Results 501-520 of 602 for speaker:Fiach MacConghail

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: On a point of order, it says in the Seanad manual that the following week is an appropriate response to this question.

Seanad: Child Abuse: Motion (29 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I welcome the Minister. I thank my fellow Member, Senator Jillian van Turnhout for raising this issue, as I knew nothing about this before the briefing from Interpol last week. It was upsetting to see the statistics on offenders that the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children provided to us. The profile of an offender is a person like me, as 59% are married, 41% have children...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: As a matter of courtesy to the Leader, I wish to inform him that I will not be at the debate tomorrow. I would not mind being at the debate, but the Leader has announced it at such short notice that I cannot be there. I am not pressing the amendment.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I note Standing Order 18, prayer on commencement of sitting, put before the House today and call for a respectable debate around that area. Our group of nominated Senators has divergent views and that divergence of views should be reflected rather than passing it through the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and presenting it here. The Chamber has a mutual respect among all of us and...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I am calling for a debate on the issue. I propose an amendment-----

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business, namely, that a debate take place on Standing Order 18 to reflect the divergent views, not only among our group, but among Senators on the matter. That would be healthy. I wholeheartedly welcome the soundings emanating from the Cabinet on the establishment of a constitutional convention particularly if the report that the involvement of...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: Yes. We the Citizens has shown that when people are given objective information and the opportunity to deliberate not only do they make informed decisions they also feel a greater connection to the democratic process. It is a matter of public record that citizens' assemblies work and that the expertise published by We the Citizens is free and publicly available to members of the House and...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: So far.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I wish to support our group amendment. I welcome the Minister and congratulate him and the Government on driving this historic Bill through. The reason I am a little cranky with regard to sticking to 40% has to do with an amendment we will probably raise on Report Stage with regard to the magical seven years. I know this concerns a different section, but it has to do with my reason for...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (Resumed) (21 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: There were three in the period 1981-1982. There appears to be a reluctance in the Bill to go from 30% to 40% as quickly as possible. Therefore, I regretfully disagree with Senator Bacik. We could be waiting quite a long time to jump from 30% to 40%, as the 40% would be introduced seven years after the next general election. I am open to correction on this and will be happy to be...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I move amendment No. 14: In page 12, before section 9, to insert the following new section: 9.—Full disclosure on all donations must be declared to the Standards in Public Office Commission.". This is the nub of an important section of the Bill that relates to full disclosure. The amendment seeks to provide that full disclosure of all donations be made to the Standards in Public Office...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: On a point of order, amendment No. 29 was not ruled out this morning.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I thank the Minister for that clarification. In my confusion, I neglected to focus on amendment No. 29 to any great extent. One of the recommendations in the Moriarty tribunal's report is that appropriate measures should be adopted to ensure the equivalent obligations will be applied to Independent or non-party candidates. To facilitate this, we have tabled amendment No. 29. The question...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: It is efficiency, not duplication.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: No, it is not.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I accept the Minister's explanation on this matter.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I move amendment No. 29: In page 25, between lines 15 and 16, to insert the following: "(2) The inserted Part IX in subsection (1) also applies to Independent and Non-Party Members of Dáil Éireann and Independent, Non-Party and nominated Members of Seanad Éireann.".

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: The Bill is balanced. All the debate which is valuable is around trying to finesse the Bill. Should I not have spoken?

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I am prepared to be instructed on how to speak.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill 2011: Committee Stage (15 Feb 2012)

Fiach MacConghail: I am sure the same applies to the Cathaoirleach. The Minister, in his portfolio, is probably saving the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Howlin, and is the most influential Minister, in terms of changing the political culture and participation of the public. He has an extraordinary portfolio given that it includes local government reform, the Electoral...