Results 2,641-2,660 of 18,726 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: The Minister thinks they will be told whether they were short-listed.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: Will he make that clear in a Report Stage amendment? Implicit in that is a whole load of problems. The short-list will fairly easily become generally known and the people who are on it and are overlooked will be easily identified if all the applicants are informed as to whether they were short-listed and all the successfully short-listed people are informed of the position also.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: Under Standing Order 73(3)(b) I propose that the vote be taken by other than electronic means.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 85a:In page 27, line 28, to delete ", including a person" and substitute the following: "(other that a person who holds judicial office as a member of the High Court, the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court) but including any other person".

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 85b:In page 28, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following:“(5) Nothing in this Act shall require any member of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, or the High Court to apply to the Commission for consideration for appointment to any other judicial office in any of those courts (including the offices of the Chief Justice, President of the Court of Appeal,...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I worry, perhaps more than the Minister but maybe as much as the Minister, about the consequences for the quality of our Judiciary of passing this legislation. I also happen to be someone who, like all citizens of this State, has to be loyal to the State and uphold the Constitution. I also happen to be a person who has been a member of the Executive and who has been Attorney General.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I have never heard the Minister or anyone else describe in clear terms why it is needed to keep the Government in ignorance of those members of the Judiciary who are not shortlisted. No coherent answer has ever been given to us as to why that should happen. In all the 60 hours we have been here, the Minister has never justified keeping the Government in ignorance and in the dark about which...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: He or she would commit a criminal offence if he or she told the Cabinet. Those are the Minister's words not mine.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: Who made that judgment?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I asked the Minister to answer a simple question. I asked him to explain the advantage and interest served by saying to the members of the Government that they should not know who among the present Judiciary in the superior courts is willing and able to serve. I have not had an answer from him on that. He has avoided that question in all his responses.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: The Minister is saying it is a policy issue but I am asking what advantage is served by keeping the Government in the dark about who is able and willing to serve among the present Judiciary. The corollary is the question as to the advantage of and permissible policy on keeping the Government ignorant of the choices available to it. I do not remember in any of the submissions of the Bar...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: The Minister talks about other common law jurisdictions. We have a written Constitution. It vests in the Executive the function of advising the President. That is superior to any Bill we can wave at each other in these Houses. It cannot be curtailed. As long as one is eligible, that is one thing. If a Bill had been introduced that went so far as to state determination by the commission...

Seanad: Conflict in Yemen: Motion (19 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I support the motion. I acknowledge it is put in very neutral and understated terms. What is happening in Yemen is wholly unacceptable. The fact the war there is being prosecuted largely by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, using arms supplied by the British and the American Governments in order to militarise those states, is itself a matter of huge horror to me. The United...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I move amendment No. 1: Page 2, preface Delete the following sentence: “Consequently, the Committee supports the Bill, subject to any necessary technical amendments to make the Bill effective.” The Bill is misconceived in principle. It confused the idea of exploration with the idea of use and it confuses options with predetermined outcomes. While I accept the international...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: On a point of order, if we go through each of the amendments, we will be here all day voting on them.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: If the committee divides on the same lines on the adoption of the report, what would the situation be then?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: If we have another session and the committee splits 50:50 on the adoption of the report, would it be adopted?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: What would happen?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: I am trying to save time for the committee. The amendments in my name regard the basic principle of the Bill. If the committee is not going to reach decisions favourable to my amendments today, there is not much point in debating them in the light of the numbers. Perhaps we should briefly explore whether any of the amendments could be made by consent and then come back to consider the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Petroleum and Other Minerals Development (Amendment) (Climate Emergency Measures) Bill 2018: Discussion (18 Dec 2018)

Michael McDowell: If the committee is going to split 50:50 on each amendment, I will withdraw my amendments.