Results 201-220 of 228 for speaker:Déirdre de Búrca

Seanad: European Union Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I welcome the opportunity to engage in the Second Stage debate on the European Union Bill. The purpose of the Bill is to give domestic effect to the provisions of the Lisbon treaty. Before I refer to the provisions of the Bill I welcome the very strong and decisive vote in favour of the treaty cast by the people on 2 October. I congratulate...

Seanad: European Union Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (22 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: On the issue of subsidiarity, section 7(3) provides that either House can adopt a resolution to prevent a particular EU legislative measure if it believes it is in breach of the principle of subsidiarity. The Seanad could have an independent role in this regard. If the proposed process of reform led to the House taking on a role scrutinising legislation without having to consult the Lower...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: Will the Leader ask the Minister for Transport, Deputy Dempsey, to address the House on his proposal on lowering the blood alcohol limit from 80 mg per 100 ml to 50 mg per 100 ml? I raise this because I noticed in an article in The Irish Times today that more than 500 people were arrested for suspected drink driving offences over the bank holiday weekend. This was because the traffic corps...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I want the Minister to come and address the issue before the House because I believe the debate is needed.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: There seem to be mixed views within all political parties.

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (Resumed) (28 Oct 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State and the opportunity to debate the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009. This is very important legislation of which the Green Party, particularly the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, can be very proud. If I have any regret it is that the Bill is only being introduced now, after a huge amount of damage has...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: Will the Leader invite the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, to the House? We could raise a number of important matters with him. One concerns the disappointing signals emerging from the negotiations on the climate change agreement for the Copenhagen meeting, which is scheduled for December. An international climate change treaty is now very...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: The reason I raised this matter and said the Minister should appear in the House is that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority is a statutory agency. There are serious questions about the assurances allegedly given to Mr. McNamara that the Dublin Docklands Development Authority could fast-track planning permission for the site and that it would not be subject to a planning appeal. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I wish to express my disappointment at the ruling by the Supreme Court on Portmarnock Golf Club's prohibition on women becoming full members. While I respect the right of that court to decide the law as it sees fit, it is disappointing in the 21st century that a golf club should be designated gentlemen only. The Supreme Court ruled that the club is entitled to an exemption under section 9...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: We are all aware of the important networking opportunities presented by golf courses and it is disappointing to see the continuation of this prohibition against women. More than 400 clubs have already opened their doors to women as full members and none has ground to a halt. I support the call made by a previous speaker for the Minister of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to appear before...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I raise the issue of the decision to be made shortly on the appointment of the first President of the European Council. The name of John Bruton, a former Taoiseach and leader of the Fine Gael Party, has been mentioned along with a number of others. He was one of the first people to be mentioned for the role. The reports in the newspapers today on the imminent gathering of the Heads of...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I would like to ask-----

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: -----that some of the suggestions made arising from a special sub-committee of which I was a member last November and December would be looked at again as part of the process of Seanad reform. That involved a scrutiny reserve system of European legislation.

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: A number of appointed Senators should have expertise in European affairs and so on.

Seanad: Education and Training Responses to the Economic Downturn: Statements (5 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister and the opportunity to debate the Courts and Court Officers Bill 2009. Like Senator Walsh, I must admit to feeling at a slight disadvantage. I am not a legal practitioner and thus am not on the receiving end of some of Senator Walsh's criticisms, but I have been a litigant once or twice and a defendant in one or two minor cases and I was struck by the volume of people...

Seanad: Flooding: Statements (Resumed) (25 Nov 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome this opportunity to make a statement on the recent flooding. I feel very passionately about flooding because in my eight years as a member of Wicklow County Council some of the most difficult planning situations I had to deal with or be involved with were cases in which flood plains were being zoned. Public representatives have probably only begun to wake up to the enormous...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (2 Dec 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I welcome the Minister of State. As a former psychologist and someone who managed a project for young people who had had their first serious experience of mental health difficulties, including psychosis, I also welcome the opportunity to conclude my reply to the Second Stage debate on the Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008. In view of the time constraints involved,...

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: I wish to respond to Senator Twomey's point about whether we should support the use of ECT. The thrust of our amendment is to remove the involuntary use of ECT from the Statute Book. The question of removing it altogether is a wider one. It misses the point of our amendment. Senator Twomey said surgery is invasive.

Seanad: Mental Health (Involuntary Procedures) (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (2 Dec 2009)

Déirdre de Búrca: Yes, I am just making a point in response to Senator Twomey. He said that surgery is involuntary in that it is invasive but will he consider how acceptable it would be to the public if we were to carry out involuntary surgery because we felt it would achieve certain outcomes? That would be absolutely unacceptable. As Senator Boyle said we must examine complementary approaches to treating...