Results 6,461-6,480 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: How does one follow that? I join other Senators in expressing my sincere sympathy to the Cathaoirleach on the loss of his sister and to Senator Coughlan on the loss of his mother.I wish to extend sympathies on my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues, some of whom have already spoken. I commend Senators Nash and Gavan on their work in support of the SIPTU healthcare workers. I know others...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Zappone, for agreeing to a change in the schedule for our consideration of the Adoption (Information and Tracing) Bill. Yesterday many of us expressed concern that the Bill was proceeding to Committee Stage, even though we were very dissatisfied with the framework of the Minister's proposed amendments. We were told...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: This is my main topic.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Acting Chairman for his indulgence.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Of course, I take umbrage at Senator Norris's suggestion the impetus behind Part 4 of the Criminal Law (Sex Offences) Act 2017 was a smug, middle-class sense of purpose.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: The Senator may not. The impetus behind the criminalisation of sex purchase derived clearly and explicitly from a view of prostitution as the exploitation of women. It derived from a feminist sensibility and ideology.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: We certainly did. I was proud to be a member of the justice committee which recommended the approach we adopted in the 2017 Act. I pay tribute to the then Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, who drove the legislation, rightly, from an explicitly feminist perspective, with the focus on protecting women who were being exploited.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Ruhama and the other organisations involved in the Turn Off the Red Light coalition have strongly criticised-----

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Those organisations have strongly and rightly criticised what appears to be a continued focus in policing on prosecuting women involved in selling sex. That is not what the legislation was intended to do. We want to see more prosecutions of clients, which was the purpose behind the law. Its objective is to tackle the demand for prostitution.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: That is the only way we will address the exploitation, violence and organised crime networks which are an implicit part of prostitution.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: The Act is not responsible for any increase in the level of violence. What we do see is that where prostitution is addressed in the Swedish manner, that is, by criminalising the purchase of sex, there are better police reporting structures for those engaged in prostitution and reduced criminalisation, which is the purpose behind the legislation we introduced. That is what happened in Sweden...

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Coroners (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important and long overdue Bill, for which I offer my support and that of my Labour Party colleagues. I also acknowledge the people in the Gallery to hear the debate. As the Minister said, the Bill serves a number of purposes. It will provide a long-overdue modernisation of our current coroners system and will update and modernise the legal...

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: They have been circulated.

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to share time with Senator Ó Ríordáin. I welcome the Minister. I also very much welcome the deferral of Committee Stage and its replacement with statements. I thank the Minister for her very full opening statement to us in which she set out her views. I wholeheartedly agree with the content of her letter to the Attorney General as she explained it to us,...

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I am also grateful to the Tusla officials whom Deputy Burton and I met yesterday. They helpfully explained to us how the information and tracing process is being carried out at present. They told us that the lack of a statutory basis for this work is frustrating for everyone who is trying to provide information. I think we all understand that. We understand the need for legislation of...

Seanad: Adoption, Information and Tracing: Statements (19 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Judicial Council Bill 2017: Report and Final Stages (20 Jun 2019)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State and the opportunity to debate this Bill on Report Stage. It is an important Bill. I have already spoken on behalf of the Labour Party on Second and Committee Stages when I welcomed the legislation and the amendments. I seek a response from the Minister of State on a specific issue. Senator Ó Donnghaile has raised aspects of it. It relates to this...