Results 5,001-5,020 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I would appreciate the opportunity to speak on this matter. Personally, I would have preferred for the Government to have retained its 25% share. However, I note the agreement made is significantly improved on what was offered before. IAG has agreed to an indefinite Government veto on the disposal of the Heathrow slots which guarantees State control of connectivity. According to Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Maybe Senator Darragh O’Brien was not a Deputy then.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: A group of eight Labour Deputies has been committed to ensuring as good a deal for the workers and the travelling public was achieved. Last night, the group published a statement pointing out not only IAG’s agreement to the indefinite Government veto and, therefore, the guarantee of the State control of connectivity but also the commitment given on the registered employment agreements.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Like other Members, I am also reading through the details of the agreement. There is a commitment to 600 new jobs by 2020 and a net 150 new jobs by the end of next year. The 50 job losses that are being projected will be catered for through voluntary severance or deployment. Accordingly, we are going to see significant and enhanced growth in jobs as a result of this deal, should it come...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: We must remind ourselves of Fianna Fáil's position on this.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Will the Leader arrange for a debate on this matter in due course? Will he also arrange for a debate on bringing in a ban on corporal punishment of children? I am glad the Council of Europe is making a decision against Ireland on this. It is long overdue. We should now do away with the continued defence of reasonable chastisement which is appalling and goes against the principle of...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Fianna Fáil still sold 74.9% of the airline.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It is very difficult to sit and listen to Senator O'Brien's brazen hypocrisy on the issue of Aer Lingus. As I said, his party, when in government, presided over the effective privatisation of Aer Lingus by selling off 74.9% of its share. It is brazen hypocrisy, and nothing less than that. Furthermore, the Senator has now spoken for nearly 20 minutes on the subject of Aer Lingus. I do not...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It is now 11.50 a.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: He still spoke for a lot longer than the time allowed. Given that the Leader has scheduled a debate on Aer Lingus today, as requested by many of us, and that the Minister will be on his feet in the Dáil for most of the day, I do not see how we can have the debate any earlier. I ask the Senator to read the letter sent by the CEO of Aer Lingus, Mr. Stephen Kavanagh, to the Minister of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I did not interrupt Senator O'Brien.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: He provided helpful reassurance on the issue of registered employment agreements, compulsory redundancies and outsourcing, three of the key issues which most concern many of us in the proposed sale. I welcome the announcement by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government today of a €91 million investment in housing. Senator Hayden will also welcome the...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The Senator has missed his vocation.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader for arranging the debate at the request of the House. Indeed, I was one of the Senators who looked for the debate. Will all of those who shouted so loudly on the Order of Business now turn up to participate in this debate? My own position, as leader of the Labour Party group, is that I opposed the effective privatisation of Aer Lingus and the sale of the controlling...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Again, the nature of the share is set out in the steering group report. That share will enable the Minister to block any proposed disposal by Aer Lingus of any of its Heathrow slots indefinitely. Therefore, it is a much strong stronger protection than currently exists. I think this addresses the connectivity issue. I note that my colleague, Deputy Ciarán Lynch, pointed out the...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I agree with colleagues that we should be able to see whether money can be put aside from the sale of Aer Lingus for this fund. I am certainly happy to take that up with the Government as I am sure my colleagues will also. In regard to the connectivity fund of €335 million, the Labour Party has secured agreement that the proceeds of this sale will be ring-fenced into a fund operated...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I will finish on that point. I ask colleagues to reflect on the issue of growth as I am doing. I am making a journey on this issue myself.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The Senator's party flogged most of it.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Share Disposal: Statements (28 May 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Is that for the July 2006 Dáil motion, to sell 75%?

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jun 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Darragh O'Brien addressed his question on the motion relating to Aer Lingus to the Leader, who I am sure will respond to it. I must state, however, that in the aftermath of what I said in the Seanad two weeks ago, I raised with the Tánaiste's office the issue of providing some form of redress to members of the Aer Lingus deferred pension scheme. I remain in contact with the...