Results 4,681-4,700 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris
- Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)
David Norris: Hear, hear. It would make good sense.
- Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)
David Norris: The Senator provoked it.
- Seanad: Housing: Statements (28 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I will not need the full five minutes as I have only a few things to say, having spoken passionately on this matter previously. I listened to the speeches this afternoon and got the feeling there is a lack of the urgency and passion that one would expect in confronting a crisis, except for a few speeches. That does not reflect the sense of catastrophe facing us. This Government is having...
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: The Minister of State has been very cogent in explaining his reasons for not accepting amendment No. 15 and I accept his argument. With regard to amendment No. 34, the Minister of State said it would stop the accused facing his or her accuser, but I understand the evidence will be given by the complainant on a live TV or video circuit. This means they would be able to confront them. As I...
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: Good.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: No, thank you. Everything has been said.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I support Senator Boyhan. I understand the Minister of State is accepting amendment No. 34. I hope that is the case because it would be good to have at least one amendment accepted. This is an important amendment.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: It seems we have a situation where if people make a complaint when they under the age of 18, they would have understand that they would be in a position to avail of a video link. That should be maintained even when the prosecution takes place after the person making allegations has passed the age of 18. It seems fair and just to me and I hope the Minister of State will accept amendment No. 34.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: In a way, we are back to the same argument the Minister of State made about matters being subjective. I do not see how this concerns matters from the victim's perspective only. What we are dealing with are objective facts that have been established. There is nothing that comes directly from the victim's perspective; they are matters of fact established by the proper authority.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: It was not.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: No; I just want to point out that it has not been discussed.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I do not want to discuss it. There is no point in telling lies.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: Traditionally, not only in questions of sexual matters but in any prosecution, it has been the case that where the person involved wanted to find out the reason, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution would not give him or her the reason. That was the traditional stance of the DPP. The argument that it is technically in the wrong place could be resolved. The Minister of State...
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: The Minister of State and his advisers have been very helpful and informative but the dialogue illustrates very clearly why it is a real mistake to take Report Stage immediately after Committee Stage. I know the Minister of State is indicating that it is not his responsibility-----
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: The Leas-Chathaoirleach interrupted me while I was in the middle of saying that it is not the fault of the Minister of State and I am not blaming him at all. It is a very considerable disadvantage and the House was completely wrong to do it. The Members were disregarding their own parliamentary function. It is disgraceful that the House should take such action this morning.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I simply do not agree with the Minister of State that the amendment is too subjective. In a situation where information is requested, it should be perfectly clear to any reasonable person what is the sufficient information required. The other point I would make is that there is not a limitless mass of information available in any case. The information could be relatively restricted. It is...
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: Hear, hear.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I agree.
- Seanad: Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (27 Sep 2017)
David Norris: I completely accept what the Acting Chairman said but it shows how absurd this ruling is, and it has been abused by every Government with which I have had to deal over the past 30 years.