Results 461-480 of 873 for speaker:Averil Power

Seanad: Pyrite Resolution Bill 2013: Committee and Remaining Stages (17 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I second the comments made by Senator Darragh O'Brien. I have received many representations from individuals who had to carry out the work before the scheme was put in place. It was not necessarily that they could afford to undertake this work but some found themselves in a situation where they had no choice, given that the houses were so badly damaged. I received representations from...

Seanad: Water Services (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I concur with Senator O'Donovan's comments on the serious issue of water fluoridation. It is vital that people have confidence in the quality and safety of drinking water. I understand the reasoning behind the decision to add fluoride to the water supply in the past. I have been corresponding with the Minister for Health on this issue for the past year. A number of jurisdictions have...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Company Registration (12 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I note the Minister of State indicated that Ireland supports the Lithuanian approach whereby each State would have a register of this type of information. It is crucial that any such register be public. He also indicated that the chairperson of the Revenue Commissioners stated that information, especially third party information, is the lifeblood of tax administration. Access to such...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters: Company Registration (12 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I tabled this matter to highlight the need for a public register of the beneficial owners of companies. Arguments for such a register were set very eloquently in The Irish Times last week in an article by Sorley McCaughey, the head of policy and advocacy with Christian Aid. The problem is that currently companies are able to use complex legal structures to separate their legal and...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (12 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: Why?

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: We will also oppose the section. As I indicated at the outset, we consider this change to be incredibly regressive and we are very disappointed that none of the recommendations tabled by Members on different sides of the House has been accepted this afternoon. The Minister indicated at the start of his contribution that he accepts the principle that it is more expensive for people to...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (12 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I move recommendation No. 6: In page 20, line 19, to delete "100 days" and substitute "75 days".This was tabled in error. We oppose the 100-day rule. I will refer more broadly to the single parent tax credit when we discuss our later recommendations and why we feel it is unbelievably regressive and will have a huge impact on parents' ability to co-parent and to have as much contact with...

Seanad: Critical Utilities (Security of Supply) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister to the House. I echo many of the sentiments expressed by the previous speaker. There is much agreement across the House that the ESB strike, if it had gone ahead, would have been disproportionate. No doubt workers have a right to protect conditions of employment such as their wages and, as was at issue here, their pensions. The ESB showed bad faith in appearing to...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I will not ask the Minister of State for his views on lap-dancing.

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: There is no VAT on printed textbooks but a rate of 23% applies to e-books, which reflects the fact that at the time that the VAT rules and rates were agreed, both here and at EU level, there was no such thing as an e-book. It is time for the entire VAT system to be reviewed. This issue has been raised repeatedly in this and the other House. I am a member of the Oireachtas Committee on...

Seanad: Finance (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: Like other Members I welcome some elements of the Bill, particularly the retention of the 9% VAT rate for the hospitality sector. I lobbied the Minister for Finance on that throughout the year and an excellent campaign was run by the Restaurant Association of Ireland and other groups pointing out the business case for it, that it has paid for itself and supported employment particularly in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: The witnesses can only answer in the context of their own areas of experience.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: We need to wrap up proceedings. Ms Harmon is next on the list of contributors.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: The submissions from all the groups have raised issues about having an appropriate appeals mechanism and the removal of section 29. Equally, different groups have indicated that the current system is not perfect either. In the view of the delegates, what is an appropriate replacement mechanism which would not involve the Department or the Secretary General? I have concerns that removing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: General Scheme of Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2013: Discussion (Resumed) (11 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I will take speakers from the list order. Mr. Whyte will reply to Senator Healy Eames.

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (4 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. While I welcome also that we are discussing the issue of mental health this evening there is, in some respects, a sense of déjà vu in that we have discussed this issue a great deal over the past two years. While on the one hand, this is reflective of the priority which Members on all sides of the House give to this issue and the...

Seanad: Mental Health Services: Motion (4 Dec 2013)

Averil Power: Yes. A lower allocation of €20 million has been provided for mental health services in this year's budget, which I find very worrying. The provision of €35 million is a drop in the ocean in terms of what is needed in this area. There is no doubt that we have under-spent in this area for a long time, and not only in the past two years. We have never given mental health the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Accreditation for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Facility in Bahrain: Discussion (27 Nov 2013)

Averil Power: I propose a two-pronged approach. It is a good suggestion to invite the Medical Council and others to discuss the matter.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Accreditation for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Facility in Bahrain: Discussion (27 Nov 2013)

Averil Power: I know, however, that given the committee's agenda, it will take some time to arrange such a meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection: Accreditation for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland Facility in Bahrain: Discussion (27 Nov 2013)

Averil Power: In the interim we could write to the Minister for Education and Skills, as suggested by the group, to express the committee's concern that the college may not be acting in accordance with its accreditation and to seek an urgent investigation. At least we will have sought an investigation straight away while waiting for groups to meet the committee given that the situation has been going on...