Results 2,921-2,940 of 5,749 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister has been quite definitive in-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister has been quite assertive in rejecting the amendment. That is regrettable.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I realise we are speaking to an amendment but I want to put on record that I am fully aware of the fact that this Bill has struggled through this House. Debate on it has gone on for many, many hours, and I commend the Minister on his patience as it has gone through the House. However, I will not be threatened that at some stage the CPP or someone else will limit my right and the right of...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: The Acting Chairman had indeed, but I just wish to make the point clear. I call on anyone-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: -----who has looked at the amendments that have been tabled during the debate in this House to show how any of those amendments were vexatious or frivolous. We sought to improve the Bill. We are totally opposed to the Bill. We do not believe it has any purpose in this country and we believe that our Constitution already deals with the appointment of judges. I would like to see a new...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I respect the Acting Chairman's ruling.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I move amendment No. 91e:In page 31, between lines 20 and 21, to insert the following:"45.Nothing in this Act shall require the Government or the Minister to make any statement or explanation to the Houses of the Oireachtas in relation to its advice to the President in respect of any person for appointment to any judicial office, whether or not the person was a person recommended by the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I defer to Senator Norris to speak first.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: We discussed the issue of confidentiality and the importance of not damaging a person's good name or reputation. We discussed recently the impact of the commission failing on its first attempt to find suitable candidates to recommend to Government for judicial appointment. I made the point at that time that if the commission had to go through a second round, speculation in the media, on...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I am inclined to be sympathetic to the Minister's view that we should deal with this amendment in section 49.What is throwing me off is that it will not be possible, and as was said our amendment goes further than section 49, on Report Stage to bring in the level of certainty we are looking for in this amendment. I am a bit conflicted in not pursuing it, given the way the debate has gone in...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: It seems to me that we are in some way wandering into section 49 and I do not want to do that.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: There are many things I would like to say about what Senator Norris has just said.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I think they are pertinent to section 49 and I am not prepared to debate them at this time. As a result of what he said, I have no choice but to press this amendment. I am interested to hear the Minister's view before I press it, but I am inclined to press it at this stage.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I am pressing the amendment.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I move amendment No. 91f:In page 31, line 23, to delete "Minister, provide to the Minister" and substitute "Minister (or the Government as the case may be), provide to the Minister (or the Government as the case may be)". I will defer to my colleague Senator Norris who wishes to speak to this amendment.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I am inclined to take the Minister at his word. I do not want to frustrate him. I know how it seems from time to time. If we come to section 49 today, we will address this. I am inclined not to press the amendment at this stage.

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: The Minister of State is welcome. I congratulate him, the Defence Forces and his Department on the launch of the symposium on the brigade activity reports on the military service pensions collection on Saturday at Cathal Brugha Barracks. It was a tremendous success. The members of the public who were present were extremely impressed by the work done by the military archives. It is a great...

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I will finish off. On the Naval Service, whether we like it or not, there was a period last winter when seven ships were tied up in Haulbowline and one ship was in the Mediterranean. That suggests to me that we are not patrolling the Irish coastline as we should to carry out work on fisheries protection, drug interdiction and countering people trafficking. I would like me to say much more...

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: With respect, we are not concerned with that medal, but with the Distinguished Service Medal, DSM.

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (Resumed) (27 Feb 2019)

Gerard Craughwell: I apologise.