Results 1,021-1,040 of 4,178 for speaker:Paul Gavan

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: The Government which Fianna Fáil is supporting.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: He is right.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 1:In page 9, line 31, to delete "student" and substitute "students’ ". I welcome the Minister. Sinn Féin has proposed several amendments that change the phrase "student" union" to "students’" union and include the apostrophe. It is the appropriate term. While these amendments are largely technical, it can be interpreted somewhat more meaningfully to...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: Excuse me. Senator Norris is quite right. The phrase "student union" does not convey that and is not an appropriate term. I believe there are more pressing issues in the Bill and I do not wish to take up further time on it, but I simply wish to highlight the wrong wording set out at the moment. We will not be pushing the amendment without the support of the Minister of State but I cannot...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I will withdraw the amendment and I reserve the right to resubmit it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: On a point of order-----

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: Genuinely, I think Senator Higgins is correct. The interpretation that I took was that we were only speaking to amendment No. 1. It is a separate amendment and an important one. I would ask for leave to raise the issue, please.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for his understanding. Sinn Féin will support the proposed amendments and as a proud trade unionist I am keen to support them. Student unions in Ireland have a proud and vibrant history steeped in radicalism. They have been at the forefront of progressive matters across the island during the past century, whether that is publicly-funded education,...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: The word "recognised" is the problem.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I want to make one thing clear. When I made my earlier comments I was not directing them at anyone. However, there have been experiences in the past where student unions have been threatened by college authorities. Unfortunately, I am old enough to remember one such case in my own university in the 1980s when we had a particularly strong, radical union leadership. There were certainly...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I do not say that to cast any aspersions on anyone. I would be the first to recognise the wonderful people who manage colleges in most cases. The point is that when we are debating this Bill, which we all want to support, we want to get it right. We want to get the wording right. I welcome Senator Gallagher's suggestion. Let us not get bogged down but let us recognise that no one should...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I cannot imagine how it would threaten the Bill in any way. We are trying to be constructive here. This is a good Bill. This is a Bill which we all want to support. I ask the Minister of State to consider the addition of one word. I cannot imagine why anyone would possibly object to it. We can then all be on the one page. We are raising this because the students' unions themselves have...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I appreciate the responses of the Minister of State. An important phrase she used was that we needed a balance between autonomy and accountability. That is a fair point. However, it leaves me a little puzzled as to the reason her colleagues are objecting to the use of the word "autonomous" because it is part of the phrase used. I hope that, collectively, we can try to close the gap. It...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I cannot see why anyone would object to this amendment. Entrepreneurism is important. Last week, I went to the House of Commons with a bunch of entrepreneurs to discuss Brexit. I brought them over. I hope there will not be, but if there is an objection from the Department to the words "creative" and "innovative", I will be worried and have to wonder what has prompted it. Surely the...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I move amendment No. 11:In page 16, line 5, to delete "student" and substitute "students'". I want to speak on this section.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: Students need certainty from this Bill. They need certainty that their voices are heard and that they take their place as key stakeholders where decisions are being made about the institutions in which they are the largest cohort. This issue is at its most pressing in the structure the governing body takes because key decisions are made there. I refer to the levies they pay, the services...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I am making a point that amendments regarding student seats on governing bodies have been struck out of order on three different Stages now. We know they are not a cost to the State. I ask for an explanation as to how they could possibly be a cost to the State. I also have to express a real concern now that this is a charade here today. Are we wasting our time? It strikes me any...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: Yes, I am.

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: Just to complete the point and I appreciate the Chair pointing out that section. Here we have some of the finest young people in the country in our institutions of technology making a reasonable request. They see this Chamber today having rejected their request on cynical grounds, as Senator Norris has pointed out. The most cynical grounds. What a message that sends in terms of how the...

Seanad: Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (7 Feb 2018)

Paul Gavan: I know that.