Results 741-760 of 11,444 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It is because the point of order applies to the Minister saying it would be possible to appeal to the High Court. More correctly, it would be possible to appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: As Senator Regan said, it is most unfortunate that we had to vote against this Bill. I speak for Senator O'Toole and others when I say we welcomed much of what was in the Bill and recognised it represents a genuine attempt to reform the law on defamation. However, the Minister scuppered the general support for the Bill with an ill-judged and unnecessary amendment which was brought in, as...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: The Supreme Court did not strike down section 13 of the 1961 Act, nor was there any pressing urgency. Further, no prosecutions for blasphemy had been initiated which could not be sustained. As I indicated, I disagree with the Minister on whether it was necessary to insert a statutory definition of blasphemy. It is unfortunate this has been done. If the interpretation had been agreed, an...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I will conclude. An alternative proffered by Senators on this side was not countenanced by the Minister. The real alternative, however, is to change the Constitution to remove reference to the outdated offence of blasphemy.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: The Minister was speaking on a different Bill.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to share time with Senator Quinn. I welcome the Minister. I declare an interest in that I am a barrister who practises in the area of criminal law and who has done some work in the Special Criminal Court. To respond to the Minister's speech, I have read the Bill in full. The Minister stated some individuals who had commented on it had not. Having read the Bill, I welcome the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: It is very difficult to see how a court will establish that in any proper way without going into the nature of the evidence. The gardaí have expressed some concerns that following cutbacks in the force and early retirements, the insertion of the "former" member may be recognition that many experienced gardaí will have retired by the time the Bill comes into effect. I accept that the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, there are also people on the Independent benches who wish to speak.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: The Minister should have introduced it sooner.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Second Stage (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: The Bill does nothing for witnesses.

Seanad: Northern Ireland: Statements (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: As the Independent group's nominee on the all-party Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, I appreciate the Taoiseach's kind words of acknowledgement of the work done by the committee's members. It is a privilege to sit on it alongside colleagues from Northern Ireland and I look forward to continuing to work on it to end the divisions that have scarred the island...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am opposed to section 7. While either amendments No. 1 or No. 2 would go some way towards improving it, I am fundamentally opposed to the principle expressed in the section that a garda or former garda of any rank may give evidence as to the existence of a particular criminal organisation and that this evidence shall be admissible as expert evidence. As I explained earlier, this flies in...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am speaking to the amendments. If we are going to go down the road of declaring people to be expert at the very least the persons concerned should be of a high enough rank in An Garda Síochána for their opinions to carry a certain weight. Even then, I am against the principle of section 7, in particular subsection (1) which seeks to insert a new section 71B. I see the Minister has a...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Is the Senator anticipating something?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I echo the words of Senators Regan and Alex White. I refer to the Minister's comments on the cross-examination of a garda on the beat or the garda who proposes to give this evidence. The difficulty is that a garda, of chief superintendent or another rank, routinely claims privilege. Perhaps I will wait until I have the Minister's attention. The garda claims privilege over sources or...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, is this a Second Stage speech?

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Cathaoirleach.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I support Senator Regan's amendment and have already stated the reasons for my opposition to section 7 and the fundamental premise on which it is based. Senator Regan's amendment would not address my concerns but would improve matters in that it would certainly confirm existing case law on the nearest parallel, section 3(2) of the 1972 Act, thereby requiring the provision of corroborating...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages (14 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: My opposition to section 7 relates to subsections (1), (2) and (3) of the proposed new section 71B. The fundamental premise is that the opinion of a garda will constitute evidence as to the existence of a particular criminal organisation. I do not have the same objections regarding subsections (4) and (5) of the proposed new section. The fundamental premise of the first three subsections...