Results 10,701-10,720 of 11,509 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It is clear we need a debate on expenses. This Order of Business has effectively turned into a debate on expenses and allowances and I echo the calls of others on both sides of the House to the Leader for that debate. I share the concern expressed by others at the way in which all Members have been tarred with the same brush as a result of the revelations in The Sunday Tribune in particular...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: -----information on abuse. We need to be clear about this. Of course, the majority are not abusing the system of expenses but, where there are unjustifiable claims, overspending and lavish travel, there is real and justified public anger. I disagree with Senator Leyden who said this was just a distraction. We must consider the matter in the context of the real world, in which people are...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Clearly, it is highly important to have provision for the consideration of integration of transport in land use planning in any regional planning guidelines. As Senator Cannon has noted, all Members support that concept. However, there also is room within the development of such guidelines for provision for greater consultation with members of the public and in particular for provision for...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support Senator Ryan's amendment. Senator Ryan made reference to the bad old times and none of us wants to see a return to that time, nor would this amendment lead to a return to that. I refer to times when there was clearly an under supply of taxis, particularly in Dublin but also around the country. No one can defend that but this does not aim to return to this. Now we have the...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: -----but there is a clear benefit to consumers in that case, not only in terms of offering choice, but offering choice in price.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Yesterday I wanted to say a word of thanks to my colleague, Senator Norris, for his kind words about me on the Order of Business. I am very grateful to him and I look forward to working with him and Senator Ross in representing our constituents in Dublin University. I also wanted to congratulate Senator Norris on his recent acclamation as Gay Icon of the Year by the National Lesbian and Gay...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: -----if I may be permitted to do that, as I am speaking about a Member of this House. I echo the words of Senator Alex White in that it does seem absurd in the extreme if we cannot comment on any individual outside the House. Clearly, we do it all the time as a matter of routine and this must continue. I also welcome the outcome of the Lisbon treaty referendum which I hope will usher in new...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support this amendment because I believe it is essential to the principle of the licensing scheme envisaged in the Bill, namely, that standards would be applied to the provision of such services. Given the current economic context, it is very important that we stipulate that certain standards should be maintained in respect of labour conditions and health and safety matters. The Minister...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Minister of State for his response, which lived up, or rather down, to my expectation of it. I am glad to hear that similar provisions may be made in other legislation. However, there is a tendency on the part of the Government to put off making provisions, particularly those guaranteeing minimum standards, and suggest that they be put into other legislation. I am thinking of...

Seanad: Public Transport Regulation Bill 2009: Committee Stage (6 Oct 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I do not normally rise to defend a Minister of State but I see the merit of the subsection and it is not unduly restrictive. It is a question of the licensing of bus services for the consumer, so the interests of the consumer must be foremost in the legislation. The subsection will not restrict an operator who wishes to enter the market, as it asks him or her to put forward a good business...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Senators Alex White and O'Toole for their kind words. Although I have made a small physical move forward and to the right, of course, I stay politically exactly where I was before, which is firmly on the left. I have the privilege of having been elected by the graduates of Dublin University to represent them in the Seanad and I will continue to work hard to do so. I ask the Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I will.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support Senator Fitzgerald's amendment to the Order of Business on the basis that the Seanad should be sitting longer. Recent days have shown the need for more sitting time. Yesterday, the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill was railroaded though the House.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Second Stage was guillotined and speakers who wanted to contribute could not do so. We were unable to give any thought to amendments on Report Stage, which is a pity. Senator Mullen already referred to the House of Lords.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am asking the Leader why he cannot give more time, given that the House of Lords was able to block the 42-day detention powers in England.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It is interesting that we could not put any amendments through in the Seanad last night. I also want to ask the Leader why we are not having time to debate the report of an bord snip nua. The Seanad should be sitting for that next week. We are all under the impression that the report will be published at some stage next week. There has already been widespread selective leaking of some of...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I hope the Senator is not referring to me again.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I echo the words of Senator White in thanking the Minister for his engagement with us throughout the debate today. I thank also his officials who worked so hard on the Bill and staff in the Attorney General's office who I understand also advised on different aspects of the Bill. Although I agree this was a good and measured debate and that we engaged on many of the points about which we had...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to the Minister for clarifying the nature of the detention powers with which we are dealing. These are all substantial detention powers. He has also confirmed that the power to detain a person for seven days pre-charge is now being extended to all organised crime offences under Part 7 of the 2006 Act. It is evidence of creeping changes in the criminal justice system. When...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I acknowledged that point earlier.