Results 4,641-4,660 of 9,159 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In fairness to Dr. Devine, she has robustly defined the international framework for what neutrality is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: She is very clear that our actions in the past 15 years are not in line with it. That is her perspective. The question of whether the people wish to include it in the Constitution in order that it would be more clearly defined from a political perspective is one for them. I understand Dr. Devine's point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The difficulty is that on many occasions opinion polls have been proved not to pan out when the people vote on referendum day. What people express in an opinion poll will not necessarily represent the final outcome. The only true way to assess the people's will on a given matter, in terms of primary legislation, is to give them an opportunity to vote in a referendum. All we can do is say...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is now two years since we had a poll. It could be argued that the view of the people right now may not be in favour. The truth is that Dr. Devine's presentation shows that this has consistently been the view of the people when they have been polled over a period of 15, 16 or 17 years. That does not, unfortunately, make it the law.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is the problem with opinion polls. The response is often determined by what the question is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: At this late stage we will not take points, only supplementary questions. We have had plenty of time to make points.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Both delegates have already responded to the issue in the affirmative. I will ask them to deal with the first question on whether a referendum would tie our hands and be an inflexible response to the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will not allow this. In fairness, Dr. Devine put it extensively in her presentation and Mr. Smyth has responded. That is enough for now. I cannot thank both witnesses enough. It was a vigorous and balanced debate because we wanted to have two different perspectives on the subject. It was thought-provoking and helpful to the committee's deliberations. I thank them for coming here,...

Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Report Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Before I came in here, I was informed that our amendments have been ruled out of order. I have no explanation as to why this is the case and I am seeking clarification because I was in attendance on Committee Stage last Friday. Therefore, we had clearly indicated that these amendments would be submitted on Report Stage. I do not understand, therefore, why they are being ruled out of order.

Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Report Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: As I have only been a Member of the House for four years, I will defer to the Acting Chairman's greater service. However, I find this to be an extraordinary decision by the Bills Office. To be made aware five minutes before we take Report Stage after we have prepared for the debate that the amendments have been ruled out of order is incredible. I will seek further clarification other than...

Leaders’ Questions (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Fine Gael Deputies are smiling over there. Their policies were implemented. It is only the Fine Gaelers who are smiling.

Referendum (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Referendum Act 1994 to provide for a time frame within which the Courts must ordinarily hear and make a finding on a referendum petition and related matters.On 22 May the people of Ireland expressed their democratic will and voted overwhelmingly in favour of marriage equality. However, it appears that the will of...

Referendum (Amendment) Bill 2015: First Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2015 [‘Jake’s Amendment’]: First Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Act of 1962 to provide for a verdict of Iatrogenic Suicide and related matters.This Bill is to be known as "Jake's Amendment". On 20 March 2013, shortly after being prescribed the antidepressant, Prozac, 14 year old Jake McGill Lynch ended his own life using a firearm. Jake, who was diagnosed with Asperger's...

Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2015 [‘Jake’s Amendment’]: First Stage (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move: "That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time."

Appointment of Chairperson of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I apologise that I could not attend the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality yesterday. I was attending an excellent round-table event concerning the hope the State would recognise Traveller ethnicity, which was organised by the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

Appointment of Chairperson of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission: Motion (16 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Minister will be aware that the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality was tasked with examining the Garda Síochána Act 2005 and considering ways of strengthening GSOC, having a policing authority, ensuring the accountability of the Garda and setting up new structures. One of our recommendations was to replace the current three-person commission with one ombudsman, as...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Jobseeker's Allowance Eligibility (22 Sep 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 252. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she is aware that credit unions in County Donegal, as not-for-profit organisations, are prevented from taking on volunteers to assist them, who are in receipt of support benefits from her Department as they are not categorised as a voluntary organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31718/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Crime Data (22 Sep 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 651. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide a set of statistics on reported crime by category for Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 of 2014 and for Q1 and Q2 of 2015 for the locality served by Stepaside Garda station, Dublin 18. [31660/15]