Results 5,761-5,780 of 11,407 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: We could have this debate all night. I want to make one very simple point. These are two separate offences, which are separately drafted. I have already pointed out to Senator McDowell that in section 22 the burden is heavier on the person in authority to raise a defence - I am right about that - than the defence available in section 21 or the onus on the prosecution in section 21. It is...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: It is not my report.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to repeat how strongly I support this section and section 25, which we extensively debated on previous occasions in the Seanad. I am listening carefully to what colleagues say, particularly those who did not have an opportunity to speak in the previous Seanad. I hope those who have expressed doubts have looked at the justice committee report from June 2013, which was a report of the...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I did not interrupt Senator McDowell.Senator McDowell suggested that, in some way, the sellers of sexual services who are not currently criminalised would become criminalised under this legislation but that is not the case. In fact, the seller will be decriminalised. In respect of his argument on aiding and abetting, Senator McDowell referred to the Petty Sessions (Ireland) Act but one...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] Report and Final Stages (14 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I am glad Senator McDowell agrees because it is indefensible. The current law on prostitution is indefensible. The vast majority of those appearing before the courts are people who are selling sex, usually women, who are the most visible and the most easily targeted by gardaí. They are, of course, prosecuted for the offences of loitering, soliciting and a failure to move on and so...

Seanad: Civil Liability (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (8 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Tánaiste to the House and echo Senator Conway's welcome of the passage through the Dáil of the sex offences Bill, which I look forward to being before the Seanad next week. I hope that the Bill's reform of prostitution law will be brought into effect swiftly, as per the justice committee's recommendation. I commend the Tánaiste in that regard. On behalf of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the announcement that the Government is establishing a commission of inquiry into the allegations of a campaign within the Garda to discredit whistleblowers within the force. I know that announcement has been made following a Cabinet meeting today. It is in keeping with the recommendation made by Mr. Justice Iarfhlaith O'Neill in his inquiry earlier last year. I call on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I hope we will see the US justice system, in which I have great faith-----

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: -----as I am sure everyone does, upholding the decisions of the lower courts, and seeing therefore the joyful scenes in which people were reunited at the weekend and people were able to travel. We would love to see those being replicated, and not the absolute chaos, confusion, distress and trauma for so many people as a result of the restrictions.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: There is huge human trauma caused by this sort of chaotic announcement of the restrictions, apart from the content of them. I renew a call to the Leader for a debate on Syria. Perhaps in all the international news about President Trump, the international news focus has gone off Syria. This week, Amnesty International accused the Syrian regime of hanging 13,000 people at an infamous prison,...

Seanad: Convictions for Certain Sexual Offences (Apology and Exoneration) Bill 2016: Second Stage (1 Feb 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Stanton, to the House. I commend my colleagues in the Labour Party group, Senators Nash and Ó Ríordáin, on proposing and seconding this important Bill. I am very proud to stand as leader of the Labour Party group and speak in support of these proposals. There is no need for discord in this debate because we are all on the same side,...

Seanad: Order of Business (31 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I join others in congratulating Mr. Martin Groves on his appointment as Clerk of the Seanad. It is well deserved and I look forward to working with him. I join other speakers in recording my strong condemnation and that of the Labour Party of the executive order issued by President Trump.Along with many thousands of others in this city, I marched on 21 January as part of the women's march...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Committee Stage (31 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I have some brief comments on section 7. I wish to record my thanks to the Minister for expressing, in her concluding remarks on Second Stage, her intention to introduce the information and tracing Bill in the Seanad on 7 March. I am grateful to her for confirming that in response to a specific query I had raised with her. Indeed, I tabled amendment No. 20 regarding an adoption tracing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Syrian Conflict: United Nations High Commission for Refugees (26 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome Ms O'Hara and commend her on her long track record of working with refugees in some of the most dangerous conflict zones for the United Nations over the years. I have followed her career with great interest. I thank her for coming here to give us such a comprehensive overview of the immense scale of the humanitarian crisis, particularly in Syria and Iraq and of the enormous...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Syrian Conflict: United Nations High Commission for Refugees (26 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to ask a follow-up question. I apologise for having to leave early. We have heard similar comments in the committee. We have had many hearings on the crisis in Syria. We have heard different views on the role of the Syrian Government and the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Some of us have been critical of that Government. We have received a briefing from the Department of Foreign...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (24 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Zappone, to the House. I wish her, her colleagues and all Members present a happy new year, if it is not too late in January to do so. Like others, I very much welcome the Bill as the changes it introduces are very welcome. It will bring some aspects of Irish adoption law into the 21st century and will modernise the law in a very welcome way. Others have...

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (24 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: That is great. I thank the Minister.

Seanad: Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage (24 Jan 2017)

Ivana Bacik: Excellent timing.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I call on the Leader to arrange a debate on fossil fuel divestment.One year on from the historic Paris agreement on climate change I am delighted to say that yesterday Trinity College, Dublin, became the first university in Ireland to sign up to fossil fuel divestments following a 15 month student campaign, Fossil Free TCD, and the college will now sell up to €6 million worth of...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Dec 2016)

Ivana Bacik: It has been raised at the foreign affairs committee many times.