Results 8,881-8,900 of 11,477 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I commend the Leader on organising Thursday's briefing on the EU treaty. I agree with what Senator Darragh O'Brien said about attendance and I certainly recommend it to all the Labour Senators. It is very important to have a good attendance from Senators at that important briefing. However, I wish to respond to what he said on where the Government stands on the treaty. Clearly, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----including the issue of the promissory notes that the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, mentioned. To hear Fianna Fáil calling for a clear message when there are two voices on the treaty emanating from that party is ironic.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: The message is very clear from the Government. We stand very clearly behind the "Yes" campaign for this referendum on the new fiscal compact treaty.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is not about anything else, sweeteners or bribes, a point which has come very clearly from Labour and Fine Gael Ministers alike. I call for a debate with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, on schools patronage. I take issue with Senator Darragh O'Brien's comment that minority faiths feel the Government is doing nothing for them. Far from it.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Deputy Quinn is the first education Minister to set up a national forum on patronage and pluralism in primary schools.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is due to report in the next several weeks and it will examine precisely how parents' conscience and preference in terms of faith schooling for their children will be accommodated in a fast-changing Ireland in which we see increasing numbers of children of different faiths and no faiths.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Our current system of school patronage with 96% of primary schools under Catholic patronage does not reflect the growing reality of Irish families today.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I compliment the Minister's announcement today-----

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----on the patronage of a number of new schools, including several Educate Together schools in Tallaght and elsewhere, which will reflect a multidenominational ethos which is very important. I have a question for the Leader on Syria. All Members must be appalled by what they see happening in the besieged city of Homs and today's reports on the torture of not just civilians, but hospital...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: When it has achieved its goal-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I am delighted to have an opportunity to discuss a couple of important issues to do with the Bill covered in this group of amendments. The two issues cover the idea of a sunset clause and extending the remit of the legislation to cover local and, potentially, Seanad elections. I will take up a couple of the points made by Senator Rónán Mullen who I am glad to hear supports the aim of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Certainly, amendment No. 37 in his name is rather different from the sunset clause recommended by Senator Averil Power and in our 2009 report since it is his presumption that the legislation will not continue unless this is provided for by a resolution. Having listened carefully to Senator Rónán Mullen whom I did not interrupt, I want to make a couple of points. All the legislation seeks...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: As one who goes through the university panel, where people do not get nominated by anyone or rather they get nominated by ten graduates of the university, I accept it is a very different system. Certainly, there would be no place for this in the university panel. My understanding was that, generally, there is no place for this on the vocational panels. A further reason we did not consider...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: My report was prepared in 2009, before the Taoiseach came into power.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is more than a vagary.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I hesitate to interrupt Senator Norris.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I wonder is this directly relevant to the amendments.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I am just asking.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Gate keepers.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Ivana Bacik: That is not what I said.