Results 9,621-9,640 of 11,489 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Like Senator O'Brien I ask that the Minister, Deputy Howlin, come into the House although it is almost as important that he be brought in to speak to us on the topic of political and constitutional reform. We are all delighted that the Private Members' business will resume today on the subject of Seanad procedures but there is an urgency about debating in this Chamber the bigger issue of...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: The Senator is delusional.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Leyden's party wrecked the economy.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Mullins will continue to be amused.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: All of us join Senator O'Brien in expressing sympathy in regard to that latest appalling shooting. Last night there was a debate in this House on the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009 with the Minister for Justice and Equality, and Members aired their concerns about the effectiveness of current legislative measures. The Minister helpfully indicated that he would conduct a review of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I, too, welcome the allocation of three hours for the Second Stage debate on the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2011 and the Leader's indication that we will have an opportunity to raise several issues with the Minister. One of the issues we must discuss is how to fund the jobs initiative. I welcome Senator Darragh O'Brien's indication that the Opposition supports the initiative.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: The Senator indicated he supported the concept behind it.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: He also referred to the changes to the rate of VAT and the travel tax. We must all bear in mind that the Government is between a rock and a hard place in terms of the IMF-EU deal. It is a real difficulty. We need to debate the basis upon which we will fund an initiative, but it is clear that such an initiative is needed and that it is very difficult to identify a source of funding, given...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I will speak with the Senator. However, the issue deserves a fuller debate. The Minister has pointed out that the IMF-EU deal requires a reduction in the numbers of gardaí. We must examine how best that can be achieved. I welcome the announcement today that an investigation will be held into the treatment of women and girls in Magdalene laundries. The establishment of an...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I reiterate my thanks to Amnesty International and Ms Maria McDonald for supplying us with the opinion. I believe the requirement in section 4(1)(c), that an offence would constitute an offence in the place in which it is done, would benefit re-examination before going to the Dáil. As stated by Senator Colm Burke, this is not the case in British or Scottish legislation. I have also raised...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome this amendment. I commend the Minister and his officials for including this provision in the Bill, as the Minister indicated in his Second Stage speech he would. It is important that victims of FGM would have an opportunity, if they so wish, to speak to the court in regard to the impact the offence has had upon them. It has very important and significant for victims of sexual and...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the passing of this Bill and the support it has received from all sides of the House. That is commendable and shows the importance attached to the Bill. I thank the Minister and the previous Minister for their work and I particularly thank the Minister's officials from the Department of Health who have worked very hard on the Bill since the first version of it was introduced as a...

Seanad: Death of Former Minister: Expressions of Sympathy (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I am glad also to have the opportunity to join in the tributes to the late Deputy Brian Lenihan, on behalf of the Labour Party and on my own behalf because I knew him personally. He will be sorely missed in a number of capacities. We focus here, I suppose, on his life as a politician, but he had a very successful and eminent career otherwise, and that should not be forgotten. He was a...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009: Motion (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House. I am glad to hear he is conducting a review of the provisions of the 2009 Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act. That is a useful announcement. I hope it will be a comprehensive review and that, in particular, it will look at the necessity of this provision in section 8. I begin by acknowledging, as the Minister and other speakers have, the real and...

Seanad: Seanad Reform: Motion (15 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and welcome the opportunity to debate this important motion which was put forward by the Independent nominee group. I thank the group for providing us with the opportunity to debate these proposals at this early stage in the new term of the 24th Seanad. This opportunity is important because it gives us an opportunity to be radical, as Senator...

Seanad: Offences against the State (Amendment) Act 1998: Motion (14 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House and offer the support of the Labour Party for this motion. I should declare, as I have in previous years when we debated this issue, my own interest as a practitioner who has worked in the Special Criminal Court and used some of these provisions there. I spoke in the past as a Member who, while not on the Government side, supported the motion, although...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I add my voice to that of Senator Darragh O'Brien in offering condolences to the family of the late Deputy Brian Lenihan. We were all immensely shocked by his untimely death on Friday. Every Member of the House will wish to offer condolences to his family - his wife, Patricia, and his children, Claire and Tom. Those of us who were Members of the previous Seanad will recall the night of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: The Minister for Social Protection will be in the House in two weeks time to discuss a major Bill. I join Senator O'Brien in expressing sympathy to the family of the man shot dead in Clondalkin. It is sad to see in one week two such murders being committed in Dublin. I welcome very much the all party motion, initiated by Senator John Crown, on Bahrain. It is most appropriate that the...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: I am not, I am simply giving an answer. I look forward to Senator Mullen's support for any other measures that might be taken to ensure that we do not subscribe to views that are offensive to members of any other religion. For example, the fact that we have a Christian prayer at the start of business in the Seanad and in the Dáil could be seen as problematic for Members of other religions...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2011)

Ivana Bacik: That would not take a constitutional amendment, but I would certainly agree with a constitutional amendment on the offence of blasphemy, which is another matter that we have debated at length in the House.