Results 17,881-17,900 of 18,738 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Somebody is.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I want to note what was actually said. The Deputy Leader said: "In relation to the HEA Bill, Minister Harris was asked for more time on this. We were told it had to be passed by the recess."

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy Leader of this House said-----

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: -----that time was sought and the Minister indicated that the legislation had to be dealt with before the recess. The Minister must take responsibility for the fact the legislation is not going to be debated.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I support Senator Norris's amendment.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: The Minister is correct in saying the significance of this amendment must be seen in the context of proposals to amend section 16. At the moment, section 16 says: The Board shall consist of the following members: (a) a chairperson; (b) 11 ordinary members. It goes on to say: ...the chairperson and the ordinary members of the Board shall be appointed by the Minister from among...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I was glad of the support I got in that debate from Senator Ó Donnghaile and others but I make the point-----

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I am sharing it out. For a lot of these very important institutions of State we are putting in place now, other legislation guarantees a balance within the composition of those bodies. It might stipulate not less than one person who shall have this experience, or one person who has that experience or, in the case of the judicial appointments legislation brought before this House the last...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: That is about 50 years old.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: The Senator's point is academic.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I agree with the Minister that where a Minister makes appointments, they are subject to retrospective scrutiny by the media and by Members of the Houses but the simple fact is once those appointments are made, they cannot be unmade unless some massive scandal has emerged and the person is removed under the statutory powers. The context for all of this is that - I do not wish to leap ahead...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: We will not get into that.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I make the point that we are talking about fully preserving autonomy but we are also giving the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the right to enunciate policy and are giving the HEA the right to cut off funding for people who do not comply with the Minister's policies. I find that that is not consistent with what I used to believe was university...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: For the time being.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Does the Minister see any role for the HEA and–or guidelines issued by the HEA in ensuring universities, lecturers, student societies and student unions are free to pursue diverse opinions without being bullied out of it by one ideology or another on university campuses, in particular?

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I strongly support the amendment.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Not agreed.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I want to say the following on today's proposed Order of Business. Yesterday, the Seanad Independent Group and others on this side of the House protested against the unnecessary use of the guillotine during a parliamentary debate. Today, we want to register once again our protest regarding what is proposed in next week's draft schedule of business. The first item for discussion today is a...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I strongly support what Senator Mullen said. In a very enlightened way this recognises the idea of student unions and their participation in the life of universities. Just as governing bodies and recognised institutions must respect academic freedom, so also must student unions. It is wrong that any students should face intellectual boycotts, defunding of their societies or whatever...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I am not going to get involved in Senator Gavan's ideological left-right dispute but I will make one point about whomever is producing teachers in this country. We need more of them and we need to keep them. We cannot have them going abroad in their droves, as they are at the moment. Many schools right across Ireland cannot fill vital teaching roles at present due to the absence of decent...