Results 5,901-5,920 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Perhaps we could debate when the House returns after the break. As I said, I understood there was strong support for the people of Syria in this House. I am, therefore, disappointed by this. On the verdict announced yesterday in the trial in Belfast, I ask the Leader to arrange a debate when we return on the trial of sex offences in this jurisdiction. We have had some significant changes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Parliament of Georgia Foreign Relations Committee (29 Mar 2018)

Ivana Bacik: The witnesses are all very welcome. I thank them for coming to the committee and for their comprehensive presentation about Georgia, the difficulties it faces and the challenges and aspirations for EU membership in particular. I echo the Chairman's comments, and those of others, in offering my support and that of the Labour Party for the measures being sought such as the lifting of visa...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Cathaoirleach, the Leader of the House and my colleagues on the Vótáil 100 committee Senators McFadden, Conway-Walsh, Higgins and Grace O'Sullivan, who stood in for Deputy Catherine Martin, for all the work that went into making this morning's event such a success. I also thank the other colleagues who dropped in to observe Díospóireacht na nÓg, whereby...

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Apr 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I would like to start by expressing my support for Senator Norris's contribution earlier when he spoke about the motion he is seeking to bring before the Seanad. I was disappointed, as was Senator Norris, that it was ruled out of order. I would like to see us continue to press the point. As Senator Norris said, it is an important facet of Seanad reform that we would not restrict ourselves...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: We would have all waited to hear that.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: The Chair might have allowed her to continue. I welcome our two new colleagues and I look forward to working with them. On behalf of the Labour group, I extend our congratulations to them and their families who are with us today. It is a proud day for them. Like previous speakers, I call for a debate on CervicalCheck and request that the Minister come to the House. The Leader is making...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: -----and her family for the huge courage they showed in pursuing the case against robust opposition and defence by the State to the point where she was forced to give evidence in the witness box. The judge commented when the case was settled that she was one of the most impressive witnesses he had ever heard. I commend her tenaciousness in pursuing this issue. It is appalling that many...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: And Holles Street.

Seanad: Prohibition of Conversion Therapies Bill 2018: Second Stage (2 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State and I commend Senator Warfield on initiating this important Bill. On behalf of Labour Party Senators, I am delighted to co-sponsor it with him. I welcome those in the Gallery who will hopefully observe the passage of the Bill through Second Stage. The Minister of State commented on the internal system and I am glad the Government will not oppose the...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (2 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister. I acknowledge the presence earlier of his predecessor, Deputy Fitzgerald, and the Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality, Deputy Stanton, who have both done so much work on this Bill. I agree with Senator Conway-Walsh that it is important that we move swiftly through the remaining Stages, although there are some important issues in these...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (Resumed) (2 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I will just make a few brief comments to note the passage of the legislation. It is ground-breaking. I commend the Minister and his officials who worked so hard on it over a lengthy period. I commend the Minister's predecessor, former Minister Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, on her pioneering work in steering this legislation into the Oireachtas initially. As others have said, there has been a...

Seanad: Education (Welfare) (Amendment) Bill 2017: Committee Stage (2 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I commend Senator Ó Ríordáin, who sponsored the Bill, for bringing it forward. I welcome the Minister to the House and I welcome her comments on the Bill. We are all cognisant of her comments on the need to be mindful of unforeseen consequences. Clearly it is not our intention to dissuade parents from sending their children to school before the age of six. Both Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I did not have the opportunity this week to express my sadness at the death of Monica Barnes, former Deputy and Member of this House. I was a great admirer of hers and was delighted to welcome her on what was probably her last visit to Leinster House on 1 February to launch our Vótáil 100 programme along with other former women Members of the Oireachtas. She was a great campaigner...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Perhaps the Senator might send me the contact details.

Seanad: Europe Day 2018: Statements (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, to the House and I welcome the opportunity for these statements since we celebrated Europe Day yesterday. I thank the Minister of State for her speech. It provides us for a good opportunity to reflect on the future of Europe and the context for the many challenges posed by the Brexit vote. Clearly there are massive challenges posed by...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Syrian Conflict: Irish Syria Solidarity Movement (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Dr. Sparrow for her moving presentation. As the Chair said, we have heard other eyewitness accounts of the war in Syria but she has described graphically and clearly the horrific impact of the war on children, in particular, and the outrageous brutality of the regime. Many of us have sought to put that to the Russian government representatives here, as well as to people who have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Syrian Conflict: Irish Syria Solidarity Movement (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I thank those in the Irish Syria solidarity movement, a number of whom are in the Gallery, for their work in continuing to highlight this issue. It is a war that has gone on so long that media attention in the West has slipped.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Situation in Palestine: Discussion (10 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Mr. Barghouti for, as the Chairman said, such a concise and clear presentation. I think he has set out very succinctly why Ireland should support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, BDS, programme. I am personally a supporter of it. I am proud to support it on behalf of Labour, my party. Students' unions across Ireland have backed it, as have other unions. We need to act on it....

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Like others, I express my utter condemnation of the appalling killings and maiming by the Israeli defence forces of so many civilians in Gaza, particularly a number of children. It is appalling to see carnage of this level. It is a new low. The Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade had a session on Palestine with Omar Barghouti last week. Even at that point, it was not apparent...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (15 May 2018)

Ivana Bacik: To those who ask what role the EU has, I say it has a major role, as we heard last week at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade. It has a role as a major donor, as an entity, and as a bloc that has invested a huge amount of money in the rebuilding of buildings in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Senator Black will have seen this. The buildings were subsequently...