Results 101-120 of 483 for speaker:Vincent P Martin

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: On behalf of the Green Party, Comhaontas Glas, Seanad grouping, I congratulate the victorious Senators Horkan and Maria Byrne. I wish them well. They can be assured of our total co-operation for the betterment of Ireland, as is the tradition of this House. It must be deservingly complimentary to the new Senators when they hear feedback from Members who are not affiliated to their...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (23 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: It was a sign of things to come.

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I support a large proportion of what Senator Higgins said in that one has to be insolvent to be eligible for the process. The purpose of the personal insolvency regime is to restore the person to solvency.I understand that there has to be 100% frank and full disclosure. Full incomes ought to be disclosed but there is a difference between reckonable and unreckonable income. Supporting...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I will speak to the amendment in more general terms. It appears that the amendment works in theory but does it work in practice. I have heard talk of strategic defaulters and opening the floodgates but that simply has not happened, although there are some isolated examples that we could use. I am not here to give advice to debtors but, by and large, the vast majority of debtors will get...

Seanad: Personal Insolvency (Amendment) Bill 2020: Committee Stage (23 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I have to agree to disagree with my fellow Senator on this one. I am not in favour of extending the term. I am unaware of the evidence which would suggest it is appropriate either from the point of view of creditors or debtors. Theoretically, at the moment, an arrangement can take place, if a person is very prompt about it, inside one day, and although that is theoretical, I think it...

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

Vincent P Martin: The calls for the conducting of a border poll for Irish reunification have grown considerably in recent times. That has been amplified by the fact the majority in Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU. It is gathering momentum and probably more support unity now than ever before. However, surely the purpose of holding a poll is to have a prospect of success. If one is to put the...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: With the indulgence of the Leas-Chathaoirleach, I would like to mention a point that is not covered in the Bill. Audio recordings of counsel are a possibility now to be served up to juries. For the day that is in it, the voice of Seamus McKenna, SC, was played on the radio this morning as part of "GunPlot". I have always been an advocate for the recording of trials as vital nuggets of...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I flagged at the outset that I would be taking liberties. I will quit while I am ahead, given the Leas-Chathaoirleach has brought me into order. I thank him for his indulgence. I have another point that I will leave for later in our consideration and examination of the Bill.

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (26 Apr 2021)

Vincent P Martin: It is a well-intended amendment. Like the previous speaker, I would be concerned that the outcome of this would be fewer people entering pleas, thereby clogging up the system and victims suffering in a more prolonged way, all because they will not nail their colours. If this Bill is enacted with Senator Ward's amendment, why would many people not take their chances without nailing their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement: Engagement with Mr. Barry Andrews, MEP (5 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: If the Chairman can hear me okay, I confirm that I am on the premises. I apologise for the fact that I was unavoidably absent for some of the meeting. I could not let the occasion go by without wishing Mr. Andrews well. He is a good colleague of the Law Library from yesteryear. Deputy Richmond was very generous in referring to one of his speeches and, in that same good spirit, I should...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (7 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: The public's response and anger in recent days when people learned that global investment funds were swooping in to buy blocks of houses in areas where demand clearly outstrips supply is fully understandable. Lost in the justified furore was a good initiative by the Government to place the cost-rental model on a legislative footing for the first time. The Vienna cost-rental bases rent on...

Seanad: European Digital Green Certificate: Statements (7 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. As a respected and committed European, he no doubt appreciates EU solidarity in this regard. It is logistically challenging. The digital green certificate can serve as proof of vaccination, testing and recovery in order to waive restrictions to free movement put in place in a member state on public health grounds such as testing or mandatory...

Seanad: Good Friday Agreement: Motion (10 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: In many respects it is appropriate that Senator Blaney should open the debate. He comes from a generation of republican families and it is apt that he should open this Fianna Fáil republican family motion that is before the House. At college I invited Neil T Blaney, Senator Blaney's uncle, to a discussion. It was well attended. That was at a time when the voices of republicans south...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (17 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I welcome the decision to hold a debate on Palestine this evening. I concur with the remarks made by Senator Malcolm Byrne about charities. When we debate this matter in the Seanad, maybe we should also consider the multilayered strands of charities operating in the same general area where resources overlap. There are so many good charities in the area of cancer and mental wellness. It is...

Seanad: Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel: Statements (17 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: I wish to share time with Senator Garvey.

Seanad: Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel: Statements (17 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: All loss of life must be roundly condemned but we should never lose sight of what we are dealing with here. It is a sensitive powder keg and the initiator, what provoked this current crisis, the lightening rod, as it were, was Israeli provocation, and that should be called out. The Israeli response has also been entirely disproportionate.They are guilty of war crimes and are in flagrant...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: And the Green Party.

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (18 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: The carnage, wanton waste of life and the slaughter of innocent victims, especially children, in Palestine and Israel has been well documented in recent days. The Minister for Foreign Affairs issued one of the most unequivocal statements made in recent times by an Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, and ought to be commended on doing so. It is important to call out the disproportionate...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: In many criminal trials, one's liberty is at stake. After one's health and life, one's liberty is right up there as a fundamental freedom so all and any admissible avenues ought to be made available and accessible in a criminal trial to ensure justice is done. Except for very good reason, there should be no limitations or strictures placed on the substantive trial. In my experience as a...

Seanad: Criminal Procedure Bill 2021: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 May 2021)

Vincent P Martin: To add to the comments made by Senators McDowell and Ward, that archaic device also finds its way into sworn depositions and people have to laboriously write out every word. I recall taking a deposition from the governor of a prison when I was a very young barrister. It was just me and the governor and there was nothing controversial about the deposition but the process went into a second...