Results 5,561-5,580 of 11,719 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Defence Forces: Discussion (15 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Chairman for facilitating those of us who have other commitments this morning. I thank the Chief of Staff for appearing before the committee today and commend the great work of the Defence Forces in peacekeeping and in contributing to international peace and security through various missions, as outlined by Dr. Mellett. As a neutral country, Ireland has an important role to play...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: This section is headed "Confidential Information". I think I am right in saying that most but not all the amendments to the section were Government amendments. I will wait for quiet in the Chamber. We have not yet had an opportunity to debate the section itself and I wish to take up a few points that were raised on the previous dates on 6 and 8 November by Senator McDowell and if I may,...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I was referring to the point raised by Senator McDowell on a previous occasion in regard to section 27, his point being that the provision would put the Attorney General in an invidious position, as he suggested the Attorney General would effectively be restricted on expressing his or her view frankly as to the merits of candidates before the Cabinet. The question was whether the Attorney...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I will. I am happy, if the Minister would prefer-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Yes. I have listened.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: With respect, I have been present for longer than any other Senator, apart from Senator McDowell and the Minister.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I am well aware of what was said during the debate-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: -----and have gone to the trouble of printing it.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: To be fair, I read only parts of the Minister's response and could have read a much lengthier response. I will certainly not do so as it would be pointless. I read the passages-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: May I finish?

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: No. To be fair, I have spoken very little in the debate, particularly in the discussion on section 27. I have not intervened to speak to it because the amendments-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I beg to differ as the amendments proposed to section 27 were in the name of Senator McDowell. We have not spent 38 hours debating section 27 and the related amendments. Senator McDowell spoke at length on the amendments, not the section. I am raising, in the context of the debate on the section, as I am entitled to do, some answers which were given by the Minister, or which are purported...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Please allow me to finish. I ask the Minister not to interrupt.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: The Minister gave lengthy replies, but none of them responded specifically to the points raised by Senator McDowell and me.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: Is the role of the Attorney General constrained unconstitutionally by section 27? That is the nub of the issue. I have one more point to make on the section.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I have a final point to make on section 27. On a point of order, it is not acceptable to be constantly interrupted when I am trying to make a point and when I have not previously spoken on the section. I take issue with the Minister in that regard. The intent of amendment No. 66 was to amend the introductory part of section 27(1) to provide that there would have to be written consent for...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I did not. I was reading from my legal advice. The bulk of what I gave the Minister was from my legal advice and not from Senator McDowell. It was referring to points raised by Senator McDowell but the document was my legal advice. In terms of confidential information and disclosures, in the very powerful RTÉ programme last night entitled "Whistleblower: The Maurice McCabe Story", we...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I hope the Leas-Chathaoirleach will apply the same standard to Senators Norris and McDowell because I am beginning to feel that the same standard is not being applied. As I said, this is my first intervention on section 27.

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: With respect, they spoke for far longer than I have spoken and I am entitled to finish the point I am making. I am about to-----

Seanad: Judicial Appointments Commission Bill 2017: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Nov 2018)

Ivana Bacik: I am calling a quorum because this is outrageous.