Results 2,161-2,180 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell
- Seanad: Statement by the Taoiseach (18 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: -----Downing Street and that the temperature between the two countries is brought back to the warm relationship that existed when I was Tánaiste to the then Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. Finally, I echo completely what Senator Ardagh said about the responsibility of those who have left Northern Ireland without a government for the last number of years. This is a scandal which must be...
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: I echo what the leader of the Fianna Fáil group has stated about the proposal in respect of No. 3. I propose that No. 1 be deleted from the Order of Business.
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: I am proposing that the Order of Business be amended by the deletion of No. 1. I do so because the opportunity is being taken by the Government today to avail of the visit of the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Ms Nancy Pelosi, to pull a stunt. I object strongly to what is happening. Others in the House will propose amendments to the Order of Business to deal with that issue....
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: If the Government is of a mind to make a contribution, it would be appropriate to make some contribution of money to the restoration fund and it should be done in that spirit. Buildings are buildings and it was not the equivalent of the 9/11 tragedy. There is no need for cross-European mourning. The editorial today in The Irish Timesmakes a very good point. There is a need for us all to...
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: He should do his real job.
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: Senator Buttimer voted to abolish the Seanad.
- Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: No.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 95a:In page 32, lines 7 to 11, to delete all words from and including “was—” in line 7 down to and including line 11 and substitute the following:“was recommended by the Commission to the Minister in accordance with the provisions of this Act.”. This is a proposal to amend section 48 by the removal of all the words from the word "was"...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: It would, because the Minister has not amended it. It would have gone to Report Stage with an unamended section 44 and with this House still unaware of the fine print of the Minister's proposal.The Minister is shaking his head. If I am getting something wrong------
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: The Minister is a very welcome guest. We enjoy the long periods he spends in the House. He always gets a good welcome.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: I was saying that-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: In any event, I note that it is reported in today's edition of The Irish Timesthat, without an expensive commission, any of the bells and whistles entailed in this legislation, setting up a new body or having a lay majority, the Government has already put in place a perfectly sensible non-statutory arrangement whereby it consults with senior members of the Judiciary about the filling of the...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: It is purely a stylistic way of formulating an amendment. If one just deletes a line which involves paragraph (a), one must then deal with the fact that "(b)" appears in the middle of nowhere. The formulation I used is purely to avoid that.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: It would take a year to implement it.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: I am interested in hearing the reply to that question too.
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: The other thing is that the Minister has just said the informal non-statutory process which he has put in place is in recognition of the fact that this legislation is not and never was going to be in operation this side of this summer. As I understand it, the process does not involve putting an advertisement in a newspaper to say it is proposed to fill a vacancy and invite people to apply...
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: -----that it is about handing out sweets to one's favourites-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: -----that it is about giving things to people who may not deserve them-----
- Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (17 Apr 2019)
Michael McDowell: -----and that it is about handing out the baubles of political power to people. I know that the Minister may not share that view and I am not suggesting he does, but if he reads the books the Minister, Deputy Ross, or Senator Ross as he then was, wrote about cronyism and the like, it is quite clear-----