Results 17,061-17,080 of 18,737 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (16 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: Things were bad enough in Syria before but were beginning to normalise. The current situation was started by the actions of the American President in abandoning, in a most cowardly way, the people who did all the fighting for him in confronting ISIS and ending the caliphate that was established in Syria and Iraq. I accept that the Tánaiste's mind will be elsewhere today and for the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: I empathise with Senator Norris about the missive he received from Allied Irish Banks. I had a visa card from Allied Irish Banks and it was funded from my bank account in Ulster Bank. I got a similar demand to explain how I had accumulated all of my wealth across my life for simply having a visa card that was funded by a standing order. This shows the ludicrous aspect of some of the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: Over 70 years, which is quite absurd. The other thing that is offensive about it is the title of PEP - a politically exposed person. Again, that is a presumption that those of us in this House require special supervision in respect of our financial affairs over and above members of An Bord Pleanála or you name it. Do they get this kind of treatment? I do not think they do.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: All our business is done in public, and certainly when one is not an officeholder, one is assumed to be a "politically exposed person" requiring this special treatment when those people who have huge discretionary powers - county managers, members of An Bord Pleanála and planning officials - have far more day-to-day power and far more potential to abuse that power than being a Member for...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: It was fine to coast along on the coat tails of the United Kingdom and hope that they would examine these things and weed out the excessive or repugnant aspects of European legislative initiatives. They are no longer there. I repeat the following point, which I have said this before in this House, and I will keep saying it. We talk about being politically exposed, but Ireland is now...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (22 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: Before we, as a country, get trapped into considering the irrelevant and the insignificant for electoral advantage or political sniping, let us remember that this country is going towards Niagara in terms of its complete exposure as a result of taking no active part in the generation of European legislation.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: I echo Senator Swanick's points about the flu inoculation. On my way to the House, I picked up my form and will follow his advice, which is always very careful, to get the jab.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: The Land Development Agency Bill has not yet been seen in these Houses. It is a matter of considerable worry to many that this body is claimed to have been established even though the legislation for its existence has not yet been passed. As I travel through this city every day, I see student residence buildings running up rapidly all around. I see hotels being built everywhere. I have no...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: It has never worked in building any city anywhere in the world. The market has never worked.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: The Custom House should be aware that one cannot rely on the market. No great city was ever built by market forces alone and no housing crisis of the kind we have will be dealt with by the market alone. That is a different matter. I refer to Senator Swanick's remarks on the EU and where it is going. There is very little the Irish Government can be seen to do at this stage without opening...

Seanad: Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy (23 Oct 2019)

Michael McDowell: A Leas-Chathaoirligh, I want to identify immediately with the heartfelt and emotional words you have spoken about our late colleague, Feargal Quinn. His loss to his family is immense. His loss to Irish democracy is also immense. His loss to Irish society, the economy and the wider Republic in which he lived is immense. I first came into touch with Feargal Quinn when he was simply a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: I too welcome Senator Hackett and acknowledge the presence until a moment ago of the leader of her party, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I am glad that she is already showing independence of mind and is against car-pooling. I anticipate that she will not be in favour of rewilding to the extent of the reintroduction of wolves.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: Leinster House has already been rewilded. There are quite a few wolves prowling its corridors and many of them are in sheep's clothing.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: I wish to address the issue of direct provision centres. This House needs to have a serious debate on this issue. It is very easy to virtue signal on this issue and state that one is against a particular thing. A woman stated on the radio on Sunday that she disapproves of the centres. When asked by Brendan O'Connor for an alternative to them, she said, "Well, that is the difficulty."...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: I will make my remarks though the Chair to be orderly. Of course, every person is entitled to seek refugee status if he or she is a genuine refugee. There are safe countries and presumptions. There must be some realism on this matter. Senator Higgins should know that many people posing as refugee applicants are, in fact, migrants. They are escaping poverty. I have no difficulty with...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (5 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: The Senator's heart may be in the right place.I have seen the files, however, and I know what I am talking about. We need a genuine debate in this House about the difference between migrancy and refugee status. We need a real debate about where and how we will accommodate asylum seekers. In what locations, in what buildings, in what facilities and with what supports will we accommodate...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: Last night on BBC Northern Ireland, the "Spotlight" programme detailed what has happened with Quinn Industrial Holdings and the campaign of intimidation, in particular the appalling things that were done to Kevin Lunney. I want to make a few points about these matters. First, there is no point in scoring cheap political points but there has clearly been an ongoing failure of policing in the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: There is only one standard of law and it should apply everywhere on this island. The second point I want to make is that the leader of Fianna Fáil, Deputy Micheál Martin, has advanced a view, with which I agree, that there must be a multi-agency approach to the Border situation and to what is and what is not happening there. The Revenue Commissioners, Army intelligence, Garda...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: I cannot recollect whether I was in office at the time.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Nov 2019)

Michael McDowell: I meant to say one other thing. The two State authorities on this island must make it clear that Quinn Industrial Holdings is never going back to its original ownership on foot of this campaign and this must stop.