Results 18,541-18,560 of 18,738 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I notice that the penalty for contravening Section 258(A) is a fine only on summary conviction. Is it the case that no greater penalty than a fine can be imposed for repeat offenders and the like? Is there any way to take on people who consistently and repeatedly usurp the term "Óglaigh na hÉireann" to describe terrorist organisations? A fine may not be of much use to achieve...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: With regard to this proposal, I must express continuing astonishment that the Bill is in its present form, in view especially of the almost unanimous view of elected representatives in both Houses that this is problematic. The use of the party Whip to push it through is strange indeed. Proposed section 321(3) states, "The External Oversight Body shall be independent in the performance of...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Looking at the Bill, this is not a temporary institution.It is a body corporate intended to be a permanent part of the Defence Forces. It is not there to just deal with the urgent requirement - and I totally agree with the Tánaiste - for a change of culture, particularly in relation to certain aspects of the Defence Forces, including the treatment of women and how dissent is handled....

Seanad: Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill is brought about with the aim of achieving accountability and performance and by reason of a crisis that has emerged regarding the provision of surgery for scoliosis victims in the State. There are other people with spinal conditions, such as spina bifida and others, which are also similar in the problems and challenges the...

Seanad: Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I very much welcome the tone and content of the Minister's remarks. I did not come here to grandstand. I did not come here to exaggerate or exploit the obviously difficult situation that has arisen in respect of scoliosis and allied spinal conditions. The Minister has frankly admitted to this House that he asked the HSE and CHI how much money they needed and they said €19 million....

Seanad: Health (Scoliosis Treatment Services) Bill 2024: Second Stage (3 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Next Tuesday, with the agreement of the Whip.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I second the amendment.

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I do not want to trade legal opinions with anybody else. I see what this section is attempting to do.I am not wholly opposed to what it is attempting to do, which is to secure that the Defence Forces appear to the citizenry of the country to be neutral on matters of politics, not get involved in party politics and the like. It is strange that, for instance, a reservist who is not on...

Seanad: Defence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: It is also for human rights in Ireland. That is going to be considered a charitable purpose under legislation coming from the Government. It does not have to be outside of Ireland and it can be anywhere. The point I am making is that if a society is, for instance, supporting gay rights or LGBTQI+ rights, is that political or not political? Is an address to a society by any member of the...

Seanad: Migration: Statements (10 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House today. At the heart of this, we do have to call a spade a spade, as Senator Garvey said. There is an essential difference between migration and seeking international protection. They are not the same thing. Just as there are nasty people on the right in Ireland who are stoking up false fears abouts migration, the general replacement of the Irish and the...

Seanad: Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024: Second Stage (11 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister. I fully accept that the Bill could, on Second, Third and Fourth Stage, be improved and made more specific and the like. However, the principle of the Bill seems to have universal support in this House. The principle of age limits being monitored by domestic legislation in respect of other member states is already breached, if you like, in the Government's...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister of State and thank him for attending. I will make a number of preliminary observations. We have decided the Order of Business and I do not want to reopen that discussion. It is slightly old-fashioned to say the Bill is the size of an old telephone directory-----

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: -----but there were such things inside the hall doors of most houses at one time and this could certainly keep the hall door open in a fairly substantial wind. Abridging the time for consideration of this legislation on Committee Stage is not a good idea. Even with the accelerated procedures for clearing the decks in respect of amendments for Report Stage, which are a concession because it...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: It is all very well to do that. I am talking about the Office of the Planning Regulator.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Sorry, it is section 1, if the Senator would read the-----

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: The Senator would not merely vote to guillotine the Committee Stage but then he started objecting to people who want to talk about what we are actually doing with this legislation.

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I know that and as the Senator is aware, I am talking about the amendment in section 1. I want to make the point that having done all of these things, we are now putting and cementing in place this rigid regime of control over local authority members. It is entirely wrong. The illusion of local democracy is entirely exposed by the Office of the Planning Regulator. That Department, in...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I do not know how this arises on the section as it now is, given that the amendment has been defeated, but in response to Senator Paddy Burke, it seems that to say there is no constraint on what councillors can or cannot propose by way of an amendment to a draft plan or insert into a plan is at variance with the experience of many councillors. Their experience is that the executive of a...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: Section 7(e) states that a material change of use includes "in respect of premises used for retail purposes, a change in use from a prescribed retail purpose to another prescribed retail purpose". Why does a change of use have to be from one prescribed use to another? For instance, if we do not want there to be an absolute right to run a fish and chip shop, why does it matter what kind of...

Seanad: Planning and Development Bill 2023: Committee Stage (15 Jul 2024)

Michael McDowell: I am just saying whatever kind of thing-----