Results 5,721-5,740 of 11,407 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Today is the day that British Prime Minister Theresa May triggers Article 50. She will address the House of Commons on the issue within the next hour. The Seanad's Brexit hearings are a welcome initiative, but we also need to consider raising the issue of Brexit in other debates in the House. Yesterday, we in Labour published our detailed Brexit policy, outlining 20 concrete actions that...

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I am delighted to be here to propose this Bill. I welcome the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Leo Varadkar, to the House. I have received an indication from the Government that it will not be opposing this Bill on Second Stage. I am very grateful for and delighted about that news. I acknowledge the presence in the Visitors Gallery...

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Precisely. I thank Senator Norris for his comment and his support. David Parris does not seek recognition of his relationship prior to 2011 when it was possible to be legally recognised in civil partnership, he only seeks prospective recognition following his death, which hopefully will be many, many years away. It is not in any sense retrospective in his case, nor do we say is it...

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: There are a number of ways of doing it. When the Bill progresses further we may look at that. Even if there are more than a handful of couples, and I really do not think there will be, I do not believe that would be a reason to deny what is an important equality right.I see this Bill as a legacy Bill. It deals with a legacy of discrimination against gay couples and gay people. It is an...

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the many Senators who spoke to the Bill. I thank Senators Gerald Nash and Kevin Humphreys, who seconded the Bill, and Senators Ray Butler, Catherine Ardagh, Victor Boyhan, David Norris, Fintan Warfield, Lynn Ruane, Máire Devine and Alice-Mary Higgins for expressing their support for it in such strong terms. I think everyone acknowledged the bravery of David Parris and his...

Seanad: Pensions (Equal Pension Treatment in Occupational Benefit Scheme) (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (22 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Next Tuesday.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Listening to colleagues, I am conscious of what a sad day it is, with so many condolences being offered. On behalf of the Labour Party group, I would like to join with others in offering condolences to the family of Martin McGuinness and to his Sinn Féin colleagues here in the Chamber and elsewhere on their sad loss. As others have said, his legacy as a key negotiator and facilitator...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: It is great to see that after 20 months of campaigning for justice. Many of us stood on the protest with the Clerys workers, who were treated so abominably by Natrium. I am glad to see a settlement has been reached to the satisfaction of the workers. I ask that we would have a debate in early course on the need for legislation to ensure this sort of thing does not happen again to workers...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I second that.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Commission of Investigation (Certain Matters Relative to Disability Service in the South East and Related Matters): Motion (9 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State and I also welcome the opportunity to debate the amended terms of reference of this important commission of investigation. Others, particularly Senator Kelleher, have eloquently outlined the appalling and horrifying litany of abuse and neglect suffered by Grace over 20 years in the foster home that is the subject of the investigation. I am glad that the order...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Schengen.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Dr. Devine for her very stimulating presentation and giving us the opportunity to engage with her on this important question. There are many issues and a great many implications of Brexit for Irish foreign policy. As she said, she is really just touching on some of them in her paper. It is interesting that she emphasises the flaws in EU governance and the implications of EU...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Implications of Brexit for Foreign Policy: Dr. Karen Devine, DCU (9 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: And the Workers' Party.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Like others, I wish to highlight the horrific findings the commission of investigation has made regarding the remains of infants and babies in Tuam and the appalling suffering experienced in that institution by them, their mothers and siblings, many of whom survive and who have spoken movingly in recent days about their grief and distress at the findings. We all should commend the commission...

Seanad: Domestic Violence Bill 2017: Second Stage (1 Mar 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House and I commend her on her long-standing commitment to reform in this area. I know from many engagements with her on this issue just how much of a personal commitment she brings to the issue of domestic violence, to tackling it and to seeking to ensure better legal treatment of the victims and survivors of this appalling violence. I commend her on that. I...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I would like to join with others, on behalf of the Labour Party group, in expressing sympathies to the family of the late Deputy Peter Mathews on his sudden passing yesterday. I call on the Leader, as other Senators have done, to arrange a debate on the State's response to the reports of abuse committed against the child known as Grace while in foster care in Waterford over a long period of...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Cathaoirleach. I appreciate his assistance.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader again for a debate on the State's response to the abuses perpetrated on this child while in foster care. We should also hear why it took so long to publish the Conal Devine report and the Resilience Ireland report. There has been a five-year delay since the reports were prepared. We must also hear about the other children who were placed in the home. We now know from the...

Seanad: Recent Education Announcements: Statements (21 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House. I also welcome the opportunity to debate the subject of education with him. I thank him for his opening statement. As he said, it is an exciting time for education in Ireland. We are facing immense challenges but some very positive developments also, in particular as we are coming out of the recession and seeing an increase in resources available to...