Results 15,141-15,160 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I cannot perform bilocation, as the Leader understands.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I refer to the proposed metrolink in the national transport infrastructure plan. I live close to the Luas green line and have strongly supported such public transport initiatives. I am not a NIMBY person in any shape or form. However, the House may or may not be aware that it is proposed to incorporate the Luas green line with a metrorail system. While that may seem innocuous and fine, we...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: It reminds me of a certain bowl in north-west Dublin several years ago. It raises the question of whether we should be considering alternatives before we commit to this €3 billion to €4 billion project. If we have up to €4 billion to invest in public transport in the Dublin region, I do not believe the Houses of the Oireachtas have been given a fair opportunity to...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: We have already spent €18 million on this model.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I am not speaking about the residents.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: We cannot do without him.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: No.

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I want to welcome my good friend, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Deputy Katherine Zappone, to the House and indicate at the outset that, having listened to the speech given by the Minister, Deputy Harris, every word of it is something with which I agree and every line of it is something of which the public should be aware. I will come back to that. I want to make a second...

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: Those Members of the House who are opposed to the referendum are not antidemocratic if they vote against having a referendum. I ask the House to remember in particular those who I believe wrongly said they would allow the Bill to abolish the House to go through but only so that the people could have their say on the matter. That is not the process. The Constitution remains the same until...

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: An Dara Céim - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Second Stage (27 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: He was told that this was fanciful and effectively a scare story, but it came into existence in the decision in the X case when the Supreme Court stated there could be travel injunctions and that the only thing that could override them was the threat of suicide or another threat to the life of a mother. That point is important because we put in place in the Constitution what, in retrospect,...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I know that on the Order of Business today, we will be dealing with Committee Stage of the Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018. In respect of the principal story in today's edition of The Irish Timesabout time limits and events of that kind, which seem to have been the subject of some discussion regarding Government intentions in that newspaper, will the Leader be in a...

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: Speaking to the section, it has two effects. First, it has the effect of inserting the wording in the Schedule and, second, it has the effect of removing the existing wording from Article 40.3.3oof the Constitution. In the ordinary course of events in this House the time available for each speaker on a Second Stage debate is naturally limited to eight limits, which is to ration out time...

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: All the Senators may have their views about the answer to that question. My view, and I will only express my view-----

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: -----is very definitely that that was a clear indication that in Irish people's minds this was not a situation of an equal right to life. They were subjecting the right to life of the unborn to the right of the mother to travel for an abortion. This was a qualification of the idea of equality.

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: This is Committee Stage.

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: We are on Committee Stage and people are entitled to come in again and again. I am not denying anybody a right to speak.

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I want to make a few points if I may because I think they are worth making.

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I believe that the people, by adopting the freedom of information and the freedom to travel amendments to reverse in part the courts' decisions in respect of the original article 40.3.3°, were qualifying the idea of equality at the time. Viewed barely, that is what I believe was happening. Even when all of that was done, there was a succession of cases, some of which I was involved in...

Seanad: An Bille um an Séú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht 2018: Céim an Choiste agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2018: Committee and Remaining Stages (28 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: By way of a footnote, I have heard a number of people say that their mother had told them that she had contemplated having an abortion and if that had happened they would not be here today. It sounds like a very good point. If we think about it, if a child's parents had decided, that child being the fourth in a family, that they were only going to have three children and had used...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2018)

Michael McDowell: I wish to comment on what Senator Horkan said about an hour and a half not being long enough to consider councillors' conditions. If it is any consolation to him, I will not be contributing to that debate.