Results 1,501-1,520 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: This is where my difficulty lies. It is almost impossible for someone to appeal a refusal of information if they have not been told that information exists in the first place. If I go to the Department of Finance looking for these budget submissions and the Department neither confirms nor denies that there are such things, how can I test whether or not a public interest test has been carried...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: How could one mount an appeal in those circumstances, when one does not know what has been refused?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: But one does not know what has been refused. Surely when people are making a decision to appeal or not they must have some basis on which to appeal; that means they must have some basis to assess the decision that was made. If they do not know what has been refused to them or they are not even told they have been refused particular information, then they may just be told they are getting nothing.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (11 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: Let us come at this from a different angle, as I am getting nowhere with this approach. There must surely be an onus on Government to justify the extension into these three additional areas. The Minister of State has said nothing yet which would justify the extension of the "neither confirm nor deny" provision into these three areas. Why is this being done?

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: On an point of order of some importance to me, Senator Brian Hayes was guilty of a serious breach of protocol when he referred to the Deputy Michael McDowell as Citizen McDowell. Such references, together with the concomitant bestial references from other Members, run the risk of seriously damaging my good name. I ask the Cathaoirleach to see to it that Senator Brian Hayes and others desist...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: There is a more serious matter to which I wish to refer. Is the Government still committed to introducing the whistleblowers Bill? The Leader will recall that some three years ago the Taoiseach, in the Lower House, committed the Government – I assume his commitment follows through to this Administration – to supporting a Private Member's Bill in the name of my current party leader which...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: "Poodle" was the word that really upset me.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: May I raise a point of order?

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: This is not intended to be frivolous, although the first sentence may make it seem so. The Cheltenham festival is to be held next week.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is a genuine point of order. If you hear me out, you will see that it is a point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: It is a genuine point of order.

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: Why has Committee Stage of the Bill in question been scheduled for a week when we all know the Minister for Finance will be unavailable?

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: The Minister for Finance will not be here next week. It is a serious discourtesy to the House to schedule Committee Stage of the Bill for a week when we know the Minister will not be here.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: The Senator should not postpone the guillotine.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: We do our best.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: This is genuinely a very bad day for democracy. I heard Senator Quinn's very eloquent contribution and I wholeheartedly agree with his argument. Senator Dardis made a very interesting point which bears some deliberation. We have inherited the British way of doing things. Our Civil Service and system of government was given to us by the British and we have stuck pretty rigidly to it for 70 or...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: Maybe so. I did not intend to be frivolous this morning but my point is that it is important we have a serious Committee Stage if we are taking Second Stage in the manner in which we are. We will not have a serious Committee Stage if the senior Minister and the Minister of State are not here to deal with it. What is the point in our coming in and wasting our breath if somebody from another...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: I am certainly but I would like to make the point that the Minister or Minister of State should be here next week so that we can have a serious Committee Stage debate. One of the provisions in the Bill relates to the length of time for making a decision. The legislation allows the time to be lengthened from three months to four months. This is notional. In practice it takes a good deal longer...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: On a point of order, can the House be guaranteed that there will be a Minister with responsibility for the Bill present?

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Derek McDowell: The House has spent seven hours discussing this Bill—