Results 18,041-18,060 of 18,761 for speaker:Michael McDowell

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Yesterday morning I had one of the saddest experiences of my life. During a Second Stage debate Members behaved in a manner more fitting to a bar-room brawl than a parliamentary debate.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Shouting down a Minister, as happened constantly yesterday and today, is an attack on democracy itself.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I am here as a Minister of the Irish Government, elected by the Irish people. I have been asked by the Chair of a sovereign Assembly which decides on its own procedures to conclude the debate.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I will not have it said that people can shout me down at will in the House——

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: ——or obstruct the true exercise of my democratic right as a Minister of the sovereign Government of the Irish people to address the House on an important issue.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I do not know how standards have slipped opposite, but if Fine Gael Deputies asked their members at the Ard Fheis this evening if they approved of shouting down Ministers——

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: ——they would get a clear message that they are disgracing themselves.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: On this occasion I welcome the relative silence of the Labour Party and the dignity of the Green Party Deputies. I cannot believe Fine Gael would behave in such a jackboot fashion.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I was asked about section 6(4) of the Citizenship Act 1956. The reason that is constitutional is that it enables people to opt out of Irish citizenship which would otherwise be conferred on them. The matter was carefully considered at the time and is in no way inconsistent with the Constitution. In the last 24 hours in this House we have had for the most part a constructive debate. For the...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: No, I am not yielding.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: During the debate I heard not heard one Member from any quarter of this House make any cogent argument on what the expert group led by Dr. T. K. Whitaker said on the issue.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: That group said it would be wrong to attempt to create an absolute right based on birth in the Constitution because necessarily it must be subject to conditions and exceptions which are not suitable for inclusion in the Constitution. I have heard nobody say anything different from that.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Also, during the debate I have not heard anybody suggest any reason as to why, if the law was as the Government proposed it should be, we should revert to the law as it now is. Nobody has said that anyone in their right mind would move to an absolute rule if there were discretion still vested in this House. I do not believe anyone would say it is wrong for the House to have discretion to...

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: I know. That is what I said.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: The Deputy is still shouting me down. The colour of the Deputy's shirt is light blue. Remember that.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: And the Deputy is acting that way, if he does not mind me saying so.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: A number of Deputies, including Deputy Burton, have accused me of pursuing an agenda which is designed to discriminate against black people coming to Ireland.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: Yes, we heard the Deputy. I say yet again that there is nothing racist about this proposal.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: And the point was as stupid the first time the Deputy made it as it is now.

Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (22 Apr 2004)

Michael McDowell: During the debate an attack was unleashed on this proposal, not least by Deputy Burton, on the basis that it was subversive of the Good Friday Agreement.