Results 4,781-4,800 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Firearms Licences: (Resumed) Discussion (21 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I did not want to be the one to say it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Firearms Licences: (Resumed) Discussion (21 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Yes, I am.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I strongly welcome the publication yesterday of the referendum wording for the marriage equality referendum by the Government. It was an historic day to see the straightforward clear and concise wording put forward. It received an almost universal welcome, certainly from across the political spectrum, and also in a joint press release from the Gay and Lesbian Equality Network, the Irish...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I am happy to work with other Senators on the motion. I congratulate Patricia King on her appointment as head of ICTU to replace David Begg in March. I welcome the decision, as she will make an excellent leader of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. As other Members did yesterday, I commend the appointment of Kevin Vickers as the new Canadian Ambassador to Ireland. He received his...

Seanad: Direct Provision: Statements (22 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State and welcome the fact that we are debating this issue again. We debated it in September and again on 23 October in light of the Private Members' Bill. It is very helpful to have regular updates from the Minister of State on the issue of direct provision because it is matter of great concern to many of us on both sides of the House. We have always worked very...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I want to mark today's date, the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp. It is being marked in different ways across Europe today, but I thought it was worth marking it in this House, particularly at a time when we see anti-EU sentiment coming to the fore in many countries. It is important to remember the impetus that brought what are now the European Union...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: We must be mindful of the historical context for this, but I support the idea of a debate on the matter in advance of any decision being made. I also ask the Leader for a debate on developments in the EU, in light of the Syriza victory in Greece and the quantitative easing package that was announced last week and which I welcomed in this House on Thursday. The victory of Syriza may point to...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I concur with Senator O'Brien in his condemnation of the nature of the protests against President Michael D. Higgins. Any democrat should join in condemning those protests, which are clearly unacceptable. As Uachtarán na hÉireann, the President represents all of the people of Ireland, at both national and international level, and should be above politics. Most fair-minded people...

Seanad: Universities (Development and Innovation) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, to the House. I commend Senator Barrett on introducing this Private Members' Bill which gives us the opportunity to debate third level education generally. Senator Quinn referred to a very apposite quote from Senator Barrett as to the core purpose of a university, which I fully endorse and commend. That is very welcome and sets a nice context...

Seanad: Universities (Development and Innovation) (Amendment) Bill 2015: Second Stage (28 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Tomorrow at 10.30 a.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader for a debate on the Action Plan for Jobs 2015. I welcome today's publication of the action plan, which Chambers Ireland has welcomed. It has been widely welcomed and it is undisputed that the plan is working. Since the first launch of An Action Plan for Jobs at the initiation of the Government's programme, approximately 1,000 actions have been implemented across Government...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Jan 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Wilson is making the request.

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I refer to the discussions about the potential sale of Aer Lingus. Of course, matters are at a very early stage and there is no offer, but I have already put on the record my opposition to the sale of the Government's 25% stake in Aer Lingus. Indeed, I opposed the sale of the rest of what was the Government's much larger stake in 2006. I welcome the good news today of the Accenture jobs...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House. I welcome also the groups represented in the Gallery who I know have worked very hard on progressing this legislation. I refer to TENI and LGBT Noise, among others. Senators Zappone and Norris, with customary eloquence, have put the case for a review very strongly, and I agree. The idea of a review is a sensible one and would address some of the...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Minister for his willingness to accept the principle. We are all delighted to hear it, and it augurs very well for the future, given that it is the first amendment. Let us hope there is more of that. It shows the Seanad working at its best and in a constructive and collegiate fashion.

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I am sorry I had to leave to attend a meeting of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, but I listened carefully to the debate before and after I left. Some substantive and eloquent points were made, as the Minister has acknowledged, and moving experiences recounted. This is an area that is moving. I re-read the joint committee report, the pre-legislative stage, which was just in...

Seanad: Gender Recognition Bill 2014: Committee Stage (3 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: This group of amendments is all about the undue medicalisation and pathologising of transgender persons, which we were critical of on Second Stage and today. As others have done, I urge the Minister of State to accept the spirit in which these amendments were moved. I wish to speak on amendment No. 13, tabled by my colleague, Senator Marie Moloney, which I fully support. To delete the...

Seanad: Workplace Relations Bill 2015: Second Stage (4 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and I also welcome the Bill. Everyone has given it a general welcome. All Senators agree that there is a need to consolidate the current set of procedures to deal with employment rights, workplace relations and so forth. As has been acknowledged, these issues developed in a piecemeal fashion over several years and, therefore, are unduly complex...

Seanad: Mediation Services: Motion (4 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I would be delighted to second this motion. I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin to the House.

Seanad: Mediation Services: Motion (4 Feb 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.