Results 14,601-14,620 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am advised by the Parliamentary Counsel that the wording used in this case is standard form wording. The Parliamentary Counsel can see that this could be worded differently but sees no good reason why it should be. I am not disposed to accept this amendment in the circumstances.

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The amendment proposes to increase fine penalties and arises from a recommendation in the Hogan report which has been incorporated in sections 47 and 48. Section 47(b) increases to €5,000 the maximum fine for the offence of withholding information in relation to stolen property under the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001. The offence is a summary offence and the new...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: The Senator has made an interesting proposition. Perhaps we should have a separate offence of manufacturing a statement or falsifying a record. The Senator catches me slightly off guard on this matter but I imagine any such action would be categorised as an attempt to pervert the course of justice and punishable as such. We should examine whether we need a specific offence of knowingly...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I am happy to inform the House that the Government intends to reform the law on juries generally. The Courts Service is also studying the issue of where we should go in respect of reform of jury law. Juries should not necessarily be selected the way they are, namely, that 200 people are brought in on the morning of a trial and herded like cattle and then selected at random. That is no...

Seanad: Criminal Justice Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I thank Members for their kind comments. It is true that as the general election approaches, every appearance in this House, however late in the life of the Dáil, could be the last. It and Senators' capacities to appear here are the people's prerogative to decide on and we must abide by their verdict. After the Criminal Justice Act 2006, which was long in its gestation, I did not...

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation: Motion (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: This motion seeks approval for the establishment of a Commission of Investigation into the tragic death of Gary Douch. As Senators will be aware, the Commission of Investigation Act 2004 provides for the establishment of such commissions to investigate any matter considered by the Government to be of significant public concern. Such commissions are completely independent and in general will...

Seanad: Commissions of Investigation: Motion (27 Apr 2007)

Michael McDowell: I thank both Senator Cummins and Senator Jim Walsh for their comments. I will examine the terms of reference. The commission must focus on what happened and on ensuring it never happens again. It must also focus on the way people who are psychiatrically ill or who feel themselves to be under threat are dealt with in the Prison Service. The commission must also examine the use of multiple...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and wish him every success in the position. I am very pleased to hear the consensus from speakers today in favour of reform of this House and moving ahead with that process. Senator Ardagh, on behalf of Fianna Fáil, has spoken about it, Sinn Féin is committed to it, as is Senator Bacik on behalf of the Labour Party and Senator Higgins on behalf of...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Bill 2014: First Stage (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to implement reforms proposed in the Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform and for that purpose to effect a range of reforms to the Seanad, to provide for the establishment of a Seanad Electoral Commission and to provide for related matters. I suggest that Second Stage be taken on Wednesday, 22 June 2016.

Seanad: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I propose Senator Craughwell to be elected as Leas-Chathaoirleach. This House, unlike the other House, has never addressed seriously the manner in which its Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected. It is not a position that should be in the gift of any other House or any person who is not a Member of this House. It is not a position that should be bartered in a process of exchange for...

Seanad: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: -----and to accept for itself the autonomy of deciding who should and should not be its Chairman and Vice Chairman in future. We are blessed on this occasion that all the candidates proposed, and the candidate I am proposing, are suitable people to be appointed Vice Chairman of this House as the Cathaoirleach was to be appointed Chairman. All are people worthy of the position, I have no...

Seanad: Death of Jo Cox, MP: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: The death of Jo Cox reminds us how vulnerable the ordinary exponents of democratic politics are as they go about the daily business of interacting with constituents and dealing with the day-to-day detail of democratic life in their community. She was a mother, wife, idealist, pragmatist, achiever and above all, before she went into representative politics, she was a woman who had proven her...

Seanad: EU-UK Relations: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister and thank him for participating in our proceedings this afternoon. The Lisbon treaty inserted an article in the treaties which govern the European Union giving each member state the right, in accordance with its own constitutional arrangements, to withdraw from the Union and provided for a two-year negotiated exit mechanism, and if there is to be any extension of that...

Seanad: EU-UK Relations: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: -----on which their economic future is being decided. This is the type of attitude that must change. If, as I earnestly hope and strongly believe, Britain rejects Brexit tomorrow, we in this country must articulate a different view of Europe, stand up for our vision of Europe and stand up against the values which are alienating the people of Europe from the European project.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I ask the Leader if he would consider asking the Minister for Finance or the relevant Minister of State in the Department of Finance to come to the House to enlighten us on the implications for national budgetary policy of the surge in gross domestic product growth and whether this is illusory, not illusory, a one-off-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: -----or something that will have long-term consequences for us, whether it increases our liability to make contributions to the European Union this year, and also how the apparent decline in GDP for the first quarter of this year - or the last quarter, as it were - is to be understood in the context of these rather fictitious or ballooning figures, which seem to be all to do with...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill was drafted by the working group on Seanad reform, chaired by the former Senator Maurice Manning, to embody the reforms proposed in the working group’s report. The Bill gives this House an historic opportunity to make history, to keep faith with the people and to restore their faith in our democracy, and to take the brave...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I propose that we adjourn the debate until an approximate time in the autumn when I hope we can finish it. I understand there are still 11 Senators who wish to speak.

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: We will share time. I want to indicate in a personal capacity that I am totally opposed to the establishment of a citizens' assembly along these lines. I regard it as a pointless exercise and demeaning in a democracy of our kind, in which we have a Parliament established by the people whose function is to consider such topics. The notion of assembling 100 persons at random using a polling...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: They are obliged to turn up when summoned. These people will not have such an obligation.