Results 11,341-11,360 of 11,695 for speaker:Ivana Bacik

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I asked a question about that.

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Committee Stage (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: In that case, could the Attorney General's advice be sought on this aspect? Will the Minister indicate whether he will consider that? We may not press these amendments if he indicates that he will consider referring back to the Attorney General, given that the Attorney General has not had an opportunity to give advice on this matter. It is a matter on which he should give advice.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: It is up to individuals to decide.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I always get slightly alarmed when I hear people stating, "political correctness gone mad" because that has become such a cliché. Every year in the recent past I have heard people bemoaning the absence of cribs at Christmas. It does not appear to me as though any individuals, certainly not the new communities in Ireland, have been asking for cribs to be removed. Nobody has been asking for...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: It is up to individual businesses, organisations, agencies and families whether they want to have cribs. It is entirely a matter for them and I do not hear anyone demanding that a crib be removed from any place. As somebody who was brought up Catholic but is now an atheist, I am delighted to see how much celebration there is of Christmas and how much Christmas has become an inclusive event...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I do not see any sign of a reduction or dilution in the celebration of Christmas, far from it. We celebrate it far more openly and inclusively now than we did before. I support the words of Senator Norris on the Pamela Izevbekhai case. I wrote to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform asking him to consider allowing her to remain on humanitarian grounds with her young daughters....

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: The apparent leak from the immigrant authorities is very disturbing. All of us on both sides of the House would express concern at that. Pamela has received a great deal of support, not only from people on the Opposition side but also from the Government side. Is a cross-party motion possible in this case? We had one on the Ingrid Betancourt case and on other issues.

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: As we are about to celebrate the 90th anniversary of women voting for the first time in this country and the 90th anniversary of the election of Constance Markievicz as the first woman to be elected to the Dáil and as an MP, I call for a debate on gender equality. We have a particularly poor record of women's participation in the Oireachtas. With 13% in the Dáil, we rank at 87th...

Seanad: Order of Business (4 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: We could also examine the culture. When, 90 years after the election of Markievicz, we still provide in the Constitution that women's place is in the home, there would be cross-party support for removing that provision from the Constitution and changing our culture to make it more positive so that women would choose whether to enter public life, stay in the home or do both. We need to make...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am somewhat confused because I thought we had not yet moved on to discuss the existing section 34. I thought we were still debating amendments to the existing section 33.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I thought we were debating amendments Nos. 68 and 71 together.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: Amendment No. 72 is listed under the heading for section 34, but its aim is to insert a new section 34, as I understand it, which is closer to the existing section 33. We have not yet reached the point of discussing anti-social behaviour as dealt with in the existing section 34 of the Bill. We have not yet moved to the existing section 34, which is important to point out at this stage.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: Yes, they are related amendments but they relate to the provisions of section 33 as it currently stands. Amendment No. 72 aims to insert a new section 34 but has nothing to do with anti-social behaviour. I wish to make that clear because I have tabled amendments to the existing section 34 dealing with anti-social behaviour but I do not propose to address those in speaking on amendment No....

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I support this amendment because it provides for an extra level of discretion for housing authorities. I stress that it does not, in any way, prevent housing authorities from exercising powers to impose sanctions on households that are in arrears or breaching tenancy conditions. It provides for an extra level of discretion in exceptional circumstances, as the amendment proposes, and those...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I move amendment No. 74: In page 34, subsection (2), after line 46, to insert the following: "(a) the promotion of good estate management,". These amendments together provide for a reordering of the existing provisions in section 34, which is headed "Anti-social behaviour strategy". We all accept that housing authorities must have clear procedures and strategies for dealing with anti-social...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I will not press it at this stage but I reserve the right to raise it again on Report Stage.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I move amendment No. 75: In page 35, subsection (2), between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: "(b) initiatives for the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour, including but not limited to family intervention and mediation services,". This amendment expands on the existing proposals in the Bill for the prevention and reduction of anti-social behaviour by inserting the words...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am glad to hear the Minister of State emphasising the role of the HSE and the need for inter-agency co-operation on this issue. That is exactly what I am trying to achieve in a different way. I am attempting to spell out the need for inter-agency co-operation and HSE intervention in the form of family supports and mediation services. It is really just to give a specific expression to...

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I am grateful to the Minister of State for indicating he will provide guidelines in the area. It is a pity not to specify in more detail what initiatives can be taken by housing authorities. I will not press the amendment at this stage.

Seanad: Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (3 Dec 2008)

Ivana Bacik: I move amendment No. 79: In page 35, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: "(d) formal detail of how the housing authority plans to implement and resource its anti-social behaviour strategy; (e) relevant rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords; (f) protocols and procedures for responding to anti-social behaviour; (g) protocols and procedures ensuring fair and due...