Results 10,941-10,960 of 11,509 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Supplementary Budget Statement 2009: Statements (9 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It is important to see an extension of the career break scheme through the public service. The early retirement scheme is also useful. These innovative and welcome measures aside, the budget as a whole appears to be a very crude and blunt attempt to balance books through cutting public spending and raising taxes on incomes of ordinary families. The Minister may have attempted to sweeten...

Seanad: Appointments to State Agencies and Public Bodies: Motion (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I have never been a member of Democratic Left.

Seanad: Appointments to State Agencies and Public Bodies: Motion (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, I have never been a member of Democratic Left. I am a proud member of the Labour Party and I have never been a member of Democratic Left.

Seanad: Appointments to State Agencies and Public Bodies: Motion (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: No, it is not.

Seanad: Appointments to State Agencies and Public Bodies: Motion (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am happy to speak on appointments to State agencies and public bodies but I do not see the point of the Green Party motion. At least the Fine Gael Party's amendment has the merit of making some substantive proposals for reform of the cronyism that we all agree took place in the past and continues to some extent in the appointments to State agencies and public bodies. It is a little rich...

Seanad: Appointments to State Agencies and Public Bodies: Motion (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I will not be able to say all I wished. I hoped to ask questions also about the new commercial semi-State agency to be set up, namely, the national assets management agency. Again, questions must be asked about the recruitment of the individuals who will fulfil the important roles of chair or chief executive officer and members on the board of that institution. It is a matter of urgency...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support the call from Senator Fitzgerald and others that Members should debate the budget today. It seems extraordinary that, when everyone else in the country is debating the financial statement that was issued by the Minister for Finance yesterday and the small print contained therein, Members are not so doing. Given there still are 20 Ministers of State, albeit for a relatively short...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader for a debate on the budget today and in particular the impact it will have on low to middle income families and on parents who will see their income cut in all these ways although their child care costs will remain high.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Committee Stage (Resumed) (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the opportunity to comment on the Bill at the conclusion of Committee Stage and I look forward to making further contributions on Report Stage. As I did before, I welcome this Bill, as did people on both sides of the House. The debate on it has been extremely worthwhile and has, I hope, contributed to what will be an improvement of the Bill on Report Stage. I would like to...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support the view of other Senators who were critical of the comments made by IBEC, which advocates reductions in social welfare payments. It is most unwise of directors of IBEC——

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: ——to express the view that cuts should be made in social welfare payments. What came to my mind on hearing this were the cuts called for last year by a certain senior banker, who subsequently resigned and fell from grace. He called for the abolition of free medical cards for people aged over 70 years and we have seen his fall from grace as a result. It is unjustified hubris for IBEC...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: ——Turlough O'Sullivan, calling for the abolition of the Seanad as a way of cutting Government spending. It was extremely inappropriate of somebody in his position to make such a call as he was overstepping his role.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the changes proposed this morning to the Order of Business. During the debate on Seanad Reform, I called for time limits to be imposed on all Senators on the Order of Business and on the Leader's response. That would make the Order of Business more democratic and lively, and would allow more people to contribute, which is positive.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the exhibition that is on display in Leinster House 2000 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Oireachtas. It is a wonderful exhibition with some really evocative photographs. I urge all those who have not seen it to go and have a look. Some of the most memorable photographs include that of the statue of Queen Victoria, which was removed——-

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It may be time for us to once again request the removal of cars from Leinster Lawn. Given that the statue of Queen Victoria was removed, and rightly so, cars should also be removed.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: That is a very serious allegation.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Apr 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I did not think I would have an opportunity to speak. I want to ask the Leader for a debate on censorship and freedom of expression, not in the context of the debate we have been having recently about the Government's gross over-reaction to the satirical portrait of the Taoiseach, although I share the concern of many about the heavy-handed tactics of the Garda Síochána in investigating...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I join others in welcoming the news yesterday that the strike scheduled for Monday has been called off. That is something we all welcome. However, now our thoughts turn to what will be in the mini-budget on 7 April and what level of engagement the Government will have with the trade unions and the other social partners. It is vital that there is real engagement and information is...