Results 6,261-6,280 of 11,719 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Eamonn Coghlan also expressed support for the protection of the national anthem. Senator Ó Domhnaill raised the issue of rural Ireland and I think I have dealt with that. He referred to a specific matter relating to State board appointments which I think, again, is more appropriate to a Commencement matter debate. Senator Brennan spoke about tourism and called for a...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Jan 2016)

Ivana Bacik: I was not at the time the election was called. There is hope for these Bills. Senator Byrne spoke about homelessness, which I think I have dealt with. I cannot accept the amendment Senator Crown put forward.

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

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, we have sat here and listened to Senator Norris make yet another speech against the policy that has been endorsed unanimously by the Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality and that is at the heart of the provision we are debating.

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

Ivana Bacik: No. He is effectively making another Second Stage speech, having already filibustered through Committee Stage and delayed on that Stage.

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

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order-----

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

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, the Senator has been challenged on every point he has raised already, both on Second Stage and Committee Stage, by the Minister and a number of us. He is factually inaccurate in suggesting that what he said-----

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

Ivana Bacik: No, he is not.

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

Ivana Bacik: I have been listening to the Senator ad nauseam.

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

Ivana Bacik: It is not.

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

Ivana Bacik: That is what we are doing.

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.