assume I have five minutes.

Seanad: Pre-Budget Outlook: Statements (30 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: Okay. I will try to finish sooner. I wish to mention a few headline issues. We should look at a number of public expenditure issues that came very much into vogue and into focus when the economic crisis broke. I refer, for example, to the rates of pay across the public service and indeed the rates of pay generally in the country. I was amazed that a 2008 survey done by the University of...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: It is also called "colcannon".

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: For Senator Jim D'Arcy's illumination, Carne potatoes from south Wexford are the best in the country. Former councillor Leo Carthy was a great proponent of them.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: On the same issue, on a recent trip with the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to an Irish Aid programme in Malawi we were passing through a market in a rural area that was packed with people and all sorts of produce when some of the market traders came up to the windows of the minibus offering "Irish potatoes, Irish spuds" for sale. Apparently, Irish potatoes were introduced by...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Jim Walsh: I join others in expressing best wishes to our former colleague, Senator Harte, on his retirement from the Seanad and to wish him well in all respects, particularly in respect of his health. He was most unfortunate to have had the accident he had and I suppose there but for the grace of God go any of us. I wish to raise the issue of housing about which we heard a lot over the summer months....