Results 2,001-2,020 of 7,641 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: What has been happening in these past few minutes is the kind of thing that will bring the Seanad into disrepute because-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: -----it is very important that we tease out not just this amendment tabled by Senators van Turnhout and Mac Conghail. I have given a lot of thought to this Bill and to all the amendments. I have communicated with Senator van Turnhout about her amendments. It is also important that in explaining our position we would be in a position to speak to the section which is proposed to be amended-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Hopefully is not good enough, if I may say so. I have a strong view that this proposed amendment is taking the section in the wrong direction. I ask whether we are proposing 30% or 40% as the figure. What percentage of people in this country are immigrants? What percentage of people in this country are non-nationals? I estimate it is about 12% or 13% but I may be mistaken. I say there...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: -----but where is the equivalent concern? I ask the House to consider the Polish people and those from other eastern European countries in this country, the African people, the people who drive the taxis. Who is speaking for them in these Houses? What serious efforts have been made to induct them into the political system so that their particular voices and values are properly represented?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I am sure I referred to people; I do not think I referred to "men".

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Why is there selectiveness around the issue of gender? Is this not really a form of excessive and unhelpful selectiveness where a relatively vocal-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: We know Senator Keane's point will not be a point of order but I am sure the Acting Chairman will allow her anyway.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I am just concluding my point but I think the points I have made are valid.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I would further argue that this is part of the problem with the party Whip when one can reduce the minority to one or two voices, one can perhaps try to ridicule them-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: -----when one has no answer for the argument. I will conclude with the following point for the moment and I hope the Government will be gracious enough not to introduce the guillotine. I acknowledge this amendment is well intended and I agree with the goal of increased participation by women in politics. The means is pretty appalling in terms of introducing a gender quota. It is social...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I would welcome the views of other Members as to whether we should get in touch with Uachtarán na hÉireann to make an Article 26 reference in regard to this legislation. It seems that on equality grounds alone, it is very deficient and, I suspect, it may very well be unconstitutional.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: What about Senator Bradford? Is he to escape Senator Mooney's-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: There is nothing wrong with that if it makes sense.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Will the parties provide the incentive then and leave-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: The individual parties put their programmes to the electorate-----

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: ------to obtain sanction from the majority of the electorate.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: A majority has not voted for this.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I agree with Senator Darragh O'Brien on the Government's approach to the announcement of the sale of State assets. It is one of the more regrettable developments in politics in recent years that the Oireachtas is bypassed when news must be told to the people. In a sense, it shows the authoritarian nature of our political system in that government commands and oversees all while it does not...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: The 20th century was probably as bloody as all other centuries put together. I hope all Members will have a received a note that the archbishop of Orissa, John Barwa, will give a briefing tomorrow at 12.15 p.m. in Leinster House about the persecution of Christians, particularly in his area, one of the poorest states in India. At a time when we are talking about human rights in China, this...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Invite him in, we would be nicer to him than Vincent Brown would.