Results 5,841-5,860 of 11,407 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader for putting the motion on Syria on the Order Paper. We will be taking it straight after the conclusion of the Order of Business without debate. I thank all colleagues who signed up to that. Every political party grouping has signed up. I know Senator Boyhan's name is to be added as well. Any other Independent colleagues who wish to have their names added should do so....

Seanad: Syrian Conflict: Motion (20 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I move:That Seanad Éireann:- recognising the six year old conflict in Syria as one of the world’s gravest humanitarian crises since the Second World War, involving 8 million displaced people inside Syria, 4.5 million people under siege or inaccessible, 4.5 million refugees beyond Syrian borders, 1.5 million people injured and more than 250,000 people killed; - noting that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister and thank him for his update. It is timely given the very great concern that has been expressed and which we all share about the mounting casualties in Aleppo and Syria. I echo the words of the Chairman and colleagues on that. On the initiative of Labour Party Senators and I, there is an all-party motion before the Seanad today condemning the attacks in Syria,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I was glad to hear the Minister's comments on neutrality. I know that he will give a response on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, CETA. I should have raised the matter given that a motion on CETA was passed in the Seanad at the behest of our colleague, Senator Higgins. I ask him for an update on the Government's response to the motion. I thank the Minister for his full...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Foreign Affairs and Trade Issues: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (20 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I asked the Minister about recognition of Kurdistan and the Kurdish minority in Turkey.

Seanad: Recognition of Irish Sign Language for the Deaf Community Bill 2016: Second Stage (19 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I will be brief because I know a number of other Senators wish to speak in the short time available. I welcome the Minister of State and, in particular, the members of the deaf community and their supporters in the Visitors Gallery. It is great to see so many of them in the Chamber. I commend Senator Mark Daly for his tenacity and persistence in pursuing this issue and promoting the Bill...

Seanad: Judicial Council: Motion (19 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy David Stanton, to the House. It was a pleasure to work with him on the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Defence in the lifetime of the last Seanad and Dáil. I look forward to working with him on many of the issues the joint committee worked so hard on over those few years. It is also worth paying tribute to the proposer and seconder of...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I renew calls on the Leader for debate on Syria and the appalling bombardment of civilians which continues daily in Aleppo, where yesterday 100 people were killed in the ongoing bombardment. I have circulated to group leaders in this House a motion. It is very important that Seanad Éireann speak with one voice to condemn the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Syria, wherever we are...

Seanad: Children and Youth Affairs: Statements (18 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Zappone, to the House. It is a pleasure to have her here in her new role, on which I congratulate her. I would like to say how good it was to work with her in the Seanad in the previous term. I congratulate her also on the single affordable child care scheme, which received a very positive response generally. Other colleagues raised various issues and asked...

Seanad: Judicial Appointments and Threatened Industrial Action by An Garda Síochána: Statements (12 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to the House. I also welcome the opportunity to have this debate. A consensus has been breaking out across the House on the need for reform of judicial appointments, as other colleagues have said. As the Minister said, this is very much an ongoing issue about which there has been extensive consultation. At the justice...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I know that we will have statements on the budget later but for all the love-bombing between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael and all the talk of fivers flying around, it is a somewhat underwhelming budget. Like many colleagues, I listened in the Dáil Chamber to the speeches of the two Ministers. It is disappointing to see the lack of ambition in some areas, particularly in the area of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Defence: Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management: European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management (6 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I apologise for being late, which was a result of my having to chair another meeting. The witnesses are very welcome. Other speakers have voiced the concerns I share regarding the slow progress in the welcoming of refugees under resettlement and relocation programmes. The Commissioner outlined the very slow progress at European level. We all are concerned about how slow it has been in...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to echo Senator Grace O'Sullivan's words and her condolences to the families of those cyclists who were killed so tragically on our roads. I endorse what she said in calling on the Minister, Deputy Shane Ross, to outline plans for cycle safety and increase the level of cycling on our roads. During the term of the previous Seanad, I organised an Oireachtas all-party cycling group for...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I renew my call to the Leader for a debate on higher education funding. At a conference in Trinity College tomorrow morning, I, Senator Ruane and others will be speaking about higher education funding models in the wake of the publication of the Cassells report. I ask that we be able to bring that debate to the floor of the Seanad also. When will we have a date for Report Stage of our...

Seanad: Address by An Taoiseach (Resumed) (29 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to share time with Senator Kevin Humphreys.

Seanad: Address by An Taoiseach (Resumed) (29 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Taoiseach. I welcome him back to the Seanad. I am glad to hear of his commitment to Seanad reform now that the question of abolition is firmly off the table. As others have said, we have a blueprint for reform in the shape of the Manning report and I note that the Taoiseach has expressed his support for it. We need to see action, however, and a timeframe for...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: As we face into a new session, I welcome some of the Bills on the legislative programme, albeit a fairly light one. In particular, I welcome the disability Bill and the Bill on the judicial council. I also welcome the fact that we will have An Taoiseach with us tomorrow and be able to raise a number of issues with him. I ask the Leader for a debate on third level funding, when we can...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: There are 2 million people in Aleppo without running water and 250,000 civilians trapped in the rebel held areas, which are under constant and horrific bombardment, with currently only approximately 30 doctors functioning in hospitals there. I will also be raising this matter with the Taoiseach tomorrow when we have him before us, particularly in light of the slow pace of welcome here for...

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I wish to share time with Senator Landy.

Seanad: Economic Growth: Motion (28 Sep 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I speak in support of the motion put forward by the Labour Party group and specifically my colleagues, Senators Nash and Ó Ríordáin. I commend them for their effort and specifically Senator Nash on his time as Minister of State dealing with industrial relations and innovation. I am delighted and thank Senator Craughwell and others, including Senator Feighan, for their...