Results 841-860 of 18,741 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I strongly support what Senator Mullen said. In a very enlightened way this recognises the idea of student unions and their participation in the life of universities. Just as governing bodies and recognised institutions must respect academic freedom, so also must student unions. It is wrong that any students should face intellectual boycotts, defunding of their societies or whatever...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I am not going to get involved in Senator Gavan's ideological left-right dispute but I will make one point about whomever is producing teachers in this country. We need more of them and we need to keep them. We cannot have them going abroad in their droves, as they are at the moment. Many schools right across Ireland cannot fill vital teaching roles at present due to the absence of decent...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I want to say the following on today's proposed Order of Business. Yesterday, the Seanad Independent Group and others on this side of the House protested against the unnecessary use of the guillotine during a parliamentary debate. Today, we want to register once again our protest regarding what is proposed in next week's draft schedule of business. The first item for discussion today is a...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I second Senator Mullen's proposed amendment in respect of No. 2. I will be moving my own amendment, that No. 3 be amended by the deletion of the second paragraph and the substitution of the following: "to be taken at the conclusion of No. 2 and that the proceedings thereon shall, if not previously concluded, be adjourned after four hours." That leaves the same amount of time for discussion...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Hypocrisy.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: That is because they were forced to do the amendments to meet the guillotine.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: He said the exact opposite here last week.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Yes.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: This is a subject which is very close to my heart. When Members rise on the business of the House, they have some small amount of time, some three to six minutes or thereabouts, to express themselves on the issue. It is well worthwhile to elaborate on what Senator Higgins has just said. The history of this is as follows, and let it be stitched into the record of this House. At a time when...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I strongly support the amendment before the House and the number of amendments that Senator Higgins and others have tabled in order to bring this back on the agenda. I do not accept for a minute the establishment of this commission is a reason for doing nothing on Seanad reform. Both could easily have proceeded in tandem. The Bill we tendered made provision for functions to be given to an...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I notice as I look through the amendments which are for debate on Committee Stage that the ones which are asterisked as being proposed by the Government, and which will come into being when the guillotine falls on this Bill, seem to number approximately 60. Without making any judgment about all of them, important amendments are being made to legislation which concerns everybody in this...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I strongly support these amendments. In order to register as a political party it is necessary to come up with a constitution or memorandum. It has to be given to the registrar under this regime. It seems the public is entitled to know how a party is constituted. There are questions such as whether a certain class of membership has a veto over decisions. If a party is going to have a...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I have knowledge of litigation where nobody could get the rules of a particular political party. It might be closer to the Cathaoirleach’s home than to mine. Nobody could get the rules for the purposes of deciding the case. They could not go to the head office and obtain a copy of the rules. I know this situation has obtained for some time. It is bad enough for a member of the...

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I assure the Minister of State that not every party does it.

Seanad: Electoral Reform Bill 2022: Committee Stage (Resumed) (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I have to say I am disappointed by that response. If a political party is organised on the basis that a small group of people effectively determine everything, even who can or cannot be a candidate, who can be selected or deselected, who can join the party or be booted out of the party, or whatever, the public is entitled to know that. The scheme of the legislation at present is that the...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister to the House. I qualify that welcome, however, with the following. When we were on Second Stage of this Bill, I and Senator Craughwell drew to the Minister’s attention that this was an important Bill, far-reaching in its consequences, and that it could not be rushed through. To be particular about what was said, I said: This Bill needs very serious further...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Therefore, the Minister can imagine my shock when, without any warning whatsoever, the Deputy Leader this morning proposed an Order of Business guillotining this Bill this afternoon. I do not know whether the Minister is aware of it, but the Deputy Leader gave a full explanation as to why she was guillotining it. Sadly, it turned out that it was on the express instructions of the Minister...

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: That is what she told us. The Deputy Leader said it was on the Minister's express instructions-----

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: I am sorry. I did not say that she spoke to the Minister.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Committee Stage (6 Jul 2022)

Michael McDowell: Let us not use weasel words here.