Results 6,381-6,400 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: I take it we are taking a break now.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: I suggest that we take a break before we talk on the section, because I will take quite a long time to go through the argument.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: There is a fat chance of doing that.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Did it work for prohibition?
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: The Minister of State talks about demand and supply as if this was simply an economic situation, which it is not. Taking at a superficial level the question of tackling demand, there is nothing whatever to suggest that demand has decreased as a result of this. Any purported statements that this is the situation have been completely undermined by Swedish academics. When the Minister of...
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Radical feminists and ex-nuns.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Is this an interruption?
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Exactly.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: I beg your pardon.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: The Cathaoirleach noticed me.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: The justice committee turned its face against considerable evidence. The document Research into Prostitution in Northern Ireland, prepared at the request of the Northern Ireland Department of Justice, is unequivocal, and our justice committee did not mention it. The objective, scientific realities were completely ignored. The Chairman of the justice committee, Deputy Stanton, put a notice...
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: I am very happy to be interrupted by the Senator who says she never interrupts.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: I do. I practice it. It is a parliamentary skill in which Senator Bacik is very well versed. I have much to say about the committee. The members neglected to involve themselves with a series of people who proposed to talk to them. They omitted matters from the report.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: We are.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Why were other people allowed to discuss it? May I not even refer to it, while the other side can?
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: Yes, and I support the amendment, given that it is absolutely rational. If the Minister of State rejects it, he will be doing the House a favour by exposing the hypocrisy of the exercise. If the Minister of State is not prepared to accept the amendment, it is an utter disgrace and an affront to democracy.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: The amendment calls for a review of the operation of the Act.
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: What have we got to be afraid of in a review of the operation of the Act? The Minister of State does not want to know the facts. He has turned his face against them. The amendment provides that the Minister shall collect data to review the operation of this offence and report to the Houses of the Oireachtas. What is wrong with it? It is good parliamentary procedure. The Minister's report...
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: It is a disgrace. It is a marketing exercise and a PR stunt by people who are radical feminists and ex-nuns. Some of them should be ashamed of themselves, given that they come from the order that operated the Magdalen laundries and are still trying to control people. The amendment provides that the Minister's report would include the extent to which, in the opinion of the Minister, the...
- Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (11 Dec 2015)
David Norris: He is afraid of the truth, reality, objective facts on the ground. He will not face them. The amendment provides that the Minister also report on the impact of the section on the safety and well-being of prostitutes. All this humbug about talking to the women is all tripe if the Minister of State is not interested in their well-being. If he were really interested, he would want to know...