Results 10,701-10,720 of 11,444 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Fr. Russell says there is nothing there, it is just a tree and one cannot worship a tree.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Fr. Russell might be at risk of being found guilty of blasphemy since he is being critical, grossly abusive or insulting to people of a religion who seem to want to worship a tree. We should be mindful of the danger of introducing an offence like blasphemy in light of the sort of events that we are seeing in Rathkeale in Limerick.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Are we speaking on Senator Regan's amendment?

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I apologise for my confusion earlier, I thought we were dealing with the Seanad Report Stage amendments first. I welcome amendments Nos. 1 and 2 made by the Dáil providing for a review of the Act. Given the level of controversy about the content of the Bill, particularly the insertion of amendments Nos. 29 and 30 that cover the offence of blasphemy, it is important if that offence is to be...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: We will have the opportunity to debate them but I would like to say how bad an idea I think they are, particularly in light of the Supreme Court decision in the Corway case. At the very least, a review is important. I also take on board the comments of other Senators about the need to review other aspects of the Bill, particularly the unjust operation in the past of the rule about the...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Good.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Lisbon II.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: We have done nothing for ten years.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: On a point of order, the Minister states that he wants to keep this in the High Court. We are clearly talking about a criminal offence. Does he mean that this would be prosecuted in the Central Criminal Court?

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I understood that the jurisdiction of the Central Criminal Court is limited to murder, rape and treason. Where is the provision for such an offence?

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Where is the provision for that? This did not occur to me, as I assumed it would be in the Circuit Court.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Perhaps the Minister might clarify.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I second Senator's amendment to delete the Minister's amendments and express my very strong opposition to them. I will first respond to a couple of technical points the Minister made. He said he envisages no prosecution would be taken without the DPP's approval. I am surprised there is no provision in the proposed new sections that no prosecution may take place without the DPP's consent....

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I have no telephone ringing, but I thank the Chair. The Minister said he would prefer not to see this offence tried in the Circuit Court and I hope I am not-----

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I presume the Minister was making the same point I was, denying responsibility.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Nobody was seeking to attribute blame for the mobile telephone to the Minister.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: If I may have the Minister's attention, I wanted to ask again about the jurisdiction of the court dealing with the proposed offence. The Minister said he envisaged it would be the High Court, that would be the Central Criminal Court, and that he did not envisage it would be in the Circuit Court, if I heard him correctly. The stipulation that the fine would not exceed €25,000 is not enough...

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to Senator Norris for clarifying constitutional points.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: And points of etiquette, especially when it is against Senator Walsh.

Seanad: Defamation Bill 2006 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil] : Report and Final Stages (9 Jul 2009)

Ivana Bacik: What the Minister is doing is the worst of all possible worlds. He is basing the new statutory definition on the old understanding of blasphemy from the 19th century, and including within the definition words and phrases that remain so vague as to render the new offence effectively unenforceable. Indeed I believe the Minister has said his intention is to make it virtually impossible to get...