Results 8,281-8,300 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I think the Senator is referring to amendment No. 90 which we have not yet reached. That amendment relates to the five-year review.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I want to make a brief comment on amendments Nos. 91 and 93 which are being pursued by Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. It is interesting that after the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality held hearings on this matter, it expressed the view that the ¤3 million threshold for a personal insolvency arrangement was too low and recommended that it be raised to ¤10 million. As I...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Who passed the bank guarantee?

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Fianna Fáil put us in this mess.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is nothing but rumours and gossip.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is welcome that the Leader has set aside time this week for a debate on the report of the expert group on the judgment in the A, B and C case. I am delighted that we will have the opportunity to debate it, having seen the opinion poll in The Sunday Business Post that showed that 85% supported the introduction of legislation to implement the judgment in the X case, as required by the...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: That is not the issue on which they were polled.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: After 20 years, it is not rushing.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Senator MacSharry has sunk to a new low in looking for Ministers to be brought into this House to answer queries about quotes attributed to them in the newspapers in some sort of manufactured rift that certain journalists are seeking to whip up between Cabinet members. As the Senator is well aware, these alleged quotations in the press are really not worthy of comment - not in the House by...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is utter nonsense to seek to bring either Minister into this House to answer this.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I would say to Senator MacSharry that the Minister, Deputy Quinn, has been a genuinely reforming Minister-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----in terms of many initiatives he has taken, including the literacy programme, the transformation of patronage, reform of the VEC system-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----and reforming the way student grants are administered, because there were always huge problems and delays-----

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----as I know from the many students who have come to me on this issue. Fianna Fáil has an appalling record of 14 years of economic mismanagement and a failure to reform the education sector. I do not believe, therefore, that we should be taking lectures from Senator Marc MacSharry. The Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly, will be in the House on Thursday to deal with the expert...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I agree with Senators Cullinane and Quinn and believe there is a middle ground. The Minister has very fairly indicated he will come back to this point. I appreciate what Senator Byrne is attempting to do but all sorts of different items may have sentimental significance for people and may be of value. There is no point in focusing on an engagement ring or trying to shape an amendment that...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the amendments and know Senator Norris would do likewise. It is good to hear that the Minister has taken into consideration comments made on Second Stage, as well as comments from other groups, and consulted with groups between Second and Committee Stages. I am glad the amendments are being made to give the flexibility that has been described.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Listening to Senator Zappone, I am struck by the complexity of this and the difficulty of coming up with a model that adequately addresses the very different living arrangements for different families and households when we talk about such a broad and encompassing concept as reasonable living expenses or a reasonable living standard. There really is not a one-size-fits-all solution....

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, how is this relevant to the amendment before the House?

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Stick to the amendment.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (30 Nov 2012)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, how is this relevant to the amendment before the House?