Results 4,101-4,120 of 18,728 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Michael McDowell: Yes. There are caravan sites in Wexford, Donabate and places like that. We are talking about real people who are not very wealthy. The system of increasing compliance is all very well, but if the Minister is going to squeeze them, he should remember that it is a huge imposition coming on top of the local property tax, bin charges and everything else.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Change and Natural Resources: Estimates for Public Services 2016: Vote 29 - Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (21 Sep 2016)

Michael McDowell: I acknowledge that the point I made may be a difficult one for the Minister, Deputy Naughten, to deal with. However, if someone has a caravan in Wexford, it is unfair to say he or she must buy two licences. One does not say to somebody who goes to a hotel room and turns on the television that he or she must pay €150 for the privilege over the fortnight or month he or she is staying...

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Irish Bank Resolution Corporation) Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I support the Bill because the Cregan commission needs all necessary powers to discharge its functions. With regard to the confidentiality issue raised by section 21 of the legislation, which I put before the Houses as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, it has always been a mystery in my mind as to when an amendment was made to the section extending the confidentiality rule to...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: We will share time. I want to indicate in a personal capacity that I am totally opposed to the establishment of a citizens' assembly along these lines. I regard it as a pointless exercise and demeaning in a democracy of our kind, in which we have a Parliament established by the people whose function is to consider such topics. The notion of assembling 100 persons at random using a polling...

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: They are obliged to turn up when summoned. These people will not have such an obligation.

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: Only for four minutes today.

Seanad: Citizens' Assembly: Motion (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: "All day."

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second and Subsequent Stages (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. To some extent, it follows on from the decision made by the House that if there is to be a citizens' assembly, it must be composed in some particular way. We are dealing with a Bill, not simply a resolution. We have not at any stage been afforded the courtesy normally extended to Members of these Houses, namely, the provision of a financial...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second and Subsequent Stages (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: The Senator's party argued for that and it failed on that one.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2016: Second and Subsequent Stages (15 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: That is a good idea and I did something about that.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I ask the Leader if he would consider asking the Minister for Finance or the relevant Minister of State in the Department of Finance to come to the House to enlighten us on the implications for national budgetary policy of the surge in gross domestic product growth and whether this is illusory, not illusory, a one-off-----

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: -----or something that will have long-term consequences for us, whether it increases our liability to make contributions to the European Union this year, and also how the apparent decline in GDP for the first quarter of this year - or the last quarter, as it were - is to be understood in the context of these rather fictitious or ballooning figures, which seem to be all to do with...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." This Bill was drafted by the working group on Seanad reform, chaired by the former Senator Maurice Manning, to embody the reforms proposed in the working group’s report. The Bill gives this House an historic opportunity to make history, to keep faith with the people and to restore their faith in our democracy, and to take the brave...

Seanad: Seanad Bill 2016: Second Stage (13 Jul 2016)

Michael McDowell: I propose that we adjourn the debate until an approximate time in the autumn when I hope we can finish it. I understand there are still 11 Senators who wish to speak.

Seanad: EU-UK Relations: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister and thank him for participating in our proceedings this afternoon. The Lisbon treaty inserted an article in the treaties which govern the European Union giving each member state the right, in accordance with its own constitutional arrangements, to withdraw from the Union and provided for a two-year negotiated exit mechanism, and if there is to be any extension of that...

Seanad: EU-UK Relations: Statements (22 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: -----on which their economic future is being decided. This is the type of attitude that must change. If, as I earnestly hope and strongly believe, Britain rejects Brexit tomorrow, we in this country must articulate a different view of Europe, stand up for our vision of Europe and stand up against the values which are alienating the people of Europe from the European project.

Seanad: Death of Jo Cox, MP: Expressions of Sympathy (21 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: The death of Jo Cox reminds us how vulnerable the ordinary exponents of democratic politics are as they go about the daily business of interacting with constituents and dealing with the day-to-day detail of democratic life in their community. She was a mother, wife, idealist, pragmatist, achiever and above all, before she went into representative politics, she was a woman who had proven her...

Seanad: Order of Business (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I congratulate the Cathaoirleach and wish him every success in the position. I am very pleased to hear the consensus from speakers today in favour of reform of this House and moving ahead with that process. Senator Ardagh, on behalf of Fianna Fáil, has spoken about it, Sinn Féin is committed to it, as is Senator Bacik on behalf of the Labour Party and Senator Higgins on behalf of...

Seanad: Seanad Reform Bill 2014: First Stage (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I move:That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to implement reforms proposed in the Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform and for that purpose to effect a range of reforms to the Seanad, to provide for the establishment of a Seanad Electoral Commission and to provide for related matters. I suggest that Second Stage be taken on Wednesday, 22 June 2016.

Seanad: Election of Leas-Chathaoirleach (15 Jun 2016)

Michael McDowell: I propose Senator Craughwell to be elected as Leas-Chathaoirleach. This House, unlike the other House, has never addressed seriously the manner in which its Chairman and Vice Chairman are elected. It is not a position that should be in the gift of any other House or any person who is not a Member of this House. It is not a position that should be bartered in a process of exchange for...