Results 11,601-11,620 of 29,533 for speaker:Brendan Howlin

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: While I respect Senator Mullen and consider his voice to be important in this House, I heard in his contribution a total disregard, a disparagement almost, for elected Members. That is worrying in somebody who is elected to a House of Parliament.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I have no idea what that comment means.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I respect Parliament and all those who are elected to it. While I do not agree with everyone who has been elected, by and large they represent a cross-section of the population. I do not disparage anybody who is elected but respect all of them and the people who elected them. The notion that somehow this House is so flawed that we cannot do people's business in an objective way is, as a...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: For all the straw men that Senator Mullen puts up, the net issue is simply that he does not want parliamentary inquiry. I did not hear his reasoning for the belief that Ireland, uniquely, should not have such inquiry. God knows the experience of the past decade and the types of activity we had across the public sphere indicate that this country needs parliamentary inquiry. The Senator is...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: He referred to further constitutional change. As the Minister with responsibility not only for public expenditure, but also reform, I have established a political reform division in my Department and intend bringing to the Houses an array of legislation and constitutional proposals, including whistleblowers legislation, a Bill on the registration of lobbyists and an amendment to the Freedom...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: As Senator Sheahan indicated, we intend to be a radical, reforming Government and I hope our efforts will be given a fair wind. Senator Mooney, who is unfortunately no longer present, referred to the separation of powers and his fear that he was both in favour of and opposed to the legislation. I heard a similar tone in many speakers' contributions. Maintaining the status quo is always...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am sorry if the Senator considers my language disparaging. I hope I will deal fairly with the content of his contribution to which I listened objectively, as I did in the case of all the contributions in the other House. It was for that reason that I tabled an amendment to address a number of issues that were raised. One finds, in dealing with any legislation, that I never regard my side...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: That is my view.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: We are not having a dialogue on it.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: An Dara Céim / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Second Stage (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: We can have this provision enacted. We will have further debate if people support the legislation. It is probable that we will have some experiences in the inquiry system which may cause us to revisit the issue in future. I strongly commend the Bill to the House.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Nobody suggested that.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am telling the House what the legal situation will be.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Any Minister and any Member can ask at the committee. Every Member of the House, whether Minister or otherwise-----

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: He might well be very persuasive on that basis.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I thank all Members for their contributions. It has been said that the legislation is rushed, but people have been thinking about this for a long time. We have had a commitment to do this since we negotiated the programme for Government. We said we would do it on the basis of the report of the all-party Joint Committee on the Constitution, which has been in the public domain since January....

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I see.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I am afraid the Senator did.

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: I think it was an assertion. I hope I do understand the complexity of the issue, as I have been engaged with it for a while. There are various solutions that the Senator came up with. There are some people who, honestly and legitimately, do not believe that inquiries are at all the proper function of Parliament. That is fine. If that is their view, it is a principled position. However,...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: Let me quote from the report of the all-party committee. Senator Bacik already did so, fairly. This is the nub of the issue that we tried to grapple with. She said, "A robust amendment would include some constitutional ordinance allowing for reHaughey rights to be balanced against the public interest in the facilitation of effective parliamentary investigations". Nobody wants to oust the...

Seanad: An Bille um an Tríochadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Fiosruithe Thithe an Oireachtais) 2011: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha / Thirtieth Amendment of the Constitution (Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries) Bill 2011: Committee and Remaining Stages (22 Sep 2011)

Brendan Howlin: "Chilling effect" was the phrase used by the Senator.