Results 721-740 of 18,726 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: ——they would get a clear message that they are disgracing themselves.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: On this occasion I welcome the relative silence of the Labour Party and the dignity of the Green Party Deputies. I cannot believe Fine Gael would behave in such a jackboot fashion.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I was asked about section 6(4) of the Citizenship Act 1956. The reason that is constitutional is that it enables people to opt out of Irish citizenship which would otherwise be conferred on them. The matter was carefully considered at the time and is in no way inconsistent with the Constitution. In the last 24 hours in this House we have had for the most part a constructive debate. For the...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: No, I am not yielding.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: During the debate I heard not heard one Member from any quarter of this House make any cogent argument on what the expert group led by Dr. T. K. Whitaker said on the issue.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That group said it would be wrong to attempt to create an absolute right based on birth in the Constitution because necessarily it must be subject to conditions and exceptions which are not suitable for inclusion in the Constitution. I have heard nobody say anything different from that.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Also, during the debate I have not heard anybody suggest any reason as to why, if the law was as the Government proposed it should be, we should revert to the law as it now is. Nobody has said that anyone in their right mind would move to an absolute rule if there were discretion still vested in this House. I do not believe anyone would say it is wrong for the House to have discretion to...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I know. That is what I said.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy is still shouting me down. The colour of the Deputy's shirt is light blue. Remember that.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: And the Deputy is acting that way, if he does not mind me saying so.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: A number of Deputies, including Deputy Burton, have accused me of pursuing an agenda which is designed to discriminate against black people coming to Ireland.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Yes, we heard the Deputy. I say yet again that there is nothing racist about this proposal.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: And the point was as stupid the first time the Deputy made it as it is now.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: During the debate an attack was unleashed on this proposal, not least by Deputy Burton, on the basis that it was subversive of the Good Friday Agreement.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy does not have to keep echoing the point.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: In addition she said it was unwise and dangerous. I have here a letter from Deputy Ruairí Quinn which was written to the Taoiseach in 1998. He enclosed a memorandum written by the same legal adviser who advises the Labour Party now and his letter states: You will note a proposal in the enclosed memorandum that a consequential amendment could be made to Article 9, together with the already...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That was what was said then, but now we are told we are stirring the pot and that we are on dangerous ground. We are now told that we are exploiting the race issue and that when we do what was suggested then, it is entirely wrong. As for Fine Gael, I welcomed the fact that Deputy O'Keeffe engaged with me and asked me questions and that I was in a position to reply to those questions.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the position of Fine Gael — that if they are overruled by a majority in the House on the question of timing they will support the referendum when it goes to the people. This is because the purpose of the referendum is simple, to restore to this House the power to make decisions properly the subject matter of legislation. I trust that once all of these theatricals are over, the...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I want this debate to end on a constructive note: that when all the huffing and puffing is over, there will be a substantial majority in this House in favour of making this worthwhile, intelligent and reasonable change to the Constitution in order that citizenship which is of value to every Member is no longer abused in the way it is.

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage. (30 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Bill before the House today is designed to allow the Oireachtas to address a serious issue that would in other circumstances have been addressed long ago by legislation. That issue is the aspect of Irish law that enables people born in Ireland, whether North or South, to acquire an entitlement to Irish citizenship notwithstanding that neither parent has any substantial connection with...