Results 1,501-1,520 of 2,412 for speaker:Niall Ó Donnghaile

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Working Group on Unification Referendums: Discussion (30 Mar 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I have a couple of quick points and then a question. A point was made by Dr. Renwick on the imminence of a Border poll and he suggested evidence could change. They key point is that the evidence is changing. The witness made an earlier point about the need to prepare and stressed its importance strongly. Looking at a series of elections we can see the end of unionism's political majority...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Working Group on Unification Referendums: Discussion (30 Mar 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: At this stage seeing so many questions have been asked, this might be an opportunity to just reflect on some of the points raised. I disagree with what the Chairman said and Senator Blaney regularly says around unionism not being engaged on this issue. We should not mistake the DUP as being the monolith of all unionism. The DUP might not be engaged on this issue at this point in time....

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I do not want to dwell on this topic but this is my first opportunity to raise, since the break for Easter, the disturbances that took place in Belfast last week and the week before. I want to use this platform in the Seanad today to thank those community, youth, political and church leaders who put themselves out on the ground to try to ease and resolve intercommunity tensions. In one...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (19 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: That might be a controversial comment. We are all very proud of President Higgins and have a deep affinity with him. Seeing all of the nice, positive sentiments expressed on social media yesterday was a reminder for lots of us that we still do not have the opportunity to vote for our President, even though we do have that connection with the office and the office holder. As we move out of...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Second Stage (19 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht teacht isteach chun labhairt ar an Chéim seo don Bhille. The Acting Chairperson might forgive me if I smile the whole way through the course of this contribution because I have just been able to book my vaccine for tomorrow in the North. The process has just opened for my age bracket, although I will not say which bracket it is. Nevertheless,...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. I will not rehearse the points that have been made by colleagues in respect of this amendment but I endorse the points made by Senator Higgins. It is a sincere and genuinely helpful effort to try to address the issues. It would be of great benefit if the Minister of State were to accept the amendments in the sincere way they were tabled because...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: In the spirit of what was said by colleagues, I got my vaccine on Tuesday and I am delighted. I got my vaccine on Tuesday and my hair cut on Saturday.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Members should not be too jealous. I wish the vaccination roll-out programme in the South every success and every best wish because it is crucial that there not be too much of a disparity between what is rolled out in the North and what is rolled out in the South. A disparity works against our joint efforts in trying to battle through this. On my main point this afternoon, I thank and...

Seanad: EU Regulations (Europol): Motion (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Seanad arís. Sinn Féin will not be opposing the passage of this motion through the Seanad today. Other colleagues have outlined eloquently all the reasons such a motion is felt to be necessary in tackling cross-border and international crime. However, we are parliamentarians and we have an obligation to scrutinise and weigh up...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I apologise to my colleagues, the Leas-Chathaoirleach and the Minister of State for arriving late to this Stage of the Bill. On a procedural point, am I correct in saying that Senators are speaking on section 1 of the Bill, as opposed to any of Senator Ward's specific amendments?

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Perfect. Thank you for that clarity.

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I am always conscious during debates like this that I am in a room full of legal practitioners or former legal practitioners. I am not nor have I ever been a legal practitioner, so I always listen with great interest and great intent to what colleagues have to say. In regard to section 1, I addressed this at the earlier Stage of the Bill in the House. I agree with colleagues around the...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Both amendments expand the number of matters that could be considered at pre-trial hearings. I want to speak briefly to the experience in the Six Counties where arraignment hearings have expanded in scope and have been used as a means to test witnesses, including in one high profile and well-known trial. The stated reasons for holding pre-trial hearings should be kept as they are in the...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: That is what happens when we get the legal-----

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I will begin by apologising. I was extremely delayed coming to this meeting. Committee Stage of the Criminal Procedure Bill was in the Seanad and we were dealing with many amendments, restricting me to the Seanad Chamber. I am sure colleagues have already done so, but I welcome the Minister and thank him for engaging with us on these issues. I am not alone, but he will understand that I...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Responses to Brexit in Further and Higher Education: Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (26 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I cannot commend the spirit of what the Minister said enough. If that is his approach and what he hopes to deliver, he has a cara sa chúirt, as they say in Irish, in this particular Senator. I think he may have talked himself into a wee bit of additional work. Given what he has just outlined, I would be keen to have the Minister appear before the Oireachtas Committee on the...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (30 Apr 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I second the amendment, seeing as it will not be pressed and on that condition.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The informed speculation in recent days that the British Government intends to legally grant an amnesty to its armed forces and to renege on the Stormont House Agreement is a retrospective licence to kill. Although this is shocking it will not come as a surprise to the thousands of relatives grieving for the loss of a relative killed by the British crown forces. The peace process in the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I second the amendment.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I gave the examples given in one day's newspaper. That was the approach I took.