Results 1,541-1,560 of 2,412 for speaker:Niall Ó Donnghaile

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: From one Seanad to another, I note and welcome the resolution passed in the US Senate last night reaffirming its unwavering support for the Good Friday Agreement and its full implementation.A similar motion was before the Seanad last week in which we reiterated and reaffirmed our collective support. We called for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. Following the passing of...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Tuigim an méid atá ráite agat, a Leas-Chathaoirligh. I will take your advice in regard to the tightness of today's debate. Senator Ward has broadly outlined my read of this amendment. I spoke to it at an earlier stage regarding the experience of concerns in the North about some of these pre-trial hearings and, in some instances, how they could potentially be used to test...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Ms O'Donoghue referred to the programme for Government commitments. Does the shared island unit see its role as specifically pertaining to the shared island aspects or the cross-cutting programme for Government commitments? I have raised the point previously, but one of the obvious issues for me is the need for dialogue and preparatory work around the issue of proposed voting rights for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Shared Island Unit: Department of the Taoiseach (Resumed) (18 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I understand that Ms O'Donoghue will not be taking on the mechanics of running the referendum. I appreciate that is a different Department, but it is an important theme. One of the big issues with the shared island initiative is that it also has responsibility under Article 2 of the Constitution to ensure that everyone born on the island has the right to be part of the Irish nation. That...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I echo the words of Senator O’Donovan and thank him for his remarks. Having experience of epilepsy in my family, it is important that we talk about it, share information and make sure people have such information. I say fair play to Senator O’Donovan agus gabhaim buíochas leis. I note a significant lifting of restrictions across the Six Countries this morning and wish...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (24 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I am stuck here.

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Since we last had this debate, an extreme wave of Covid-19 in January caught people by surprise. Thanks to the sacrifices made by the public and the valiant efforts of our front-line healthcare workers, we have brought this virus under control. The vaccine roll-out is, after a rocky start, as people have said, under way. The cases, though not as low as we...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Impact of Brexit on Irish and UK Businesses: British Irish Chamber of Commerce (17 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I thank the witnesses very much. I find myself increasingly engaging with Senator McDowell and it is always a cause of deep concern for me when I do that, but I must take issue with one point he made, which was lumping in my party with the DUP and the Tories on Brexit. He must not have heard my colleague, Conor Murphy, the Minister of Finance in the North, talk about maximising the outcomes...

Seanad: Organisation of Working Time (Reproductive Health Related Leave) Bill 2021: Second Stage (24 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The purpose of the Bill is manifold. It is to ensure leave of 20 working days for those who have experienced a miscarriage and leave of ten working days for people in respect of assisted human reproduction such as IVF. It is also designed to create awareness and discussion about the impact of miscarriage in a compassionate and considerate way and to put a belated focus on miscarriage and...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (25 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: At this very moment, once again crowds of young people who are representing An Dream Dearg, which is the campaign group for an Irish language Act, are gathered safely and in a socially-distanced fashion outside of Stormont. The group is predominantly made up of young people. It is not all young people who are involved in the campaign but the vast bulk of them certainly are. Albeit in a much...

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte ar ais roimh an Aire. I want to speak to my amendments in the group, Nos. 2 and 4. I have spoken at length about the rationale for them. The Opposition groups in the Seanad are seeking to do similar things but in a different way and with different intended outcomes. The discussion we had yesterday was respectful, by and large. From right across the Chamber and, indeed,...

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I thank the Minister and absolutely accept that he does not set the Seanad's Order of Business. That is certainly not the point I was trying to make but, nevertheless, I still believe my point is valid in the broader context. The Minister spoke about the crux of the issue being extension. I accept that with regard to what he is trying to do but, for us, the extension is too great. By...

Seanad: Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I move amendment No. 2: In page 5, line 9, to delete “November” and substitute “July”.

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Do not worry about that. Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach as an seal labhairt go han-tapa faoi leasú Uimh. 10 atá os ár gcomhair. I only want to indicate my thanks to colleagues who have expressed support for amendment No. 10 in the name of my colleague, Senator Warfield. I need not rehearse all the fine arguments that have been made on the...

Seanad: Affordable Housing Bill 2021: Committee Stage (28 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Yes. I do so respectful of what the Minister of State and other colleagues have said. We all have a job of work to do in this House. I do not think I am speaking out of turn when I say that there is a general consensus that the wording, as presented in the Bill, could be improved. Amendment No. 10 may not be perfect but it is an improvement as it contains the word "sustainable", which...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I welcome the change to this week's Order of Business to allow for the continuation of Committee Stage of the Affordable Housing Bill on Friday. The arrangement is a helpful and positive move given the level of debate that is required and the amount of amendments that have been submitted. I recognise the historic vote in the Dáil last week with the passage of the motion on Palestine....

Seanad: Maritime Jurisdiction Bill 2021: Second Stage (31 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. The purpose of this Bill is to consolidate the State's maritime jurisdiction law into one Act. On the face of it, that is a sensible and admirable purpose but it appears that the Bill's proposers have jumped too many hurdles ahead of the need for the content of the Bill to be debated and scrutinised properly before it becomes law. It makes sense...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (31 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. In the motion before us the Government is proposing an extension of this legislation to 31 July. Before we have even voted on the motion, and there appears to be unanimous support for it across the House, many people will already begin asking when the next date will be. People will want to keep a rolling watch on how we proceed on this issue in the broader...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Act 2021: Motion (31 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Is the matter regarding citizens in the North being looked at?

Seanad: Civil Legal Aid (Exclusion of Value of Free or Partly Free Board) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage (31 May 2021)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit don Bhille anocht. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir Boylan, ní hamháin as an Bhille agus as an ábhar seo a chur le chéile ach as é a chur os ár gcomhair don díospóireacht fosta. I wish to address the wider legal aid issues beyond the pertinent issue my colleague, Senator Boylan, has raised here....