Results 13,161-13,180 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Long Title of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act states: "AN ACT TO PROHIBIT TRAFFICKING IN, OR THE USE OF, CHILDREN FOR THE PURPOSES OF THEIR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION AND THE PRODUCTION, DISSEMINATION, HANDLING OR POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS." The overall purpose of the Act, as stated in the Long Title, must be considered when one examines the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: If we wish to stop a dirty old man bringing a child to a room and putting on a blue movie or bringing a child to a room to show a couple engaged in sexual intercourse, we must have a law to do so. It is not easy. I genuinely believe that no court would consider that an offence of sexual exploitation was committed in the circumstances described by Senator Ryan. For this section 2A offence...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is deeper than that. Perhaps in the fullness of time we will return with a better definition but the Fine Gael Party's Private Members' Bill, which is based on the United Kingdom legislation, is good legislation. I am not aware that a better formulation is available. I rely on the common sense of the Judiciary and the Director of Public Prosecutions not to conjure up entirely fanciful...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: This section applies to a citizen of Ireland or a person who is ordinarily resident in Ireland. If we are to assert extra-territorial jurisdiction, under the Constitution we are obliged to so in accordance with ordinary principles of international law. One of them is that there must be some link to the State. A citizen owes a duty of loyalty to the State under Article 9 of the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (7 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I thank the House for the spirit in which it took today's debate. I also thank all parties in both Houses in their approach to this issue. No party or Member is more or less concerned than any other on protecting our children. This is not a perfect set of circumstances and I wish I did not have to come before the Houses to introduce this legislation. However, I believe we have done some...

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is proposed to take No. 14, motion re proposed approval by Dáil Éireann of a proposal that section 17A of the Diseases of Animals Act 1966 shall continue in force for the period ending on 8 March 2008, back from committee; No. 20, Prisons Bill 2006 [Seanad] — Report Stage (resumed) and Final Stage; and No. 4 — Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2007 — Order for Second Stage and Second...

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I appreciate the points Deputies Stagg and Ó Snodaigh make but we must remember that, subject to the next proposal, the Dáil will not be sitting on the day in question.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Three events take place in the Dáil on that day.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The normal procedure is for no more than two committees to function while the House is not sitting but this will allow the Deputies who are not attending plenary sessions of the Dáil to attend all the committee meetings in question.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As the House is aware, it has been the case for many year's that the State takes advantage of the fact that the St. Patrick's Day festival is celebrated across the globe in order to project the good aspects of Ireland, avail of goodwill towards this country——

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: ——and represent Irish interests at events organised abroad.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: There is an undoubted and major dividend to the economy, the State and the Irish community overseas as a result of the Government taking the St. Patrick's Day festival seriously. The Deputies opposite will appreciate that although St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday this year, most Ministers will be obliged to attend a number of events in the days beforehand at the locations to which they...

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am surprised that Deputy Gormley opposes the international celebration of the wearing of the green.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Gormley referred earlier to the moneys spent between elections. I understand he could not afford to pay the relevant fees in order to have Al Gore address his party's conference. I understand Mr. Gore charges $140,000.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is a pity the Green Party could not pay to have Mr. Gore appear.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As far as the Government is concerned, there is a great deal of legislation with which the House must deal.

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I carried out some research——

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: ——and discovered that in one week last July the House spent between three and four hours debating the Order of Business on various days. That was a considerable amount of time to spend——

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Government has an appetite for getting on with its work

Order of Business (8 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: My constituency colleague, Deputy Quinn, will feel somewhat like a baby who has thrown his or her rattle out of the pram when the Building Control Bill is finally passed.