Results 521-540 of 1,036,906 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Michael Lowry OR speaker:Eamon Ryan)

Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Mary Butler: He was concluded.

Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Pringle: I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I broadly welcome this Bill. I have a few specific concerns with the legislation, which I will detail further. First, I would like to acknowledge the fact that this is long-awaited legislation that will make an incredible difference to the lives of thousands of people in Ireland and we must not delay in ensuring it passes as...

Mental Health Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Sep 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I welcome this Bill. It is a positive Bill and I welcome the progress. Its purpose of course is to replace the Mental Health Acts, 2001 to 2022, which Acts themselves replaced the Mental Health Act 1945. I might come back to that date later, in terms of admissions for that year, and the still high admissions. Of course, this whole Bill reflects a shift on international level, forcing us...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl: Many heartfelt views were expressed for the Minister of State to respond to.

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

James Browne: I thank the Deputies for their contributions. In the time available to me, I want to address some of the issues raised. On the pre-legislative scrutiny and recommendations made, there is an increasing tendency on the Opposition side of the House to state that because the Government does not blindly accept the recommendations of an Oireachtas committee, it somehow has not taken them into...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Thomas Pringle: I am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate today on this Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024. It is a very important document. It is very important in terms of the principles it is setting out to abolish juries, which are a vital part of the public and in protecting public discourse. I wish to talk about that. Unfortunately, I will not do so as eloquently as my colleagues....

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I appreciate the time to speak on this Bill. I wish I had more time. The Dáil is just back in session and this is very serious legislation, as is the next Bill we will consider, the Mental Health Bill 2024. The Defamation (Amendment) Bill involves a lot of reading. I have a lot of people to thank for their help. Once again, under pressure, the library and research service has...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: At the outset, let me thank former judge, Mr. Justice Bernard Barton, for giving me a briefing on this issue some time ago and apologise to him - he is probably watching - that I have not been able to get back to him in the past two days. It has been a bit manic in advance of this debate. However, I am cognisant of his strong views on this Bill and I agree with them and with the concerns...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Catherine Murphy: There are aspects of the Bill that we can support and other aspects about which we have concerns. If we were to ask the average person on the street whether they see this as something that applies to them, they would say it does not, not because they fear their reputation being defamed but because there is a perception and reality about the cost of taking legal proceedings. It would only be...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will start by saying that, as a barrister, I have represented many people who have taken defamation claims. I have also represented many media organisations that have defended defamation claims. That does not give me any more authority than anyone else in the House to speak, but I have an insight into how defamation law has developed since the last significant enactment came into effect...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Pa Daly: That is not what the media said when they appeared before the media committee.

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister of State can respond, but I suspect that that is part of the reason we have the provisions that are included in section 17. Politicians are perfectly entitled to institute defamation proceedings. In fact, some of the more significant defamation judgments have been as a result of politicians’ proceedings, whether instituted by the former Minister, Proinsias De Rossa,...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Catherine Connolly: And look at the clock.

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Brendan Howlin: As legislators, we approach the whole area of defamation law reform guided by two constitutional values. First, there is the citizen's right to protection and vindication of his or her good name under Article 42.3. Second, there is the right of the citizen to express freely his or her convictions and opinions, which is guaranteed under Article 46.1. The Bill before the House must be judged...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: There is a considerable amount in this Bill with which we will all agree. A lot of us will look for balance and something that works from a point of view of people have a right to maintain their good name, ensuring that we allow for freedom of speech and do not inhibit responsible journalism. We know that is an absolutely necessary part of the democratic process. An awful lot of this is...

Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (19 Sep 2024)

Pa Daly: I thank the Minister of State for his briefing. While reform of this legislation is required and is something that we have previously called for, it is important for a balance to be struck. I thank the Library and Research Service for its briefing document, which, as usual, is excellent. I note in that document the comments of a previous Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Chair and the committee members for having me here today as part of the enhanced climate governance and reporting procedures implemented by the 2021 climate Act. This provision in the Act supports greater transparency and accountability in how we plan and deliver our climate action. This committee has an important role in this process, that is, reviewing the climate action plan...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Chair. We are going to have to throw everything at transport, which is the hardest to change. This is because we have embedded a car-dependent system. I am not blaming anyone or any individual who is driving, because they often have to do so to carry out everyday functions. It is difficult. We are going against a system that for many decades designed our systems and towns on...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy. I agree with him. First, I want to focus on renewables and the electricity sector in general. The two are completely connected. We are moving towards a renewable electricity system. Addressing the transport sector is probably the hardest thing. The electricity sector is probably proving to be the fastest in making the change, which is understandable because there are...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Review of the Climate Action Plan: Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications (19 Sep 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am referring to the time it takes to get through a legal process. That is equally an issue. The planning and legal systems have proven to be a genuine bottleneck. The planning system was particularly bad in recent years due to difficulties in An Bord Pleanála. We did not have a large number of projects coming through the planning system to go into the auction system. That was a...