Results 1,501-1,520 of 3,693 for speaker:Lynn Ruane

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Senator Malcolm Byrne mentioned that an t-údarás is already fulfilling many of the aspects of what we seek to amend in this legislation. It might be helpful if the Minister of State could give us some examples of those for when we are considering what to do with the amendments. That would be great.

Seanad: Higher Education Authority Bill 2022: Report Stage (Resumed) (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I second the amendment.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the witnesses for their contributions. Although I agree with most of them, we are definitely on different sides of the debate and have been for a long time. I want to recognise their contributions. They are in a minority today. I will try to be kind. I do not misunderstand, in any shape or form, the Portuguese model or many other models. However, I have concerns about some of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Brilliant. I would like to clarify Professor Smyth's statement in his contribution that "drug use is still prohibited in Portugal". I can be corrected on my understanding here. Maybe Professor Smyth is right. Drugs possession is not prohibited. The substance is prohibited. Is that not the differentiation between the two? The substance is prohibited and is still illegal, but the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Great. Portugal has had its model for 20 years. If that model was to be revisited now, 20 years on, as part of an examination of what Portugal has or has not done or what it could do better, would Dr. Capaz have any updated references to how it would do decriminalisation now? If it was looking at it again, what would it do? Twenty years is a long time for the framework to be in place.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Portugal would decriminalise all substances, as is, but regulate cannabis.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Has the Portuguese model been effective in addressing problematic drug use?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Thank you. That is very clear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: One could ask every politician in these Houses if they have used drugs and they would lie because of the stigma and prohibition. If we were to remove prohibition, we would see an increase in the figure because people will not feel they need to lie because they feel like criminals. Half of the Members of the Houses probably use drugs, but they are not going to say it.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: No, that is not what he is saying.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I do not think that any of us is disagreeing with that as a parallel measure.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: They are not criminalised.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: Sanctions for the Possession of Certain Amounts of Drugs for Personal Use: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Many of us have been involved in this field for a long time. I do not underestimate anyone's intentions or how much people care about those they work with it. I am getting more and more disheartened as this conversation goes on. I have been in this conversation not only as a member of the Joint Committee on Justice now, but it is something I have worked towards for a long time. I am...

Seanad: Communications (Retention of Data) (Amendment) Bill 2022: Second Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I welcome the Minister. I will be brief. I do not want to rehash any of the key events that have resulted in us dealing with this legislation here today. I echo the concern at the lack of speed with which pre-legislative scrutiny was carried out in respect of the Bill. The Data Protection Commissioner only received a finalised version of the general scheme of the Bill less than 24 hours...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Apologies. We did not realise the sessions were running into each other, so Senator Higgins is on the way.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: She can second when she walks into the Chamber in the next two minutes.

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I move amendment No. 1: In page 8, between lines 24 and 25, to insert the following: “ “political purposes” means any of the following purposes, namely— (a) (i) to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, the interests of a political party, a political group, a member of either House of the Oireachtas or a representative in the European Parliament, (ii) to...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach and apologise for the confusion. I thought the session was on at 4 p.m. so was not organised when we went straight into it. This amendment is the same as those we tabled on Committee Stage. At that time, the Minister said she would get some sort of legal briefing and feedback on that amendment. We had the Electoral Reform Bill then, so we kicked...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: Notwithstanding the Minister's response and referring to where the term "political end" comes from in the context of that case involving anti-abortion material, just because the term is defined elsewhere does not mean the term is not problematic and is not going to cause an issue in this legislation and in the wider context of anything else that may be deemed a "political end", so I will...

Seanad: Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2022: Report Stage (11 Jul 2022)

Lynn Ruane: I second the amendment.