Results 11,241-11,260 of 11,695 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the opportunity to support the amendments, both of which have the same effect by providing for a sunset clause. I echo the comments of Senators Twomey and White. The Government refers to the Bill as an emergency measure, which is not a tax. However, this comes down to honesty. If the Government parties want to be honest, it would be more honest and straightforward to raise...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Committee and Remaining Stages. (27 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: There is no comparison between the imposition of a 10% levy and the loss of one's job. The tragedy of job losses for people in Waterford Wedgwood, Dell, SR Technics and smaller firms around the country, which are bearing the brunt in the private sector, must be acknowledged. However, people must feel they are fairly being asked to play their part. Public sector workers, in particular, are...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I echo Senator O'Toole's words because I, too, watched the news at 9 p.m. and the one in ten figure stood out starkly for me, as it is doing for people all around the country tonight. Clearly, there is a lack of confidence in what the Government is doing to tackle the enormous economic downturn and problem we are facing. There is a will among people to share the burden. All of us want to...

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Why are we not seeing tax increases?

Seanad: Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Bill 2009: Second Stage. (26 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: The Government has just ruled them out for this year.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I echo the criticisms made by Senators Cummins and O'Toole of the public service levy. The real problem at present is the uncertainty surrounding it, the fact that Ministers stated it will be tweaked and yet we have not seen any sign of that tweaking. Previously, there was tweaking done on the medical cards scheme for the over 70s and a U-turn on that. There was a U-turn, or tweaking,...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I would like to see Senator Leyden voting with the Opposition when we have the debate on banking.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Those of us on this side have been calling for accountability and transparency and we will put our money where our mouth is and vote on that. I would like to see Senator Leyden supporting us on that.

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to Senator Norris for sharing his time. I regret the shortness of this debate. I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I appreciate the Government's strong condemnation of the Israeli bombardment in Gaza. It has been important and good to see the Government standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people. It has been deeply distressing for all of us to witness...

Seanad: Middle East: Statements (18 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Hear, hear. We had insufficient time.

Seanad: Legal Services Ombudsman Bill 2008: Second Stage (18 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, to the House and I welcome the introduction of the Bill. Like Senator McDonald, before commenting on the legislation I declare an interest as a practising barrister and a member of the Bar Council. This is an important time to debate the regulation of the legal profession, although currently the focus is on the regulation of a different...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I second Senator Norris's amendment to the Order of Business to allow the motion on Gaza to be taken and, if necessary, for the Leader to adopt the motion formally. I understand it should have come from the committee.

Seanad: Adoption Bill 2009: Second Stage (17 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I thank Senator Norris for sharing his time. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and join other Senators in commending him on the introduction of this long overdue Bill which provides for a positive overhaul of adoption legislation previously set out in the 1952 Act, as amended. I should declare an interest in that as a practising barrister I have acted in cases concerning...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Like Senator Walsh, I was very impressed by David Begg on "Questions & Answers" last night. Sitting in the studio, I was particularly impressed by how much the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, appeared to agree with David Begg. The strength of what he had to say lay in the fact that the Irish Congress of Trade Unions has put forward a ten-point economic plan for economic recovery...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I echo calls from other Senators for a debate on banking. I stated that the country is crying out for a national recovery plan, but it is also crying out for accountability from the top bankers. There have been calls across both sides of this House for better regulation, but we have a regulation system and recent legislation to deal with all this. For example, we created the Office of...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I thank the Leader.

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: As Senator Quinn said, apparently we are all bankers. I welcome the opportunity to put on record two fundamental concerns about the proposed recapitalisation plan. It is essential we have a cap on remuneration. It is simply not enough to talk about percentage cuts and so on when the base amounts are so enormous. In terms of the public having confidence in what is being done, it is...

Seanad: Recapitalisation of Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland: Statements (12 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: ——which exceeded liabilities. Many of us had real doubts about what the Minister said. What we know, having heard about the back to back loan and fraudulent presentation of loan money being presented as a customer deposit and therefore part of the assets of the bank is that the cushion is exposed to have been a fiction. What we do not know is how many other fictions we were legislating...

Seanad: Child Poverty: Motion (11 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion which tackles the very important issue of child poverty. I agree with Senator Boyle entirely that one should measure a Government by its commitment to social justice and by its ability to do the most with the least resources. However, I am disturbed to hear him speak about the need for readjustment. Given that the Minister for Education and...

Seanad: Order of Business (11 Feb 2009)

Ivana Bacik: Other Senators have rightly expressed shock and dismay at the news of the appalling practices between Anglo Irish Bank and Irish Life & Permanent. Who knows, as Senator Ross said, what other banks are engaged in the practice of propping up each other? It begs the question, if the banks are busy bailing each other out, why on earth are we, as taxpayers, bailing them out? Could it be that...