Results 6,021-6,040 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, this amendment simply repeats what is already in section 20. If the Senator looks carefully at amendment No. 28, he will see the only changes it makes are to penalties and arrest power. The amendment is simply restating the provision that is already in section 20 otherwise in terms of policy. We have already heard from the Senator on Second and Committee Stages, when...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome amendment No. 28 which restates the core principle in section 20 of the original version of the Bill to criminalise the purchase of sex. It also decriminalises the sale of sex and the person, usually a woman, engaged in prostitution. Senator Norris failed to take that on board in his polemic against the amendment and against the policy at issue. The policy, so clearly outlined by...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: -----for example, that women engage in prostitution because the hours are convenient if one has children. I am sorry but that is just ridiculous.

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: With respect, Senator Norris spoke for half an hour - I timed it - having already made extremely lengthy speeches on Committee Stage in attempts to filibuster this Bill. I am happy that we will be able to conclude Report Stage in the Seanad today. There is a fundamental contradiction in the Senator’s arguments because he disparages and insults, as well as belittles, those of us who...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: This provision is evidence-based. We have challenged every assertion Senator Norris has made on Second and Committee Stages. The 2013 Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality report unanimously endorsed on a cross-party basis also debunks the arguments he made. We looked at the 2010 Swedish evaluation of the law and visited Sweden in 2012. We looked subsequently at the Northern...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I note also that legislators in Northern Ireland, Canada, Norway and Iceland have followed suit with the Swedish approach, while it is under consideration in Britain and France, as it is elsewhere. The reality is that our model of law enforcement in prostitution is not working. A model which approaches it instead from the point of view of tackling demand, decriminalising the sellers and...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I commend colleagues for putting down these amendments. There has been a broad welcome for section 34. It has been hugely important to see for the first time in statute these very important provisions on disclosure of third party records, which have been such an important issue for so many complainants and for their legal teams, and, indeed, for rape crisis centres which have been working...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Report and Final Stages (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I add my voice to that of Senator van Turnhout and others to say how delighted I am to see the Bill pass Report Stage in the Seanad. I am also delighted that the Minister introduced the Bill as a Seanad Bill. I thank the Minister and commend her on her great work on the Bill and on bringing forward such a comprehensive and ground-breaking piece of reform. In particular, I thank her...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: As promised, I have circulated to all group leaders and to Senator Craughwell, as per his request, an alternative text of a motion seeking access by cystic fibrosis patients to particular medications. I look forward to replies from colleagues. I hope that by the end of the week, if I have agreement from all group leaders, we can table the motion as an all-party motion from all Senators on...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Order for Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." I welcome the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton, and thank him for coming to the House for the debate on this Bill. I also welcome the opportunity to introduce this important Bill. In addition, I welcome the people with a real interest in this matter in the Visitors Gallery, particularly representatives from the...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: Much loftier.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I thank my colleagues for their support. I welcome that the Minister is not opposing the Bill and thank him for his detailed consideration of it. I also welcome the Minister's reference to the need to take the time to consider these matters afresh. I thank Senator Hayden for seconding the Bill and for her support for it. I also thank Senators Ó Domhnaill, Craughwell and Mooney for...

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: On Tuesday next.

Seanad: Competition (Amendment) Bill 2016: Second Stage [Private Members] (20 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: Tomorrow, at 10.30 a.m.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I am sure all Members will want to join in the expression of congratulation to all those involved in the success of Irish film, producers, directors and actors being nominated for the Oscars last week, in particular Lenny Abrahamson for his nomination for best director for "Room", which got four nominations. Brooklyn got three Oscar nominations. It is superb to see such recognition of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: -----we can agree, for the health and safety of cystic fibrosis patients, a factually accurate cross-party motion concerning the provision of important medication. I have spoken with the Leader already about it, but it is an important issue and in the last few weeks of this Seanad's term it would be a very good issue for us to unite on as a House and throw our support behind.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I note the commencement of the Fines Act, which is a significant development in terms of penal reform that occurred in recent days. This means that we will finally see an end to the automatic practice of imprisoning people for non-payment of fines. This is an issue on which we are all united in this House. There has been a general consensus that we need to end the practice whereby every...

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (14 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I apologise for interrupting but when we adjourned this debate in December I had indicated that I wanted to speak on section 39.