Results 8,861-8,880 of 11,469 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Go raibh maith agaibh go léir for raising so many issues. The matter of mortgage arrears was raised by Senators Darragh O'Brien, Jim D'Arcy, Cáit Keane, Marc MacSharry, Colm Burke, Diarmuid Wilson and Martin Conway. The common theme that emerged was frustration at the lack of progress, which we all share. Both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste have stated there has not been as much...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: My apologies. The Senator also asked about inviting the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, to the House in this context. The debate on the Finance Bill will be held on Wednesday and Thursday of next week and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Michael Noonan, and presumably the Minister of State will be here for idt. Both of them will be here for the debate on the Bill-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I will also speak to the Leader about arranging a specific debate on the issue. Statements on housing are scheduled to be taken on Wednesday, 28 March, following requests from Members on both sides of the House. Clearly, that is the obvious debate in which to raise the issue of mortgage arrears. Another issue raised by Members concerns the repayment of the promissory notes in the context of...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: The Tánaiste made a statement yesterday on the recent outbreak of hostilities and the Israeli airstrike in Gaza, in which he set out the Government's views and concerns. He has pointed out that civilians on both sides have been put at risk in these exchanges and welcomed the ceasefire agreed this week. He was in the House recently for a debate in which a number of Senators raised issues...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: That is a very worthwhile point. In terms of the issue of more women in political life, Ms Nancy Pelosi raised this issue so powerfully during her address to the philosophical society in Trinity College yesterday. We will be having the Report and Final Stages of the Electoral (Amendment)(Political Funding) Bill tomorrow, which will provide a mechanism for many more women to get involved in...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I am always wary of Senator Leyden bearing compliments.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: For the Senator's information, this new procedure was agreed with all Members. It was the same with the job creation debate. We are having a debate in the absence of a Minister but with a rapporteur present who will take a note of Senators' contributions and feed them back to the relevant Minister.

Seanad: Treaty on Stability, Coordination and Governance in the Economic and Monetary Union: Statements (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate and debate the treaty in a different environment, namely, in the absence of a Minister, as happened in the debate on job creation, given that the comments we make will be brought to the attention of the relevant Minister. I am grateful for the presence of a rapporteur who will feed back a summary of the ideas raised. I know that the...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I propose an amendment to the Order of Business to enable a sos to be taken until 4 p.m. This amendment will facilitate the deferral of the Private Members' motion until next week. While I regret being obliged to ask for this amendment, it is due to the non-availability of Ministers. Moreover, it is being proposed with the agreement of Fianna Fáil Members. Given the week that is in it,...

Seanad: Business of Seanad (14 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: At 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Cosúil le Seanadóir Ó Bríain, ba mhaith liom cúpla focail a rá as Gaeilge i seachtain na Gaeilge. Níl go leor Gaeilge agam anois ach bhí fáinne airgead agamsa nuair a bhí mé ar scoil cúpla bliain ó shin. Beidh lá na mná ann amárach. Quite a number of occasions will mark national women's day tomorrow. I welcome the fact that we will finish our debate on the Electoral...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: There is certainly not one voice from Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I commend the Leader on organising Thursday's briefing on the EU treaty. I agree with what Senator Darragh O'Brien said about attendance and I certainly recommend it to all the Labour Senators. It is very important to have a good attendance from Senators at that important briefing. However, I wish to respond to what he said on where the Government stands on the treaty. Clearly, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: -----including the issue of the promissory notes that the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Burton, mentioned. To hear Fianna Fáil calling for a clear message when there are two voices on the treaty emanating from that party is ironic.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: The message is very clear from the Government. We stand very clearly behind the "Yes" campaign for this referendum on the new fiscal compact treaty.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is not about anything else, sweeteners or bribes, a point which has come very clearly from Labour and Fine Gael Ministers alike. I call for a debate with the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn, on schools patronage. I take issue with Senator Darragh O'Brien's comment that minority faiths feel the Government is doing nothing for them. Far from it.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Deputy Quinn is the first education Minister to set up a national forum on patronage and pluralism in primary schools.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: It is due to report in the next several weeks and it will examine precisely how parents' conscience and preference in terms of faith schooling for their children will be accommodated in a fast-changing Ireland in which we see increasing numbers of children of different faiths and no faiths.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: Our current system of school patronage with 96% of primary schools under Catholic patronage does not reflect the growing reality of Irish families today.

Seanad: Order of Business (6 Mar 2012)

Ivana Bacik: I compliment the Minister's announcement today-----