Results 32,621-32,640 of 50,830 for speaker:Micheál Martin
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: We now have a situation with in Ukraine, Crimea and Russia which should remind us all-----
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----of the absolute imperative of democracy, the importance of democracy and the degree to which we should cherish it. I hope the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, and his party will never again put up posters exhorting people to vote "Yes" for fewer politicians. What an appalling message to send young people in this country. What appalling cynicism. Some of Deputy O'Dowd's backbenchers...
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----and the power of debate. I do not know whether Deputy O'Dowd saw Seamus Mallon's excellent programme with John Bowman yesterday. I noted Mr. Mallon's comments about how he enjoyed the House of Commons. What he enjoyed most was the debate, the engagement-----
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----and the ideas. I was taken by that contribution because that goes to the heart of what democracy is about - alternative voices, debates, competing opinions. There is too much uniformity here. We as a political party need to change as well; I am not saying otherwise. Of course we have to change. We go forward in a spirit, in the aftermath of the collapse, of having learned lessons...
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: This is Second Stage of the Bill. We acknowledge that it can be improved. The Second Stage speech of the Minister of State, Deputy O'Dowd, was almost like a Committee Stage contribution, going through the technical issues, the problems and so on. Apparently, it is impossible for us to allow our citizens to vote in embassies overseas, yet for many other countries there is no difficulty in...
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----so that we can have a meaningful discussion with Members of the House. Some of his own party's members, even in their later contributions this morning, indicated they wanted that kind of debate.
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Deputy Murphy stated earlier that he would welcome an opportunity to contribute. Therefore, I ask the Minister of State to allow this Bill to proceed to Committee Stage so that we can have discussions on it.
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: It is depressing that the Taoiseach is ruling out any further referendum and ruling out any legislation to allow for direct franchise, which would get rid of the elitism on which the Minister of State rounded so agitatedly during the referendum campaign.
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I thank Deputy Mathews for his kind comments and his erudite contribution which goes to the heart of much of what is wrong with our Parliament. The Parliament has not moved with the times and is losing its relevance to the public. When I mentioned the Chairpersons of various committees, the Minister of State took umbrage, yet in advance of the Seanad referendum, the Government produced a...
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Exactly. That is the point.
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Is that why the Government wants the d'Hondt system?
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill has at its core the objective of making the political system more democratic and accountable. Unfortunately, this week it has been shown yet again how badly we need real reform. The Garda Commissioner was pushed aside, following a series of deeply suspicious events. Each element of this story has emerged drip by drip and there...
- Seanad Reform Bill 2014: Second Stage [Private Members] (28 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: In 2011 the people demanded real reform of their political system. They were promised real reform by every party now represented in Dáil Éireann. Once the election was over, the new Government announced it was determined to push ahead with what it termed a "democratic revolution". Last year’s referendum on the abolition of the Seanad was intended by the Government as its...
- European Council: Statements (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: In the early days of what is now the European Union, one of its founders, Jean Monnet, talked frequently about how it might develop. His most often quoted idea was: "Europe will be forged in crises, and will be the sum of the solutions adopted for those crises." When looking at the outcome of last week's summit and those of recent years, it is impossible to miss the power of this idea. We...
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: In the interests of full transparency, will the Taoiseach be in a position to confirm to the House the status and identity of the civil servant who went to the Garda Commissioner on Monday evening?
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: Was it the Secretary General of the Taoiseach's Department?
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I thank the Taoiseach. In regard to this morning's business, the Minister gave a 15 minute statement on that issue but, unfortunately, questions were not provided for in terms of the Standing Orders. It is a great pity there were not questions on that specific issue because, despite Leaders' Questions and two attempts to extract from the Taoiseach why the Attorney General did not see fit...
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: -----on this issue, he did not answer that question this morning. I asked the Taoiseach if it was not very odd that-----
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: She had the facts for four months on the specific case. We know that from the Minister for Justice and Equality.
- Order of Business (26 Mar 2014)
Micheál Martin: I asked a question, which the Taoiseach did not answer, and Deputy Donnelly asked a question, which he did not answer either. There was a very prolonged period of time-----