Results 15,701-15,720 of 18,736 for speaker:Michael McDowell
- Seanad: Order of Business (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: My amendment was for an earlier time but in a humour of generosity-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I thank the Acting Chairman. That was helpful. I believe, however, that we have actually reached section 27 and are not still on section 26. Certainly, I thought that we had agreed to-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: There are a few points I want to make to the Minister on the detail of the Government amendments to section 27. As I understand it, the intent of amendment No. 66 is to amend the introductory part of section 27(1) to provide that there has to be written consent for the disclosure of confidential information. Amendment No. 66 proposes - it is phrased peculiarly - to insert "without the...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: -----such as either of those acting as management consultants could be brought in to engage in a winnowing exercise on applications for appointment to the Judiciary.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: It worries me that private companies and partnerships could be handed the function of carrying out a primary winnowing out of people applying to be judges. It does not happen with the JAAB and I do not think it is a particular problem. When I was a member of the JAAB - I know it also from the time I was Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform - it was quite common for over 80 and...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I know that my rhetoric is powerful, but I have never driven a Member of the House onto his knees before.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: It reminds me of a colleague of mine at the Bar who was always-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: No, he was not. He was always reminded of the occasion one of the jury died during his speech.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I am making the point-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I am told-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I am attempting to address the substance of section 67 which has been designed-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: Yes, amendment No. 67. It is intended to eliminate the issue of consultants and advisers because, as I said, for the reasons I gave, it is inappropriate, especially when there are large numbers of applicants who might not be known or known well to any of the members of the Judiciary, the legal practitioner members or the lay members. There may be people who are completely unknown to any of...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: Yes.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: No, but at the top of the next page-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: -----the Bill reads "unless he or she is duly authorised by the Commission to do so". I do not know where that goes. There is a complexity to that.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: Perhaps the Minister will explain it to me. I cannot follow the textual connection.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: I am a bit slower than Senator Norris. I would like to hear an explanation first.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: We then come to the Minister's proposed amendment to make it a criminal offence to disclose information as described in section 27(1), presumably as amended. He proposes to make it an offence for which a person will be liable "on summary conviction, to a class A fine or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or both". I want to make this clear. That is a useless proposal. When I...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: The result was that the then Attorney General, David Byrne, asked the Garda Commissioner to use all of his powers to identify the source of the leak and prevent this kind of thing from happening. The Garda Commissioner at the time was Mr. Patrick Byrne. He attempted to comply with the Attorney General's request and found himself being effectively stonewalled, with people refusing to make...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Nov 2018)
Michael McDowell: The Minister proposes removing "commission," and replacing it with "commission."