Results 7,481-7,500 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: He is English.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: I have heard a lot of nonsense in this House but for sheer fatuousness the last contribution take some beating. Marriage has always been in change and has always been redefined. Let us forget the idea that there is some kind of absolute ideal that has always existed. That is nonsense as it has always been changing. Save me the business of controlling discussion. That is a fat one. Who...

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: I am very clearly sticking to the subject. I thank Senator Fidelma Healy Eames for her most helpful intervention. The previous speaker spoke about ideologies being in play, illustrating that ideologies were most certainly in play, particularly on the "No" side.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: Neither have I.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: Who did I identify?

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: The Iona Institute is not a human being; it is a body. Does this mean that we cannot mention the ESB? Hello - what is happening?

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: I have just finished and I would have finished if I had not been interrupted. There are ideologies in play and the sooner we accept that fact and understand it and counter these ideologies, the better.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: May I ask for a ruling on a point of order? How can an amendment be discussed if it is not moved? I understand that Members have discussed the amendment. I would have thought that discussing it was tantamount to moving it.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: How can it be discussed if it is not moved? It does not exist in the parliamentary sense.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: I will only say this and then I will sit down: it is a nonsense to have people speaking on amendments without moving them.

Seanad: An Bille um an gCeathrú Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Comhionannas Pósta) 2015: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015: Committee Stage (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: It revolts reason. That is all I will say.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: I fully support this. I am all in favour of the collection of information. It is good to have records in case something happens in order that people know exactly where they were.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: The overriding concern, as the Minister has stated repeatedly, is the best interest of the child. There is a tiny number of adoptions. The overwhelming number are interfamilial, in which the children are genetically related to the adoptive parents. It is for the Adoption Agency to decide what is in the best interests of the child. The mothers are not always as perfect as Senator Healy...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: They are, but they can be bad mothers, too. Regarding Senator Walsh's amendment No. 83 to the effect that the authority must act and give preference-----

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: It says it on the board.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: The amendment reads: "In making an order the Authority must act in the best interest of the child ... and will give preference, in the first instance to married male-female couples". This seems to disregard the quality of the parenting or adults involved. The quality of the adults and the relationship and the best interest of the child should be paramount. With the greatest of respect,...

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: Yes. In speaking, the Senator used the correct grammatical formulation. The amendment reads, "request from the birth mother [reference made to the different relevant sections] to which the child shall be placed". It should read: "into which".

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: It is a minor detail.

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: No. If I might advise my distinguished colleague, the preference would-----

Seanad: Children and Family Relationships Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed) (27 Mar 2015)

David Norris: "Taken into account" would be fine and I would have no problem with that.