Results 261-280 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Motion (27 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 1: “To delete all words following ‘establishing a Commission under that Act,’ and insert as follows–- calls for Schedule (11) (B) of the draft Commission of Investigation (Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters) Order, 2015 to be amended by inserting after ‘their children’, ‘with particular regard to the...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Motion (27 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: I welcome the fact that the terms of reference are not as narrow as had originally been feared. I acknowledge that this is a result of the consultation the Minister has carried out with the Opposition parties and, more important, with survivor groups in recent months. That is important and welcome. However, Fianna Fáil does have some concerns about the terms of reference. We have...

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: Have I just missed it?

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: Is the Minister's work feeding into the overall strategy?

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: Will the Minister respond on Early Start, if she did not already?

Seanad: Improving the Quality of Early Years Education: Statements (21 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the establishment of the early years education advisory group. As the Minister has said, the membership of the group includes organisations like Start Strong, Early Childhood Ireland, Barnardos and the Irish National Teachers Organisation and representatives of child care professionals. It is positive to see a Minister for Education and...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Second Stage (21 Jan 2015)

Averil Power: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House. I also welcome the fact she has brought forward Ireland's first gender recognition legislation. It is an important step. There is no doubt it has been a long time coming. I would like to particularly commend Dr. Lydia Foy, who fought on this issue the whole way through the Irish courts and to Europe to have her rights respected and on behalf of...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I will opt to ignore Senator O'Neill and welcome the Minister's assurance. On that basis I will withdraw the amendment. I welcome the Minister's commitment to come to the House in January. We all want to see that the system is effective. I was coming from the perspective that if someone could at least show that they had booked the test over a month ago, it should be waived. I appreciate...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: In response to Senator O'Neill I wish to state that my amendment is most definitely appropriate for this legislation. Given that it was a Road Traffic Act that introduced penalty points for not having an NCT, it would also be remiss to miss the opportunity-----

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: -----of asking questions when the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport is in the House.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I do not understand why Senator O'Neill does not want to debate this issue. Perhaps he is in a rush for his dinner or something else.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I do not understand his reluctance. I did not hear the Minister's response to this issue on Second Stage and look forward to hearing his reply. I hope there is a fair way of addressing the matter. I wish to say to Senator O'Neill that I was not referring to people only applying for a test the day beforehand. As I said, there is a four month delay. There are people who try to book an NCT...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: One is not required to pay it four months in advance. One must pick a particular day for a month in advance when one will pay.

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I move amendment No. 2: In page 4, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following:“4. The Minister shall, by 15 January 2015, lay a report before both Houses of the Oireachtas setting out his proposals to address the backlog in NCT testing to ensure that people are not unfairly penalised with penalty points because they could not get an appointment for an NCT test within a reasonable...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I take the point the Minister is trying to make, which is that while the courts are dealing with the proceedings of a case, legislation cannot be changed to affect the outcome of the case. It is a genuine point and I would certainly support it, but I wonder whether the Minister might consider that what he has put forward is incredibly broad. I did not realise this is what it meant. It is...

Seanad: Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I understand this, but the Minister has explained the purpose of the amendment is to deal with court cases. He also stated there are things he has not thought of which we have not thought of that could be covered by it. This gives me the same concern as Senator Byrne as to whether there is an issue with regard to the legislation which is not clear to us, and the Minister or his officials...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: The Tánaiste talks for half an hour and then she leaves the House.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I will be brief as we want to push this matter to a vote. I am sorry the Tánaiste is not here to engage with us but I appreciate the Minister of State, Deputy Humphreys, has come back to the House. While I do not know if it was deliberate, in her brief remarks before she left, the Tánaiste completely missed the point we were trying to make when she said it was a matter for the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I am sure the record will show his remarks as he left the House. He walked out in protest when the Tánaiste left without responding and he stated that as he was leaving.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Committee Stage (16 Dec 2014)

Averil Power: I am sorry, a Chathaoirleach. I am sure the record will reflect Senator Conway's remarks. I am sure there are others on the Government side who, like Senator Conway, believe this is wrong. What we are asking them to do is to stand with us on these amendments, do the right thing and do what is fair and just. They should ask themselves how they would feel if they or anyone in their family...