Results 2,021-2,040 of 3,697 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I am not underestimating the role that the commission can play. I appreciate the Minister of State’s assurances and I do not question them at all. The Minister of State mentioned that the commission will carry out research and that will include certain organisations or minority groups. They would advise or they would be present at decision-making tables. My issue is that they...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 3: "In page 17, between lines 8 and 9, to insert the following: “(2) Of the ordinary members of the Commission, not less than 2 shall be women, and in circumstances where there are 6 whole ordinary members, not less than 3 of them shall be women.”."

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 4: In page 17, line 18, after “Court” to insert “other than the Chief Justice”.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 5: In page 17, between lines 26 and 27, to insert the following: “(c) the Clerk of Seanad Éireann or, where that office is vacant, the Clerk Assistant of Seanad Éireann.”.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 6: In page 18, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “(d) expertise in the promotion of participation in either Irish or international electoral systems;”.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No 8: In page 18, between lines 29 and 30, to insert the following: “(g) matters connected with human rights and equality, and (h) without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (g), matters connected with persons, or classes of persons, who are disadvantaged by reference to the following factors, which take their meaning from section 2 of the Employment...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 9: In page 18, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: “(6) Where recommending to the Government persons for appointment as ordinary members of the Commission, the Service shall have due regard to obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Act 2014 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 10: In page 19, to delete lines 29 and 30. Amendment No. 10 is a simple enough amendment proposing to delete lines 29 and 30. The purpose of this amendment is to edit the conditions for reappointment of an ordinary member to the Electoral Commission at the conclusion of his or her term. The Bill currently provides that an ordinary member is eligible for...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I understand that on the first appointment and the process a person has already gone through with regard to his or her experience, character and so forth. In terms of creating another term, it is not only then based on the experiences a person entered the commission with but on his or her performance and role within the commission for the years he or she has been there. There should be at...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 11: In page 21, line 10, to delete “may publish,” and substitute “shall make publicly available”. Amendment No. 11 is a simple amendment that aims to make sure that the Electoral Commission would make publicly available on its website the records of the agendas of its meetings, any papers relating to those meetings and the reports of those...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 12: In page 21, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following subsection: "(d) progress regarding the wholesale review of the Electoral Act 1997, including the review of its provisions relating to political funding, until such a time as that review is complete." The wording of the amendment is as outlined. Amendment No. 12 relates in large part to amendments...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I reluctantly accept that the intention is to have this matter addressed. It is not that I question the Minister of State. I know how much he cares about addressing this issue. At the very least, we should include in the legislation an intention that the commission address it. If we have a reshuffle, we could have an election and the next Minister or Government may not necessarily have...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I thank Senator Warfield and the Sinn Féin Party for tabling these amendments. I first worked with Senator Warfield on this issue when we worked on the Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill. Reflecting on it or even thinking of the arguments put forward against it at the time, Members would find they were quite amusing if they were to read the transcript of that debate. Comments...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: It showed how narrow and insular the thinking was on the voting at 16 legislation and how ridiculous some of the arguments were. However, I see a difference and a change since then, with many people being much more supportive of it. We need to move on it but the narrative is definitely beginning to change and people understand why it is so important. I viewed the voting at 16 legislation...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I was the best acolyte holder in the room. They did not allow me near the vessel in which the frankincense was put.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Frankincense.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Yes, father.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: We are talking about 16-year-olds and it is not the case that they just wake up one morning and say they are ready to vote and engage in politics. Those steps begin at a very early age and they begin even earlier for communities that are disenfranchised because they begin to compare those things to which they do not have access. They probably think this is just the way it is, but that is...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Blame the church.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (30 Jun 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I want to come back in to pick up on a couple of points. I am glad Senator Kyne came back into the room. Senator Malcolm Byrne said there is a concern that people would vote for fringe candidates or crazies.