Results 16,441-16,460 of 18,737 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: -----to demand movement on this area. I seek clarification and reassurance that this is not happening now. In today's newspapers there is an account of a Fáilte Ireland spokesperson saying that we need a 1,000-bed hotel in Dublin for conferences and that we are missing out because the city does not have a mega hotel of that kind. I am sure that is correct but I wish to make a wider...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: I was not expecting a proposal to amend the Order of Business but I support it very strongly because the issues are of some significance.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: Yes, I am seconding it.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: I was not expecting this proposal. The Leader may laugh but it is not a laughing matter. Now that it has been made, I accept it and it is the correct thing to do because allotting one and a half hours to discuss transport is a sick joke. This is especially the case, given the fact that the Order of Business provides plenty of time for bad legislation to be further progressed. I accept...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: This is a recipe for sheer chaos. I have given two instances but anybody who lives in the areas in question would see how draconian the proposals are. It is very interesting that the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, under whose auspices this is being planned, claims the right to put in objections to various aspects of the NTA's policy proposals. Who is in charge in this country?...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: The legal profession blames the insurers and the insurers blame the legal profession and the judges but we have a thing in this country called "the Government". Many taxi drivers are charged €4,000 per annum for their insurance, which is €80 per week before they put petrol or diesel in their cars to get out on the road. That is crippling and the figures given by Senator...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: His contribution to the debate.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: What exactly is the Leader saying?

Seanad: Transport Matters: Statements (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House and thank him for his contribution. There are several issues I want to raise with him.Firstly, the Taoiseach has recently said that he is open to considering rerouting the southern leg of the MetroLink proposal to other suburbs of Dublin. I think he mentioned the axis running by UCD. Is the Minister's Department considering such an option? If so, will...

Seanad: Transport Matters: Statements (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: It is substantially narrower than the width of this Chamber, let alone its length. I can only describe it by saying that if a truck went down it there would be a major crisis. This is proposed as the relief route for traffic going into the city. These are just two instances. Looking at the route running past my gate I began to wonder if this could actually be sustained. It does not...

Seanad: Transport Matters: Statements (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: What about electric scooters?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: I have said as much as I ought to say on amendment No. 91h and I ask the Minister to accept it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: For Senator Norris's information, amendment No. 91h proposes to delete the word “firstly” where it appears on page 31, line 27.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: At the moment the section reads:In advising the President in relation to the appointment of a person to a judicial office the Government shall firstly consider for appointment those persons whose names have been recommended to the Minister or, in the case of section 44 the Government in accordance with the provisions of this Act. The amendment seeks to delete the word "firstly" in order to...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: On a point of order, I see that groupings are proposed and am anxious to know if this is a new proposal or one with which we have already dealt.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: Yes, that is what I thought. I just wanted to make that point.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: Yes.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 92a:In page 31, line 28, after “Minister” to insert the following:“at any time in respect of the type of judicial appointment in respect of which the Government is advising”. I wish to outline the purpose of this amendment. The House will appreciate that section 46 currently reads:In advising the President in relation to the appointment of a...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: Will the Senator give way?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Apr 2019)

Michael McDowell: It seems Senator Norris's point is technically correct and that there are commas missing in the phrase "or, in the case of section 44, the Government in accordance with the provisions of this Act". It would make sense if they were inserted.