Results 5,121-5,140 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I offer condolences to the wife and family of former Deputy, Alexis Fitzgerald, on behalf of the Labour Party group. I also offer condolences to Deputy Joe O'Reilly. I and many other Members served with him in the previous Seanad, from 2007 to 2011, and he is a great friend and colleague. I am very sorry to hear of the death of his mother. I join Senator Mooney in offering a huge...

Seanad: Civil Debt (Procedures) Bill 2015: Second Stage (17 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Ó Ríordáin, to the House and the opportunity to speak on the Bill, which I welcome. I particularly welcome its key principle, which is to seek an end to the imprisonment of persons for non-payment of civil debt.As Senators Conway and van Turnhout stated, this is a really admirable and noble principle and is hugely important. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: In light of what Senator O'Brien has said about the awful circumstances of that case, I am sure we could agree a Seanad cross-party motion, although it is very late. We would certainly have time to do that. We can all join on that one. I welcome the announcement that the Cabinet will be approving the adoption (information and tracing) Bill tomorrow. This will give adopted children the...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: That is a welcome development. It has been promised for a long time and everyone in the House will be aware of the difficulties in drafting legislation of this kind. Colleagues on both sides have worked on this, as have colleagues in the Dáil. I look forward to the eventual publication of the Bill. I also welcome the announcement that Máire Geoghegan-Quinn is to chair the...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: That was a slightly grudging good luck wish from Senator O'Brien. I condemn the dreadful suicide bomb attack in Turkey yesterday, apparently by a member of ISIS, in which 30 young socialist activists were killed while they were trying to plan the rebuilding of the city of Kobane which had previously been overrun by ISIS militants. Following the dreadful attack in Tunisia, it is yet another...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jul 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I wish everybody on both sides of the House a restful break. Even if we do not return yet as a reformed Seanad, I hope we will return as a reinvigorated Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Before speaking to the Order of Business, I join with colleagues in expressing tribute to Senator Jimmy Harte on the announcement of his resignation. On behalf of my Labour Party colleagues, I echo the warm sentiments expressed about Jimmy by the Leader and Senator O'Brien. Jimmy is well-known and well-loved by all of us. He has had a long and distinguished political career. He was first...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It is regrettable that we are moving to a by-election in the Seanad. Many Members, including myself, expressed our deep regret about our colleague Jimmy Harte’s resignation. Yesterday, all of us wished him well in his retirement and for his speedy recovery. I am not going to descend to making any sort of cheap political points about the unfortunate fact that we will have a...

Seanad: Choice of Court (Hague Convention) Bill 2015: Committee and Remaining Stages (24 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome strongly today's announcement of a six-year capital investment plan that will extend from 2016 to 2021. I do not think there is any way to portray this as anything other than good news, no matter how the Opposition may try. A significant investment of €27 billion will be made over a six-year period. We are seeing really positive plans under a whole range of headings. In...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I would like to see us debate in an honest, objective and rational fashion the reality of crisis pregnancy for so many people in Ireland and the need to repeal the eighth amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to make a point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I am a pro-choice activist and not an abortion supporter. I ask Senator Mullen to get that right. After so many years I think he would have learned by now.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I do not hide behind it.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Why is it happening?

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It was not meant.

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: First, on behalf of the Labour group, I thank the many colleagues from across the House who expressed their good wishes to Senator Harte on his retirement. I am aware of how much his family appreciated it, as did all members of the Labour group, but his family has specifically asked me to pass on their appreciation and to thank all Members again in this regard. Members will miss him in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Migrant Crisis: Discussion (30 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the witnesses for the presentations. They have given us a great deal more clarity around the proposals we have seen. In particular, it is helpful to hear the specific difference between resettlement of those who come from refugee camps in Lebanon and neighbouring countries to the war zones and whose refugee status is predetermined and relocation, which relates to the bulk of people...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Migrant Crisis: Discussion (30 Sep 2015)

Ivana Bacik: That is very helpful. I should have said at the outset like Deputy Finian McGrath that all of us are horrified at the terrible plight in particular of refugees from Syria arriving in Italy and Greece and at the appalling journeys they have had to make and the dreadful personal tragedies we have seen. Arising from that, Mr. Kirrane has given us the idea that it will be months before we start...