Results 3,141-3,160 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: Section 24 is a standard and sensible provision. I am not in any way opposed to it. Obviously, there have to be annual accounts if there is to be any such body and it would be futile to oppose-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: It would be futile and wrong-minded to oppose accountability through annual accounts furnished to the Houses of the Oireachtas. I believe the wasteful expenditure of this body should be noted by Members of this House, if it ever gets up and running.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: This is a matter on which I have to express some divergence of opinion between myself and Senators Bacik and Norris.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: Yes, this is a divergence of opinion. It seems that section 25(1) is mandatory.Senator Norris is misreading the entire section if he makes the argument that subsection (4) gives discretion to the Minister and the commission to publish a report. Subsection (1) makes it quite clear that the commission shall, not later than three months after the end of each year, submit a report to the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: It seems to be to give the Minister some kind of power to tell the commission, once he or she has consulted with it-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: He may also provide it in a particular form and manner. I would not have too much objection to that because the Minister is accountable to Dáil Éireann and the body in question is, ultimately, accountable to the Houses of the Oireachtas, particularly Dáil Éireann, in respect of many of the matters with which it deals. The Minister should be in a position to require the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: The Constitution gives these choices to, and vests these discretions in, the Government. The Constitution trusts the Government to arrive at diversity and does not give a group of other people, or a statutory body, the right to critique the Government's performance.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: This amendment completely overblows the function of the commission and I will radically oppose it if Senator Norris tables an amendment on Report Stage.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: There are issues.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: One issue is the sexual orientation of members of the Judiciary.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: We do not want to know as it is a private matter for any judge. We do not want these things to be matters of debate, or the subject of reports stating there are not enough gay people in one court or too many in another.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: I was getting worried about Senator Norris. If anybody is tempted to oppose this section-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (16 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: This reminds me of the late Deputy Maurice Dockrell in respect of the legislation on contraception, which was famously voted against by the then Taoiseach. The Deputy said he was past it but for it.

Seanad: Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) (Amendment) Bill 2018: Second Stage (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I commend her on this overdue legislation, which I am sure will be worked on closely by Members. I am grateful to Senator Gallagher for permitting me to make a short contribution out of sequence. I propose to raise on Committee Stage the question of designating the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland as a university of medicine and life...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: As the Minister is aware, I am probably in a minority in this House in that I have not been an enthusiastic supporter of most of the legislation, only parts of it. There are parts that I still think are misguided, inoperable and a waste of time and that come from an attitude which is a little intolerant. Senator David Norris complains-----

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: -----that he goes to parties where people consume alcohol and become boring, monotonous and self-obsessed. Some start like that at parties. I will not put it any further. There has been a good deal of public rhetoric about the Bill which I have found annoying in this respect. A load of Members have said lobbyists and lobby group have been lobbying Senators and Members of Dáil...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: Second, the drinks industry in Ireland, taken at its broadest, is an important economic activity. It would be very strange if it did not organise to lobby for its interests. Third - this is the point I wish to make most strongly - the lobbying the other way by State-sponsored bodies which are fully funded by the taxpayer has been much more intense. I can say with certainty that the number...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: There are a few other remarks I want to make, but I want to be orderly and speak to the amendment.Today I was listening to Radio 4 and looking at The Times, English edition. It is interesting to note that the number of people under the age of 25 in England who say they are non-drinkers has grown from one in five to one in three. Social attitudes to drink change. It is not just an...

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: People are making up their own minds. I presume there probably is a lag between Irish behaviour and English behaviour in some respects, but I do think that there is room to be optimistic that the worst days of binge drinking are over and that people are-----

Seanad: Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (10 Oct 2018)

Michael McDowell: It is not because of this Bill. The Bill is not law yet and large portions of it may never be commenced, so let us remember that. I am concerned about the labelling of alcohol products. I did express my views before on this matter.