Results 5,701-5,720 of 7,583 for speaker:Rónán Mullen

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: This is a serious issue.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Ceist an-láidir í seo. Baineann sé leis an leas poiblí agus leis an dearcadh atá ag daoine i leith ghrúpaí éagsúla inár sochaí. This is about the attitude to different groups of people in our society.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I did not hear what Senator Keane said. This is about attitudes to different groups and sectors in our society. Political parties, like the media, need to show responsibility in their public utterances. That is why this is a relevant issue which I bring before the House this morning.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yesterday, I stated it would be a good idea for the Attorney General to give her opinion sooner rather than later, but it would not necessarily decide the issue. All we know from the revelation by the unnamed official is that our European partners ensured that nothing they required would force us to have a referendum. This leaves the question open as to whether the provisions of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I had not noticed it.

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: One question is whether the provisions of our Constitution require a referendum to permit participation in such a treaty. There is another argument for holding a referendum, namely, democratic legitimacy. This morning, the Technical Group in the Lower House indicated its intention to avail of Article 27 of Bunreacht na hÉireann if the Government did not seek to proceed via referendum....

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Feb 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yes. The Technical Group is to be commended for claiming it will seek to the have issue put to the people regardless. I can support the idea. I will reserve my position on the treaty until I have had a chance to consider it, but it should be possible for people to favour a referendum and a "Yes" vote. I will support the Technical Group's petition should it come to this House and I...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I will not take up too much time because we have already had this debate. Although it seems to be very stark and the reverse of joined up thinking I accept the Minister's bona fides in this matter and I believe in the need for good administration. However,it looks too much like the Department of Education and Skills washing its hands of responsibility. Sometimes one must keep a hand in,...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I listened with great interest to the Minister and to my colleagues. To some degree, we are already engaged in a debate that relates to several of the amendments I have tabled. The Minister is talking a very good talk about patrons being flexible and teachers not being so dogmatic as to refuse to be deployed from a panel into a school which may or may not be their first choice. The word to...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 9: In page 5, line 43, to delete "Minister," and substitute the following: "Minister after consultation with and with the agreement of bodies representative of patrons, recognised school management organisations and any recognised trade union or staff association representing teachers, or other staff as appropriate and". All of these issues are related but essentially, we...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: That was a misunderstanding. I was referring to trusteeship bodies.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I thank the Minister for his response which was very thoughtful and informative, if I may say so, and I am grateful for it. It is not that late so I do not have that excuse for saying I did not quite follow one objection the Minister raised with regard to the wording of section 24(10) relating to suspension or dismissal. We are clear that what we propose does not draw in the requirement for...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I move amendment No. 12: In page 6, to delete lines 7 to 34. We are back to the discussion on the issue of redeployment, the concept of which is not defined legally in the Bill or elsewhere. A lack of precision in legislative drafting will only set the stage for future disputes and possible judicial reviews, resulting in further costs to the taxpayer. The word "redeployment" is used by the...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yes.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yes, this is an amendment about redeployment.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Am I right in thinking the Minister is saying that this is embedding the terms of the Croke Park agreement in the legislation by putting the redeployment procedures on a statutory footing? I am opposed to putting redeployment procedures on a statutory footing in this way. To quote by beloved father, "I am cutting stubbles here"; we are both cutting stubbles in revisiting ground that has...

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: More stick than carrot.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yes. I accept the Minister's point.

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: I will be brief as I do not wish to keep this discussion going all evening. I am grateful to the Minister for his responses. There are two questions however. The Minister said there has been a year of this-----

Seanad: Education (Amendment) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (31 Jan 2012)

Rónán Mullen: Yes. Has it been negative without the legislation in place?