Results 1,741-1,760 of 4,787 for speaker:Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I understand that we are taking Report Stage tomorrow. I withdraw my amendment on the basis that I shall resubmit it tomorrow on Report Stage. Therefore, I give the Minister of State 24 hours to consider my amendment. I am a bit taken aback by Fianna Fáil's suggestion that unnamed community groups are jumping up and down because they have been upset by this proposal. That is not the...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I will resubmit it tomorrow.

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I move amendment No. 2:In page 5, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: “Possession of controlled drugs for personal use 8. Notwithstanding anything in the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2015, in any proceedings for an offence under those Acts it shall be a defence to prove that the defendant had in his or her possession a controlled drug for his or her personal use and for...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: No. I will withdraw it with a view to resubmitting it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister of State. I am genuinely delighted by his appointment. I also welcome the officials from the Department with whom I worked. One of the reasons I changed my mind about the validity of this Chamber - which Senator Norris will be delighted to hear - relates to the issue of direct provision. When I was Minister of State, it was the collective will of the people in this...

Seanad: Immigration (Reform) (Regularisation of Residency Status) Bill 2016: Second Stage (29 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I am horrified that somebody did that. If the Government does not want to implement it, it should say why. People took great risks. Some people in the Chamber were not happy with the report and did not feel it went far enough, but it is something about which I feel very strongly. I walked into the centres, and could smell the desperation and see people who were genuinely broken and were...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I move amendment No. 2:In page 5, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:“Possession of controlled drugs for personal use 8.Notwithstanding anything in the Misuse of Drugs Acts 1977 to 2015, in any proceedings for an offence under those Acts it shall be a defence to prove that the defendant had in his or her possession a controlled drug for his or her personal use and for no...

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Yes. May I say a few words about it?

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: On a point of order-----

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: On a point of order, regarding some quotations attributed to me-----

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: A point of order must be taken. In fairness, I was watching-----

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I want the record of the House to reflect my remarks properly because I was misquoted by the Minister of State.

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: It is.

Seanad: Misuse of Drugs (Amendment) Bill 2016: Report and Final Stages (30 Jun 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: Certain comments were read out during the debate and attributed to me when I was Minister of State with responsibility for the national drugs strategy. I refer specifically to remarks I made in a speech in London. I advise the Minister of State that it may be useful not to use speeches that have been written for her. In my previous role as Minister of State, I rarely read out a speech that...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I rise today to raise the issue of the Admissions Bill, as published yesterday by the Minister for Education. I understand that the Bill will come before this House in due course but I wish to raise a matter of concern. There seems to be a level of confusion regarding the processes surrounding the Bill and that some of the issues would be dealt with in the committee, according to the...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I want to discuss the proposal to move the Members of the Seanad to the National Museum. I have been contacted by people who work in the museum, who raised the lack of communication about the future plans for this Chamber. They are aggrieved that requests for finance in previous years in order to upgrade the facilities in the National Museum were put to one side. They believe the cultural...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services Provision (13 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Minister of State for being here. I very much appreciate it in light of her responsibility for mental health. I know it is an individual case and that people in her position do not like discussing such cases. However, this is a particular case and I am delighted to have the opportunity to raise it today. It concerns Igor Baker, whose father is in the Public Gallery. We are...

Seanad: Commencement Matters: Mental Health Services Provision (13 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I appreciate the Minister of State's comments and her offer to meet with me and, I hope, with the family as well will be well received. I understand what she is saying in that the fact money has been spent in this area does not mean it can easily be shifted over but from her answer, she will certainly agree with me that everybody involved in this case agrees that where he is currently...

Seanad: Housing for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I thank the Senators for tabling this motion which the Labour Party is obviously delighted to support. It is a very interesting debate. I am sure that the Minister will agree that the expertise in this Chamber is quite remarkable, from the campaigning sector to parents. Senator O'Sullivan's contribution was quite impressive. There are former local authority members and indeed a former...

Seanad: Paternity Leave and Benefit Bill 2016: Second Stage (15 Jul 2016)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin: I welcome the Minister of State who will have to get used to spending time in here as this is what happens on a Friday when one has this level of responsibility. It is great that legislation such as this has come before this House with support from right across the House and that it will be enacted in time to be ready by early September, which is a great achievement by the Minister of State....