Results 1,181-1,200 of 18,741 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (1 Mar 2021)

Michael McDowell: In view of what the Minister has said, I do not want to divide the House on the amendment in my name because I know what would actually happen. It is an inevitable consequence at this hour of the evening - I am not naive. However, I want to say strongly that some of the points made by Senator Higgins and me need to be considered. I am sensitive in this regard. I am not saying that this is...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (1 Mar 2021)

Michael McDowell: It is worthwhile pointing out that subsection (2) in the Minister's amendment No. 1 provides that the amendments affected by subsection (1) "shall, on and from the date on which this section comes into operation, apply to the publication or inclusion in a broadcast of a report or picture to which section 252(1) of the Children Act 2001 applies, irrespective of whether the proceedings referred...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (26 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: Over the last number of weeks, the Houses have discussed the report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes and Certain Related Matters at length. Pressure on time and speaking slots has made it impossible for me to contribute. However, I want to take a few minutes today to put my views on the matter on the record. Unfortunately, the report of the commission was...

Seanad: Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (26 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister. Looking around me, we are surrounded by members of the Green Party, including the Acting Chairperson, Senator Garvey. It is a happy situation that the Acting Chairperson is here. I want to express my agreement with Senator Pauline O'Reilly that we have to rethink many issues, but the rethinking is not all one way. It is not all rethinking on the part of people who...

Seanad: Covid-19 (Transport): Statements (26 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I know Roosky particularly well.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: It was my intention to draw the attention of the House to the motion in my name and the names of other Senators, including Senators from all groups and parties in this House, namely, No. 8 on the Order Paper concerning the fate of Mr. Richard O'Halloran who is being detained in China. Last week, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Coveney, called me about this motion and requested that,...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I welcome the Minister of State's amendments. Since we are dealing with amendments Nos. 1 to 3, inclusive, I want to thank the Minister of State for listening to the debate and the contributions of the Members of this House, and responding in this manner to the proposal which I made. I fully accept what the Minister of State said that it is not possible to effectively amend the requirements...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I did not want to mention Sinn Féin and-----

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Report and Final Stages (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I echo what Senator Ward has said.

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". The Children (Amendment) Bill 2020 has emerged in certain circumstances which may be somewhat surprising to many. The Court of Appeal's civil division delivered a judgment on 29 October last. The presiding judges were the President of the court, Mr. Justice Birmingham, Ms Justice Kennedy and Ms Justice Ní Raifeartaigh. The case was...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I do not wish to add very much to what the Minister has said. I thank her for her contribution and appreciate that she went to the Cabinet and got leave to support this legislation on terms, so to speak, that the Cabinet understood. However, I ask the Minister not to write that in stone either because there are issues to be teased out.I will give the Minister an example. If there were a...

Seanad: Children (Amendment) Bill 2020: Second Stage (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: Next Monday week.

Seanad: Remote Working Strategy: Motion (15 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I will not oppose this motion. I admire greatly the commitment of Senator Currie to the whole concept of remote working. To me, it is something that will obviously be part of our future to a greater extent than was ever envisaged. As Senator Currie stated, the process has been dynamised by the Covid-19 lockdowns as people are beginning to see it is possible to work remotely and to shift...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Northern Ireland Protocol (Article 16): Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I will ask one supplementary question. I was not saying that whoever made the decision was unaware of the political consequences. It was that it was, legally, completely wrong. The annex and Article 16 are not applicable, as the Minister of State's own statement says, to the moving of vaccines through Ireland into the UK. It simply was an abuse of the protocol and in flagrant breach of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Northern Ireland Protocol (Article 16): Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I have a couple of questions about the statement by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, that she takes full responsibility for what happened. The problem is that it is saying there is a veil to be drawn over this, in that she takes full responsibility and nobody should pierce the veil or ask for further transparency. Is the Irish Government going to insist on...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: IBEC and Food Drink Ireland (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I confirm I am in Leinster House. I apologise for arriving late to the meeting. I have some very short questions and instead of food they relate to drink. Is there any progress on minimum unit pricing on a North-South agreed basis? Are there difficulties in respect of proposals for health warning labels on alcohol products? Will this affect cross-Border trade?

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: IBEC and Food Drink Ireland (9 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I understand.

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I agree with the Senator on the matter. We have the Statute Law (Restatement) Act. It is desirable to have an official version of the legislation to which the ordinary man or woman can have instant access. If we take the money laundering and terrorist financing legislation as a code, it should be available at all times in a readable form without having to do research. I strongly support...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: When this amendment is made, this Bill will have to go back to the Dáil. I believe that everybody wants the Bill to go through quickly. We do not want to delay it in any way, shape or form.However, in those circumstances, I ask that the amendments and the debate on them here today be fully considered. First, if this amendment is accepted we are not operating on the basis now that the...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (8 Feb 2021)

Michael McDowell: I wish to comment on Senator Ward's withdrawal of his amendment. There are issues relating to politically exposed persons which I wish to consider. Senator Ward's amendment simply sought to consolidate the law in that regard, but in saying I agree to him withdrawing the amendment, I am not abandoning the issue of the need for reform in this area, which I will return to later.