Results 6,521-6,540 of 11,407 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The Order of Business is No. 1, Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015 - Committee Stage, to be taken at 1.15 p.m. and adjourn not later than 7.30 p.m., if not previously concluded.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Senator Mooney raised the issue of Leader funding. I agree entirely with him about the success of the Leader programme. He asked for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Coveney, to come to the House for a debate on the future of the Leader programme and I will certainly ask for that debate. To be fair, both the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and the Minister of State,...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: -----the Leader programme so it could be the Minister of State, Deputy Ann Phelan. Senator Mooney also called for a debate on special needs assistants, SNAs, with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan, and I am happy to seek such a debate. As many colleagues have said, it was very welcome to hear the Minister for Education and Skills announce this week the allocation...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: The Leader will be aware of it. It has been raised. The Senator also raised the issue of the rural practice allowance and payments to general practitioners. Again, since it is a specific matter, it might best be raised through a matter on the Commencement debate and a question to the Minister. Senator Noone raised the welcome new policy proposals on provision for self-employed persons and...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House. Senator Norris has spoken most eloquently and I share his views. I absolutely oppose these amendments. The effect of the five amendments taken together, which contain serious contradictions, would seriously undermine the careful framework set out in sections 5 and 25 concerning donor-assisted human reproduction and, in particular, the issue of...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I believe the provisions in the Bill as drafted strike an appropriate balance. I accept, as others have said, it is a sensitive area. It is very difficult and complex to ensure we strike an appropriate balance between the right of donor-conceived children to know their identity and other interests, including ensuring that it will be possible for couples or individuals who are suffering from...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Let us be respectful in this debate.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, we seem to be discussing Second Stage issues repeatedly rather than looking at the amendments.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (26 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: As the Minister stated, it is difficult to contemplate a scenario in which a refusal would be made by the Minister. If one reads the section in its entirety, the context is clear. The Minister shall release the information under subsection (4) and it is only where representations have been made to the Minister by the relevant donor setting out why the safety of the relevant donor, the...

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: It will be hard to follow that. I welcome the Minister, Deputy Fitzgerald, to the House and I congratulate her on bringing forward this Bill and on her fine and powerful speech in support of it. The applause spoke for itself, as indeed did the applause for my colleague, Senator Zappone, following her passionate and moving speech, delivered, as always, with her customary eloquence. I...

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: As we know, an important change was made. Until the passage of the divorce referendum in 1995 our understanding of marriage was that it was not possible legally to end a civil marriage. In the United States, interracial marriage was banned until 1967, which saw the landmark case of Loving v. Virginia. Our understandings of marriage have changed significantly and substantially over the...

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, I take issue with Senator Mullen's personalising of the referendum as the Minister's referendum. To be quite accurate, a referendum is a matter for the people to vote on and no one should attribute it and personalise it in this particular way.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: On Friday, 27 March.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: An Dara Céim - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Second Stage (25 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Tomorrow morning at 10.30.

Seanad: Order of Business (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I am sure all colleagues will want to join with me in expressing our condolences on the plane crash that occurred just this morning, with some 150 people reported to have been killed in a crash over the French Alps on a flight from Barcelona to Dusseldorf. It is very sad news indeed. I ask the Leader for a debate at some point on the issue of undocumented migrants. It was very good to see...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I am happy for Senator Norris to speak first.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister to the House. I strongly welcome this Bill, which is a very progressive reform of family law. It is long overdue and is child- and family-centred reform, which for the first time properly recognises the diverse forms of family life in Ireland. Others have commented on the figures which show that the use of the term "atypical" is no longer appropriate, something the...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Chair.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: Next Thursday.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Second Stage (24 Mar 2015)

Ivana Bacik: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.