Results 13,581-13,600 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: If I were to go down the road of simply pushing this off to a committee I would be telling the Irish people——

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: There is no point in shouting.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: Deputy Howlin is not the leader of his party yet. If this were to go to a committee now, everybody knows the result would be that what was agreed last December, that an urgent need existed for legislation in this area, would remain unaddressed. Deputy Ó Caoláin spoke about the protection of the innocent. This is precisely what I am about. I do not want to stand at the foot of the beds of...

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I do not want to have to do that. I am concerned about protecting the rights of the innocent. People speak about the legislative package put before the House as if it attacks the right to silence. It is not about removing the right to silence. The law proposed here has been on the statute book of our neighbouring jurisdiction for 12 years and nobody stated that the right to silence was...

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: This House will consider this Bill on Committee Stage today and Report Stage next week. I will bring the proposals to Seanad Éireann and engage in debate with its Members. If further amendments are made, I will bring them back to this House in April or May and the House will have a long time to consider all the implications.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I always listen to reasonable proposals for amendments and am positive towards them, and I will be in this debate. Yesterday, in a letter, a small minority of barristers made a good point on the repeat offences provision and I will take it on board and amend the legislation to reflect that.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It is intended to publish legislation on the voluntary health insurance market this session. As the Deputy is aware, the Minister for Health and Children is due to receive in the next few days the report of the Barrington group, which has been examining this issue. The opinions of the Commissioner and the President of the Commission will be taken into account by the Government in the...

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As I understand it, the matter was debated in the House last night. The Minister is available to deal with parliamentary questions. It is open to Members opposite to raise the issue in the time available to them. This is a matter for the local authority and, as I understand the points made by my colleague, the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, resources...

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The authority must address the issue.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: We want as much of our legislative programme passed with the co-operation of the House. If the parties opposite are willing to facilitate the passage of Government legislation promptly, we will get as much as possible done before the Dáil is dissolved.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: It seems that Thursday is a bad day to do anything. The education Bill mentioned by Deputy O'Sullivan has been approved by the Government and will be published in the very near future.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: This is the hardy perennial.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: As Deputy Durkan knows, it has not been promised. It has been withdrawn, therefore, it does not arise at this point.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I would like to draw to the attention of the House that the Minister, Deputy Hanafin, said to me that a legal issue in respect of the student support Bill has to be resolved before the legislation can be published.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy can inquire from the relevant Minister. I am not in a position to answer that question.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I do not know the answer.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: I know it is a valid question, but I do not know the answer to it.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: The legislation will be introduced later this year. I do not think the designation of new ports of entry requires legislation. That is a matter for ministerial decision.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: We have said that we want to deal with this matter until 3.30 p.m. If somebody wants to take a ten-minute break for rest or recreation at some stage during the debate, I am prepared to facilitate that. It is not unusual to have three or four hours of debate on a Bill.

Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2007)

Michael McDowell: No.