Results 17,681-17,700 of 18,737 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Michael McDowell: I call Senator Currie.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Michael McDowell: That happens on Committee Stage.

Seanad: Gender Pay Gap Information Bill 2019: Report and Final Stages (5 Jul 2021)

Michael McDowell: There is no ceremony.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Northern Ireland Protocol (Article 16): Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I have a couple of questions about the statement by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, that she takes full responsibility for what happened. The problem is that it is saying there is a veil to be drawn over this, in that she takes full responsibility and nobody should pierce the veil or ask for further transparency. Is the Irish Government going to insist on...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: IBEC and Food Drink Ireland (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I confirm I am in Leinster House. I apologise for arriving late to the meeting. I have some very short questions and instead of food they relate to drink. Is there any progress on minimum unit pricing on a North-South agreed basis? Are there difficulties in respect of proposals for health warning labels on alcohol products? Will this affect cross-Border trade?

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: IBEC and Food Drink Ireland (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I understand.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Sep 2021)

Michael McDowell: This is our first occasion to meet for some time. I want to put on the record that, earlier in the year, Second Stage of the Seanad Bill was adjourned until the end of the year. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I had a conversation after that. He indicated it was his intention to have a small group among the parties of the coalition in government consider whether they had...

Seanad: British Government Legacy Proposals: Motion (13 Oct 2021)

Michael McDowell: I am grateful to Senator Mullen for sharing time with me. I had intended to indicate some disagreement with the motion, but when I read the terms of the motion I decided not to do so and not to call a division on it. I wish to put some matters on the record. There is a danger that in adopting a unanimous approach, we forget the points that Senator McGreehan has made and we forget some...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Departmental Funding (14 Oct 2021)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister for Defence, Deputy Coveney, to the House.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (14 Oct 2021)

Michael McDowell: Yesterday evening this House passed a resolution in regard to the British Government's proposal to introduce an amnesty in respect of certain offences committed in Northern Ireland. In the short time available to me last night I made some points which I wish to put in context today. I understand it is intended to convey the resolution of this House to Members of the British Parliament,...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: I agree with was said by Senator Buttimer with regard to Taiwan. I support him in that regard. There is a motion on the Order Paper, in my name and that of other Senators, in regard to Richard O'Halloran who is entering another year of captivity in China. I want to emphasise that. Today, I want to raise an issue of volunteerism and, in particular, to ask the Deputy Leader to seek the...

Seanad: Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House. I wish to underline the independent nature of the members of the Independent group to say that there is no unanimity among them, as is obvious already. I fully accept that we are in an emergency and that emergency measures have to be taken. I am one of these people who rejects completely the suggestion of a two-tier society. In my view, the responsible...

Seanad: Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: -----or every ten days or whatever it is and say this is what has happened over the last week? The Garda checkpoints are either justified or unjustified. The 5 km rule is either paying off or it is not. Vaccinations are having this effect or that effect. Schools are or are not a vector for infection. It is or is not safe to reopen this, that or the other in terms of universities or the...

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: My unshakeable loyalty to Senator Boyhan has the effect that I will second his amendment, which should command general support in the House. Were it not for the amendment he has proposed, I might have been opposing the whole motion. I say that for this reason----

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: As has been mentioned here, there is nothing in this to oppose because there is nothing in this which will actually make very much difference.There is nothing in this to oppose because there is nothing in this that will actually make very much difference.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: The Senator has had his opportunity and he should let me finish.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: There is a fundamental flaw at the bottom of this, which comes especially from the Green Party. It is the distinction between public and private transport. I am sure the Minister of State knows the route around Galway city well. That is not private; it is public infrastructure which is badly needed. There is no point in pretending, as Green Party members in Galway do, that it will be...

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: Ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien.

Seanad: Public Transport: Motion (3 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 2: To insert the following paragraphs after “calls on the Government to:” “- conduct a cost benefit analysis on public monies spent to date on the MetroLink project, publish all budget overruns, outline the overall final budget for the project and confirm a completion date for MetroLink; - conduct a review of the BusConnects project in Dublin...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Nov 2021)

Michael McDowell: This morning, the draft greater Dublin area transport strategy was published for public consideration, and I have to express a sense of shame that such a document could have been produced. It is vapid and commits us to nothing but the delivery of MetroLink at some point in the ten years following 2031 and of the BusConnects programme. Apart from those two pledges, there is a virtual...