Results 241-260 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, between lines 4 and 5, to insert the following:"(v) in their capacity, engages in the provision of child-minding services for reward for any period of time".I will be brief as we are short on time, so I will not repeat the points I made on Committee Stage. Senator Ó Clochartaigh and I have co-authored an amendment for this Stage to address the concerns the...

Seanad: National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (12 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: I am disappointed by the Minister's response because I genuinely believe that the amendment, as rephrased, is clear in its intent, in that it only covers professional childminders. I do not accept the Minister's differentiation from a child protection perspective. The Bill will cover people working as professional childminders through an agency, but it will not cover non-agency professional...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: There is no doubt that the Government needs to close the gap between income and expenditure and I do not believe anybody in this House disagrees with that assertion. However, as Senator Marc MacSharry said, the Minister does have choices. The choices made in the Social Welfare Bill are wrong. It is wrong to target low income families for cuts. It is wrong to abolish the back to education...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: If you take comfort from shouting at me-----

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: I will. This House has a very important job to do this week. I wish that Members would focus on the Bill. If Senator Denis Landy takes comfort from shouting at the Opposition side and making political points and if that makes him feel better about the e-mails from parents of autistic children who e-mailed every Member over the weekend asking us to do the right thing in conscience, that is...

Seanad: Social Welfare Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (18 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: The bottom line will still be the same, with which I have no issue. It will still be that the same overall level of cuts must be achieved, but they can be fairer. Alternatives have been mentioned such as an increase in the universal social charge. I know they appeal to Members on the other side of the House and that, in all honesty, if they think about them, they know they are right. I...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: National Council for Special Education: Discussion with Chairman Designate (19 Dec 2012)

Averil Power: I congratulate Mr. Stack on his appointment. It is great to have someone of his calibre in an unpaid post. He is giving very generously of his time to take on what is not an easy task. I wish him well. He is a man of integrity and very smart and diplomatic and will be very good at bringing people together on the board to deal with sensitive issues. Hopefully, a great deal of progress...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012: Report Stage (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the House. I support the general comments by Senators van Turnhout and Ó Clochartaigh. The Bill is a major step forward and a positive initiative to give people a second chance. It will ensure that people are not left for a lifetime with a minor offence hanging over them, making it difficult for them to access employment. Some very good points have been raised...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Spent Convictions) Bill 2012: Fifth Stage (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister but I acknowledge the work that was done by his predecessor, Dermot Ahern, who initiated work on the legislation. It is the Minister who brought it through the House today. This is important legislation. It will make a big difference to people who have made mistakes but have worked hard to turn their lives around and deserve a second chance. It is great to pass...

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I call Senator Norris to move the motion. The contributions from all Senators are limited to five minutes each.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I remind the Senator that he has exceeded six minutes.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: All Senators who have indicated have spoken.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: There is cross-party agreement.

Seanad: Order of Business: Motion (5 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: When is it proposed to sit again?

Seanad: Private Rented Sector: Statements (6 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State. I thank her for and acknowledge the good work she has done in this area and I respect her for it. I watched the monitor when she made her opening remarks. I noted that she acknowledged the work that was done by her predecessor, Michael Finneran, which is good. The Government has made massive progress with the sector over the past 18 months and previously....

Seanad: Adjournment Matters (Resumed): Priory Hall Development (7 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I raise an issue I have raised on several occasions in the House over the past 16 months, namely, the plight of the Priory Hall residents in Donaghmede. These are families who, as the Minister of State will know, were forced to move out of their homes overnight in October or November of 2011. They have now just come through their second Christmas in temporary accommodation, still living...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters (Resumed): Priory Hall Development (7 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State for being present in the House to give this reply. I must take issue with the point made in the reply that the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government is not a party to the proceedings. Yes, the Department is not directly a party to the proceedings but Dublin City Council is, and the Department is responsible to this House for the actions...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Parking Regulations (14 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I wish to raise the proposed introduction of paid parking in Howth. I am not opposed to paid parking in all circumstances as it makes sense in certain cases. In Malahide it was the businesses which sought the introduction of paid parking because they were having a problem with people parking for the entire day which made it impossible for shoppers and visitors to park for short periods...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Parking Regulations (14 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: I thank the Minister of State for his attendance and reply. As I appreciate that he is providing the answer on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Coveney, I understand that he is not in a position to answer some of my more detailed questions. However, the reply presents no evidence of this measure having been thought through properly. It is laden with language about the principle that users...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Parking Regulations (14 Feb 2013)

Averil Power: It did not proceed at that time for very good reasons.