Results 4,341-4,360 of 8,978 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In fairness, we are debating neutrality. The reason our two witnesses are here is to get into these matters in great detail. Shannon is connected with that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: A final question, Senator.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: If it comes back we will revisit it but I have a few questions. In terms of setting the scene, and the exchange so far has been excellent, I read former Senator Maurice Hayes's forward to the transcript of the conference held over six years ago. We were looking at Sean McCrum, who had tried to frame some questions, but looking at them now, Dr. Devine is very clear about the framework of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Clearly, Dr. Devine believes it is important to hold a referendum on this issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In fairness to Dr. Devine, she has robustly defined the international framework for what neutrality is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: She is very clear that our actions in the past 15 years are not in line with it. That is her perspective. The question of whether the people wish to include it in the Constitution in order that it would be more clearly defined from a political perspective is one for them. I understand Dr. Devine's point.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The difficulty is that on many occasions opinion polls have been proved not to pan out when the people vote on referendum day. What people express in an opinion poll will not necessarily represent the final outcome. The only true way to assess the people's will on a given matter, in terms of primary legislation, is to give them an opportunity to vote in a referendum. All we can do is say...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: It is now two years since we had a poll. It could be argued that the view of the people right now may not be in favour. The truth is that Dr. Devine's presentation shows that this has consistently been the view of the people when they have been polled over a period of 15, 16 or 17 years. That does not, unfortunately, make it the law.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Okay.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is the problem with opinion polls. The response is often determined by what the question is.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: At this late stage we will not take points, only supplementary questions. We have had plenty of time to make points.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Both delegates have already responded to the issue in the affirmative. I will ask them to deal with the first question on whether a referendum would tie our hands and be an inflexible response to the issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions: Shannon Airport Landings: Discussion (Resumed) (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will not allow this. In fairness, Dr. Devine put it extensively in her presentation and Mr. Smyth has responded. That is enough for now. I cannot thank both witnesses enough. It was a vigorous and balanced debate because we wanted to have two different perspectives on the subject. It was thought-provoking and helpful to the committee's deliberations. I thank them for coming here,...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Staff (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 170. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when an appeal by a prison officer (details supplied) at Portlaoise prison in County Laois against the findings of an oral hearing in October 2013 will be heard. [29397/15]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Prison Investigations (15 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 171. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when a report regarding Portlaoise prison in County Laois carried out by a then assistant principal officer (details supplied) will be published. [29398/15]

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I move amendment No. 26:In page 23, between lines 38 and 39, to insert the following:“Report by Minister 18. Within one month of the coming into force of this Act the Minister shall lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a full review of the Principal Act.”.The amendment is self-explanatory. We are amending the existing Act because this is a work in progress and the serious...

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Amendment No. 13 is the most important aspect as it deals with the infamous bank veto. After the Opposition repeatedly raised its concerns, we finally got a promise that the banks' veto would be scrapped. Is the veto gone? In some cases, it is subject to the courts, while in other cases it is not clear at all, from our interpretation. If someone falls into arrears after 2 January this...

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I will withdraw amendment No. 8 given the Government's approach, as previously discussed.

Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2014: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2015)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We have engaged with some of the stakeholders around the Minister's amendments. We are concerned that the new wording, taken in conjunction with the proposal in section 13, will mean that those in restructured arrangements may not be eligible for a court review. The purpose of the amendments seems at first glance only to strengthen the hand of the banks in putting up another obstacle for...