Results 8,741-8,760 of 21,498 for speaker:Mary Lou McDonald

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: A Leas-Cheann Comhairle, if you do not mind-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: It can be fear of social ostracisation. It can be fear for very many reasons. In the case of Paudie McGahon or others who say they were abused by so-called Republicans-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----members of the IRA, the fear, understandably, can be more profound. I echo what Paudie has said - nobody be afraid. The only way in which we deal with matters of abuse in our society, irrespective of who the abuser is, is when people feel empowered to come forward in whatever manner is best for them. Some have come into the light of the public gaze and told their story. Paudie has...

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: We routinely bring forward information to the statutory authorities as a matter of course. A proposition was made by the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, to An Taoiseach last November to create a process, a mechanism and a climate in which those who suffered abuse can come forward on the basis of a North-South intervention between the Government here in Dublin and the Executive...

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is now essential that we create that mechanism and allow people the opportunity to come forward and to access the justice system and also the considerable supports a survivor of sexual violence, rape or abuse requires. My question to the Minister is whether the Labour Party supports that initiative. Will this Government now work with the Northern Executive to create that mechanism to...

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: It is not my intention to fire missiles or anything else around the Chamber. We find ourselves faced with a number of traumatic sets of circumstances. The Minister should bear in mind this. When all the commentary is over, the political point-scoring is done and the dramatic grandstanding on some people's parts is finished, the victims will be left with their pain. That is what needs to be...

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Let me say this to reassure the Minister.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: There is nothing outrageous about acknowledging the pain and suffering of victims. How that is outrageous is beyond me.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Let me say this. I fully acknowledge and I fully understand the responsibilities that I have, as an elected representative, as a citizen, as a member of Sinn Féin and as the deputy leader of this party. I fully understand the onus - let me speak directly to republicans - on every last one of us-----

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: -----to ensure the safety of our children and to ensure that where there has been an injustice done to anybody, it is corrected. We cannot rewrite history. That is beyond our scope. What we can do is do the right thing in the here and now. Another thing that we cannot do, and that we simply will not do, is carry out the functions and role of An Garda Síochána or the PSNI in the...

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Before Deputy Dowds gives himself a stroke, let me remind him that I have stated clearly - let me repeat for the record so that there is no misunderstanding - that anybody with any information should bring that forward.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: In fact, the person the Government most criticises here in the course of this exchange, Deputy Adams, has brought information forward to the Garda.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: I understand that other elected Members of this House have done likewise, and that is absolutely the correct course of action.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: The point of the intervention by the Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, was to recognise the reality for victims at the hands of so-called republicans.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: In my estimation, anybody who rapes a child forfeits the right to describe themselves as a republican.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: All those who have suffered in that way, and indeed others, require that we recognise the need for them to come forward in the right atmosphere and with the right supports.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Deputy Eric Byrne accused me, or Mr. McGuinness, of throwing up a smoke screen. It is not a smoke screen. It is a good proposal.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Those who work with victims and survivors - we have spoken to many of them - reckon that this is a good proposal and that it could work.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: If it needs to be improved upon, let us do that.

Leaders' Questions (12 Mar 2015)

Mary Lou McDonald: Can we have a commitment from the Government that it will engage positively with this initiative and that we can bring it about in short order?