I support the amendment, which seems to have identified a lacuna in the 2001 Act. We often talk in this country about the sex offenders register as though somewhere, there is an enormous ledger that can be opened and the name of a given offender found. Of course, that does not exist. What we call the sex offenders register is a set of obligations on people who have been convicted of certain offences, and they are not minor sexual offences. They are serious sexual offences and 20 of them are scheduled to the 2001 Ac…

This is not the first time I have raised this issue. I am asking that we put an accommodation in our passports to allow those whose names differ from those of their children not to be delayed at passport checks here or abroad and to make it easy to identify that children travelling with an adult are lawfully travelling with him or her, are his or her children or whatever the case may be. This is about flexibility. The issues raised about this issue previously concerned the general data protection regulation, GDPR, …

I find it difficult to disagree with anything that the Minister of State has said as it is all correct. I join with him in his praise of the passport service. I had another positive experience there yesterday when I went into the Passport Office. The staff are considerate, professional and helpful. In fact, I received a text from a constituent this morning to tell me that he had submitted a passport application for his son on Sunday and received the passport this morning. There is no doubt that we can all be very p…

Today, 6 March, is part of Seachtain na Gaeilge but it is also the start of the Oatlands College, Stillorgan, transition year students' musical. I commend the boys who are taking part in it and their transition year colleagues from Rockford Manor, who were in this Chamber two weeks ago. I hope the three nights' performance go well. This year is also the 50th anniversary of Ireland's membership of the European Union. There is a photographic exhibition in the National Centre for Contemporary Photography in Ireland in…

I move amendment No. 41: In page 44, to delete lines 13 to 40, and in page 45, to delete lines 1 to 26. This series of amendments is grouped together. Those in my name are amendments Nos. 41 and 44. Amendment No. 41 proposes to delete section 45A which has been inserted in the Bill. Section 63(e) inserts a new section that deals with the “Qualification of certain legal academics for appointment and for nomination for appointment or election to judicial office". I am essentially proposing to delete paragraph (e) on …

It is not that I disagree with Senator McDowell. I think this point is relevant to my amendment No. 45, under section 66. I might comment on it at that stage. However, in response to what the Minister of State said-----

In that case I will comment on it now. The amendment that I have at No. 45, which I was not notified was out of order-----

I will comment on it under section 66. That is probably the most appropriate.

I have no doubt that it was a long time ago but I have an issue, I suspect.

I will respond to three points that the Minister of State made. The first relates to the qualification of academics to give solid legal opinion. I do not dispute that. I suspect that the legal opinion offered by somebody who is a world expert or a particular expert in the field is likely to be more considered and more focused than that of an ordinary practitioner in the same area. I can see the value of that. However, the purpose of a judge is not alone to give a legal opinion but also to preside over court proceed…

I move amendment No. 44: In page 44, line 34, to delete “4 years” and substitute “10 years”.

I accept what has been said about the nature of amendment No. 45 being out of order. In the context of section 66, which amends section 22 of the 2001 Act, and what Senator McDowell has said about the changes that were made previously in relation to judicial pensions, it is also important to note that that decision also caused a flight of sitting judges because of the additional provisions that are required for them in terms of pensions. They left and, in fact, my understanding is that there is a single judge of th…

I will respond to what the Minister of State said on the same section. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is the only amendment to this Bill that will be brought forward in the Seanad. It will require the Bill to go back to the Dáil. In those circumstances, given the Bill is going back to the Dáil anyway, can greater consideration be given on Report Stage to some of the amendments we tabled? I understand, especially with longer and complex Bills, there is often a desire to avoid the necessity to go back to the Dáil…

I do not think that is what I said.

Is there a difficulty with me speaking on the Long Title?

There is a difficulty with that. The reason I want to speak on the Long Title is to raise an issue of report. Am I precluded from doing that?

I want to make brief reference to the Long Title so that I can raise an issue on Report Stage. I want to mention three things that may be of interest to the Minister of State's officials in the context of possibly raising them on Report Stage. They are arguably semantic but they are important nonetheless. They relate to page 5 of the Bill and the Long Title. On line 13 I am suggesting that there should be a comma after the words "making" and "Commission", which would make it consistent with line 10, where those com…

Next Tuesday.

Ar a 10.30 a.m. amárach.

First of all, I welcome the fact that we are acknowledging tomorrow's inauspicious anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. It is something we hoped would not have gone on this long but it has. At this juncture, while we mark it with the tabling of a motion in the Seanad, we should also recognise that this House has been very supportive and proactive in relation to Ukraine. Senator Ahearn and I travelled there last year. I hope the Oireachtas will make provision to allow all Members, including Ministers, who want to…