Results 5,541-5,560 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2012)

Rónán Mullen: There is something seriously lacking in the attitudes of powerful people in the EU that this would be allowed to happen a second time. This is not just a matter of political point scoring or an opportunity to slag the Irish Government. I would like to see the Government make representations about the issue and express its annoyance in forthright terms.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Mar 2012)

Rónán Mullen: If I am wrong then I would like to hear why.

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

Rónán Mullen: I am not sure about Senator Keane's bottom-up approach, but I certainly feel that this legislation is coming from the top down. Although they are welcome voices in the great national debate on policy and legislation, certain groups would have been agitating for this legislation. Speaking for myself, I am not hearing much from the people of Ahascragh about it or from the people of the north...

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

Rónán Mullen: The Senator may believe it or not, but I know a few women and none of them has said anything to me about this.

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

Rónán Mullen: What I cannot get over, when debating this legislation over several days, is how often people have said they look forward to the day when these quotas will not be necessary. Not only that, they provide in legislation for the day when those quotas will not exist. I cannot think of too many examples in politics where we introduce a measure to deal with a current problem, but we are so ashamed...

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

Rónán Mullen: Yes, but why does the Senator feel the need to write it out of the statute books at that point?

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

Rónán Mullen: Let it just sit there, in case it is ever needed again. That surely would be the more logical approach. However, I think there is an embarrassment about what is being proposed here, because it is evidence of the nanny state and a kind of mentality about how politics should be controlled - this is why I use the phrase "social engineering" - to bring about a certain desired effect. As I have...

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

Rónán Mullen: Thank you for telling me that. I will not say much about it, other than to say that I will not push it to a vote, but I will reserve the right to propose it on Report Stage. In response to the planned obsolescence that seems to be desired by the proponents of this legislation and by the Minister, and since there is such expressed embarrassment about the desirability and need for quotas per...

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

Rónán Mullen: I made that clear on the last occasion also.

Seanad: Child Abuse: Motion (29 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I commend the Independent Senators for tabling this important and timely motion. I have listened with interest to the various contributions made. I also listened to the Minister's contribution. I wondered initially if it was necessary to table an amendment to the motion. I am starting from the point of view that far too often motions are amended and that there is not adequate tick-tacking...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I find myself having to offer some support for Sinn Féin here this morning. We ought to reject any suggestion that the party would endanger Ireland's commercial interests by opposing the referendum on the fiscal compact. Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Adams have already shown that their commitment to Ireland Inc. is sure and that they are acting in our best interests. I would defend the putting...

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I welcome the Taoiseach's decision to hold a referendum on this issue. This is one area where we know what is at stake and what is involved, and it is entirely legitimate for people to put up posters advocating a "Yes" or "No" vote at this stage.

Seanad: Order of Business. (29 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: We must certainly comply with legalities but in terms of advocating a "Yes" or "No" vote, the people know what the issues are. This is about strengthening, and tying us into, commitments that we have already made. We will face stringent rules in the future around deficits and debt. The decision that the Irish people must make is whether this is in our best interests, whether, by being seen...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Notwithstanding the concerns expressed by Senator Norris, I welcome the publication of the Protected Disclosure in the Public Interest Bill 2012. I have no doubt that Senator Norris may well have useful observations to make about the legislation in due course, but I think it is very important that for the first time, we are going to have a piece of overarching whistleblower protection in...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Having brought forward a motion on this last year along with other Senators, I am glad to see the publication of the Bill. We also mentioned a related issue at the time. Where persons in particular vulnerable categories, for example, immigrants whose stay in the country depends on access to employment, have a disclosure to make that could affect their status, the State needs to protect...

Seanad: Standing Order 18: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I also welcome the compromise that has been reached. I heard with great interest what other speakers have had to say. I was listening to Senator Byrne quoting from The Merchant of Venice and was reminded of the agreement that Senator Bacik and myself had arrived at. I was wondering how we might shape another quote from a Shakespeare play. To misquote Hamlet, perhaps we have become "a...

Seanad: Standing Order 18: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I have had the privilege of introducing Archbishop John Barwa from the province of Orissa in India. He spoke in generous and interesting terms this morning about the challenges his people are facing, where Christians are being persecuted by extremist Hindus in that part of India. He was not asking us to do anything but was coming here to tell us about their Christian hope and love, even for...

Seanad: Standing Order 18: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: There is a strong argument that an affirmation should be possible because nobody's personal convictions should be violated.

Seanad: Standing Order 18: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Some in this Chamber will be getting very worried. I think the fact that Oireachtas Members are not required to say the prayer or be present when it is said clinches the issue. That is the reason I supported a more inclusive and equal acknowledgement of both religious tradition and freedom of conscience and we have managed to do that. It was Senator McAleese who reminded me that so many...

Seanad: Standing Order 18: Motion (23 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Thirty minutes would be better than what we had this morning.