Results 2,301-2,320 of 18,727 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: As Attorney General and as Minister, I went to very far corners of the earth on St. Patrick's Day. It was important that the functions we carried out in those states happened. It would be so easy on account of one emergency arising from Brexit to clear this item from the diaries of governments across the globe in such a manner that it would never appear again. It would be regarded as...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: Absolutely. Senator Reilly also knows.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I will briefly mention two things arising from what Senator Horkan said. I had a rush-hour trip through the city centre in a taxi the other day and while I looked through the window I noticed many large buildings for student accommodation across the city. I am not against student accommodation as it is needed and it is very important. However, it seems strange that student accommodation,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (12 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: Cork is moving to Ringaskiddy and Dublin Port should move to Bremore.

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Second Stage (12 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: As others have done, I compliment the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, for the manner in which she has personally handled the issue, especially in the media and at the wrong end of probing questions from doubting and sometimes hostile interviewers from a neighbouring jurisdiction. She has remained calm, cool, objective and persuasive at all times. I agree with what has been said about her...

Seanad: Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019: Second Stage (12 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: They have said "No", so that is it. Looking, as I did earlier, at the opinion given by the Attorney General, Mr. Cox, it became clear that this scenario was about to evolve. This means that, on the face of it, although we can hope for the triumph of hope over experience, the realistic view is that she will lose the substantive motion and we will then go into the uncharted territory of...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I want to raise a few matters, all of which are related to one central theme, namely, the business of this House. I was very disappointed to have reported to me - I do not tweet or receive tweets - that the Minister for Justice and Equality had stated that the conduct of the Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017 in the Seanad underlined the urgent need for root and branch Seanad reform...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: Therefore, let us get on with the additional judges Bill, which the European Commission has said is there, and let us get on with the Judicial Council Bill, which is also there, commands cross-party support in this House and is of particular interest to the Sinn Féin party, which is interested in sentencing guidelines. Let us do that collectively. I propose that, instead of dealing...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I am proposing an amendment to the Order of Business. We on these benches will be proposing that repeatedly until such time as Sinn Féin, in particular, comes on board and gets the Bill it is interested in and its sentencing guidelines pushed through against-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: -----pushed through against one Minister's glove puppet manipulation of the Government.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I am proposing such an amendment.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I accept the guidance of the Chair on that matter. I am serving notice that, at the next available opportunity, we are going to do this and we are going to continuously do this.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: We accept the apology.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: The firm purpose of the amendment was to-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I have nothing further to say on the section.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: It is not agreed.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: Yes.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 91g:In page 31, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following:"46. Where any three members of the Commission make a request to the Chairperson in regard to any person whose name is recommended by the Commission, the Commission shall also provide to the Minister a dissenting statement setting out the reasons that the requesting members are of the opinion that the person...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: For the record, the Minister mentioned that these amendments were produced late in the day. I must be very clear about this. Senator Boyhan was informed last Wednesday that because of the Brexit legislation it would be weeks before we returned to this matter. On Thursday evening we became aware that this had been reversed and we were to have an extra session today. Furthermore, we learned...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Mar 2019)

Michael McDowell: I would argue that in saying he will deal with these issues on Report Stage and will just listen on Committee Stage, the Minister is in breach of the spirit of the orders of this House. On Committee Stage, Members are supposed to debate the minutiae and put their amendments forward so that they can be considered in detail. This is not meant to be done simply on the basis of Report Stage...