Results 341-360 of 2,412 for speaker:Niall Ó Donnghaile

Seanad: Gender Recognition (Amendment) Bill 2017: Second Stage (10 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Go raibh maith agat a Chathaoirligh. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as bheith linn inniu don díospóireacht agus don phlé stairiúil, tábhachtach agus suntasach seo. I thank the Minister for being in the House today for the debate. Sitting here, I have found the discussion insightful, useful and representative of the Seanad at its best. It is at its best in...

Seanad: Courts (No. 2) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Does the Minister of State wish to respond?

Seanad: Courts (No. 2) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (10 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I do not think the Minister of State will have too much to come back at me on in this regard. This is a technical Bill. As has been reflected today in the discussion so far, this is a technical issue. Senator Wilson is right to ask the questions he has asked, and is even right to put forward some solutions he feels might assist in the issue. It is my party's view this technical amendment...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Representatives of the Transport Sector (11 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: As someone who uses the Enterprise rail service regularly to travel to and from work here, the report is stark when one looks at the potential implications for cross-Border rail services. There is significant demand for it to upgrade to an hourly service. This was re-affirmed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade recently in an interview with the Irish Independent. Belfast City...

Seanad: Criminal Justice (Offences Relating to Information Systems) Bill 2016: Committee and Remaining Stages (16 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: While I do not have any connections with Mayo, its county footballers have my full solidarity when they play against Dublin. I will not repeat ad nauseamwhat has been said. I am heartened the Bill has been passed. As previous speakers acknowledged, we will need to amend it as the world changes. The Minister of State spoke extensively on this issue today and on Second Stage. Senator...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I echo the remarks made by Senator Leyden. There has certainly been broad cross-party support on this issue and for this cause and I am sure and certain that the support will prevail in securing a release. Iarraim chun cúrsaí Gaeilge ó Thuaidh agus an Lá Dearg atá beartaithe i mBéal Feirste ar an Satharn beag seo a phlé. The Leader is aware, as I have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Voting Rights in Northern Ireland: Discussion (18 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Apologies for having to step out earlier. I take the opportunity to thank the witnesses. It is good to have people talking about voting rights in this building other than me or Senator Billy Lawless. Bringing more voices to the concert is important and positive. The witnesses made the argument coherently and passionately as to why the issue is symbolically important but also...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Ulster Farmers Union (18 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I welcome my fellow Ulsterman who are with us today. It is good to see them. We can all appreciate the detail in the report and the presentation given to us this morning. For me it is quite stark because it indicates just how much of a disaster Brexit has the potential to be for our economy, North and South. I am struggling, with the greatest respect, to see any positives for the...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I echo the remarks of sympathy and solidarity with the people of Manchester following the horrific tragedy inflicted upon the city and its people last night. If I can, I wish to reaffirm the remarks from Senators Norris, McDowell and Ó Ríordáin. In the words of the great Martin Luther King, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out...

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as bheith linn chun plé a dhéanamh ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. Mar atá cluinte againn go dtí seo, bíonn daoine thar a bheith paiseanta ar an ábhar seo agus is léir cén fáth. I thank the Minister of State for being with us today and for his contribution. I appreciate the fact that some...

Seanad: Defence Matters: Statements (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: There is a committee meeting at 2 p.m.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with MEPs (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: It is great to see the MEPs here today. Normally when I am at committees such as this or discussing these matters in the Seanad, I am one of the few who voted to remain but it is good to see a fellow-Remainer here in Martina Anderson MEP today. I recently travelled to Brussels with a delegation from Border Communities Against Brexit and we met most of the MEPs. Unfortunately Luke "Ming"...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with MEPs (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Hear, hear.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with MEPs (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I want to refer back quickly to some of the comments made by Deputy Durkan. If we are committed to an engagement here, we should not be putting the word of so-called independent experts in front of what he brandishes as individual opinions of MEPs here. As Ms McGuinness has said, rightly, all MEPs come with a vast mandate in their own right. When MEPs are raising legitimate concerns we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with MEPs (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: Deputy Brophy was not present for the earlier part of the meeting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Engagement with MEPs (24 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: The Deputy has changed his mind. He asked us not to snipe and then he sniped the whole way through his contribution.

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Border Communities Against Brexit (25 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I echo the words of welcome. Recently, I was part of a delegation that travelled to Brussels with representatives of Border Communities Against Brexit. They put in a Trojan amount of work engaging with European colleagues at every level from Mr. Barnier down. I share many of their frustrations and concerns. I also share most of the sentiments that were expressed by Senator McDowell on...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Border Communities Against Brexit (25 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: They are very quick and concise observations more than anything else. While we all agree with the sentiment relating to special status, we must concede that one of the key components must be the retention of our membership of the Single Market. As has already been stated, there are different views regarding the common travel area and how that will work out. In the context of the economics...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Dr. Duncan Morrow (25 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I thank Dr. Morrow for the comprehensive paper and presentation. Senator O'Reilly has raised an interesting point. It is one I have tried to tease out in various fora regarding the primacy of the Good Friday Agreement and the unilateral move from the British side that - to quote the European Parliament's Constitutional Affairs Committee - "altered" the Good Friday Agreement. I may be on to...

Seanad Committee on the Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union: Engagement with Dr. Duncan Morrow (25 May 2017)

Niall Ó Donnghaile: I wanted to make one further brief point. An element of the Good Friday Agreement agrees that there would be no change in the constitutional status unless it is consented to by the people. Does Brexit poses a threat to the constitutional arrangements that exist under the Good Friday Agreement if it is altered?