Results 521-540 of 1,827 for speaker:Jillian van Turnhout

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions (No. 2) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: I also thank the Minister of State, Deputy Kevin Humphreys, and his officials. I particularly like his constructive engagement with the House and I appreciate it. The Members of the House appreciate it. It is good to be in a position to be supportive of the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill and to see some changes. However, I reiterate the point I made on Second Stage that we need to look...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: Even better.

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: Therefore, we are excluded a cohort of people. I am also concerned about the young people but also people aged 40, 50 or 60 who have never voted. There could be literacy or access issues.

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: There are big issues for people on how to vote. There have been improvements. I use checktheregister.ieto check the register and I will check that all my family and nephews and nieces are registered to vote but I do that because I have a strong interest in it. If young people do not have somebody in their lives with a strong interest in encouraging them to vote, we have to ensure that the...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: We need to look at ways to ensure-----

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: -----in the electoral commission, so it would not be political, but if one is entitled to vote, one should know how to register to vote. This is important for the democratic process. It is not just about setting up the commission, we need to give it the staff, the resources and the time to reform. We are working with a 19th century system in the 21st century. We need everybody to be...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for taking this Private Members' business. When my colleague, Senator Mac Conghail, said he had selected this issue for his Private Members' time my first thought was that everybody agrees we should have an electoral commission. That goal is stated in the programme for Government and it has been reiterated in the statement of Government...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: We share that commonality.

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: Obviously the council was concerned at such high levels of non-registration. In 1999 the National Youth Council of Ireland recommended that the establishment of an electoral commission in Ireland be explored. The recommendation was made 15 years ago but nothing has been done since. In that time the level of non-registration of young people has doubled. We were concerned about...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (17 Dec 2014)

Jillian van Turnhout: We all know about the first time voting experience and that people who are brought to their first vote by their parents, more traditionally, are much more likely to vote throughout the lives. On the other hand, it is much more difficult to encourage those who are not registered and who do not vote to engage in the democratic process. The vast majority of young people want to vote but they...

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Yes.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Three other speakers have offered. I am conscious that we must move on to other amendments.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Please allow the Tánaiste to respond, without interruption.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Senator, please allow the Tánaiste to speak, without interruption.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Recommendations Nos. 8, 9 and 11 to 14, inclusive, are related and may be discussed together by agreement. Is that agreed? Agreed.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: That is not a point of order.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: Senator-----

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

Jillian van Turnhout: We will allow the Minister to complete and then I will allow the Senator back in.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: This is more like a Second Stage speech. The section deals with means assessments in respect of one parent families.

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

Jillian van Turnhout: I am listening to the Senator but what he is saying falls outside the scope of the section.