Results 18,341-18,360 of 18,738 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: -----because they were not denominationally Catholic. They were non-denominational crèches for children.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: The point I am making is that Ireland was a very different place.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: I am just saying that those who actually did something in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s to assist women to work outside the home while giving them assistance in the care of their infant children ran into cold winds based on the most ridiculous of grounds that they were not Catholic crèches but non-denominational and interdenominational crèches. That is all I want to say but I want to...

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: Sorry about that.

Seanad: An Bille um an Daicheadú Leasú ar an mBunreacht (Cúram), 2023: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) agus na Céimeanna a bheidh Fágtha - Fortieth Amendment of the Constitution (Care) Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: Senator Clonan can talk about his own amendment. I am making that point.

Seanad: Human Rights in China: Motion (23 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Tánaiste for having come here and I wish him well in the Dáil. I also thank my Fianna Fáil colleagues for tabling this important motion for discussion this evening. It is remarkably courageous of you, a Chathaoirligh, to stay in the Chair following the recent torpedo you received from the Chinese Embassy in Dublin for congratulating the people of Taiwan on their...

Seanad: Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill 2023: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (24 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: It is not agreed. I just want to point out that this is the third guillotine from this enlightened Government in three days.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: I want to say in respect of the appearance here today by the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell, that he stayed in his seat as a courtesy to the House. It was not the case that he was sent in to deal with a matter on which he had no expertise. Senator Clonan was rightly outraged that the Government effectively tried to get him to pull the debate and did not even arrange to send...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (31 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: -----who, according to opinion polls, say they would vote “No” if they were asked the question. It destabilises the debate, rather than reinforcing it. I aspire to a united Ireland. I consider myself an Irish republican, like most Members of this House, I presume. However, to simply announce that we are now within touching distance of a united Ireland flies in the face of...

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister of State and thank her for her presence. I associate myself with the remarks about her commitment and determination to do her job, which is universally admired. Senator Clonan made a point that what we are dealing with is the rights of disabled people and the rights of citizens who are disabled to receive care and support from the State. Regarding the proposed...

Seanad: Family Carers: Motion [Private Members] (31 Jan 2024)

Michael McDowell: For people whose state of affairs has no family dimension, this amendment promises absolutely nothing, yet it is being put into the fundamental rights section of the Constitution. I just wonder what it is doing there. Are we are saying that we are creating rights? If we were going to create rights, we would do what Senator Clonan is suggesting, which is ratify the protocol to the...

Seanad: Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: On my behalf and on behalf of my colleagues in the Seanad Independent Group, I want to be associated with all the tributes that have been paid to John Bruton in the national media and most especially in this House. What I want to say about John Bruton can be reduced to one sentence: He was a genuine, authentic, honest and brave character. As Senator Joe O’Reilly just said, you knew...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill: Discussion (13 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: I want to re-echo what has been said here about the value of this session. It is very important that the Oireachtas has the opportunity to have sessions of this kind. I want to make a few points. It seems, as has been pointed out by some of the contributors, that the sourcing of data material is not adequately dealt with in this legislation. Is a public service card available? Are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill: Discussion (13 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: I just threw out my ideas into the conversation.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: I thank the Chair and my colleagues for allowing me to intervene at this point. I was listening to what Gerard Guinan was saying about politics and the Civil War and military men being involved in politics and reflecting when he said that. I was loaned a bound copy of An tÓglach for 1922-23. It is a weekly magazine published by the Army. It congratulated Richard Mulcahy, the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: I mentioned the Secretary General of the Department of Defence being ex officio a member of a body that is supposed to be an independent adviser to its own Minister. I think back to a time when I was Minister for Justice. It never occurred to me to appoint the Secretary General of the Department of Justice to be part of the Garda management or its oversight body. Is that consistent-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: Maybe I was not sufficiently imaginative. The result of these provisions would be that the director of military prosecutions and the military judge will have nobody to stand up for them - no union or representative body - in their dealings with the Department. Is that right?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: I have a final comment. The point I was making was the function of this oversight body is to advise the Minister and it is stated to be independence advice, yet his or her right-hand person is on the body that is supposed to give him independent advice. If I had tried that with An Garda Síochána, I would not have got away with it. That is all I am saying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: General Scheme of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2023: Discussion (20 Feb 2024)

Michael McDowell: Yes.