Results 3,521-3,540 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: At least until after the next election.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: I have a certain grudging sympathy for the Minister, who has been pretty good-humoured during this debate. He has been, to me at least, a little contradictory nonetheless. He has said the report is irrelevant as we have our Constitution. That implies he will ignore the report. If he indicates it has no relevance and we are not bound by it or beholden to anybody outside Ireland-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: We must take those views into account. Does the Minister agree with that?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: It is what we are doing but the Minister cannot do it because he has not come across those views yet. The Minister has indicated we are more or less going to ignore the GRECO report but he has also said he is discussions with the body. That is a clear contradiction. One cannot ignore it on one hand and be involved in discussions at the same time. I say to my colleagues in Sinn Féin...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: Good. That is excellent. We will see what happens tomorrow morning. One can call this filibustering or whatever one likes but this House will be extremely reluctant to pass a Bill of this nature. Why should it do so? We are discussing very serious legislation regarding appointments to the Judiciary and information is being deliberately withheld that is germane to the discussion to the...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Jul 2018)

David Norris: I am very happy to report lack of progress.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: I second Senator Marie Louise O'Donnell's proposal. I raise the question of the Pope's visit. I was disturbed to hear on the wireless over the weekend about groups of people who are each buying blocks of 660 tickets and then deciding not to use them in order to reduce the numbers at this event and prevent other decent people who want to go from being allowed to attend. That is extremely...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: Of course they would not because they take it seriously. They do not take seriously-----

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: I know that but that is no reason to block other people. The Senator's party is blocking other people. That is what I am objecting to. You can suck up to Michael D. as much as you like.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: Everything is rigged in favour of the political parties.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: It certainly is. The nomination process is heavily rigged in favour of the political parties. The parties do not have to go through any process. They just decide to plonk somebody in.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: Okay, but there were quite a few interruptions. In addition, the finance is totally skewed to massively favour the parties. At the Constitutional Convention I put forward a motion that would amend that. It was passed by 98% of the people present. It was by far the highest percentage and nothing has ever been done about it. We must look at the office of the presidency in terms of the way...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: I ran. Michael D. ran. I was a great friend and colleague of Michael D. and I said to him that if I was not running myself, I would be out on a bus canvassing for him. That is how highly I felt about him, but it did not stop me because I wanted to run. We should encourage that kind of attitude in people because with the best will in the world, do we want a President who will be 85 in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: Forget about saying "ageism". It is the truth.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: I will defer to the Cathaoirleach as long as we recognise that the political parties are bending the rules in running for the Presidency.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: They are.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: No.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: Regrettably, since my cancer operation, I have not had the energy or the strength. I would also be too old.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: I see.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2018)

David Norris: What will the Senator do?