• Independent Senator (National University of Ireland)
• Former Progressive Democrats TD for Dublin South East
• Left the Dáil on 24 May 2007 — General election
• Entered the Seanad on 25 April 2016 — General election
• Email me whenever Michael McDowell speaks (no more than once per day)

• Voting record
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Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Nov 2025)

“I move amendment No. 10: In page 12, between lines 7 and 8, to insert the following: “ ‘live broadcast’ includes a broadcast where a short time delay between the utterance of any spoken matter and its broadcast is created for editorial purposes or control;”. One of the things that occurred to me about the Minister's amendment, which I support in principle...”

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Nov 2025)

“I appreciate what the Minister is saying about the use of the term "live broadcast" but it is referred to in the first line of section 27A as the title of the defence. I do not think the offside rule, so to speak, applies to our drafting in that respect. The simple fact is that the broadcast of a live programme is not defined at all in the section. In defence of our drafting, line 2 on...”

Seanad: Defamation (Amendment) Bill 2024: Committee Stage (Resumed) (12 Nov 2025)

“That is not agreed because it needs to be more carefully considered. I can well imagine a panel discussion or interview where someone says something defamatory and the words are out before the interviewer can stop the defamation. I remember in particular a defamation by the late Nell McCafferty about my then colleague, former Deputy Mary Harney. Nell McCafferty, on live radio, made a...”

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• Has spoken in 34 committee discussions and Dáil debates in the last year — below average among Senators.
• People have made 0 comments on this Senator's speeches — average among Senators.
• 23 people are tracking whenever this Senator speaks — email me whenever Michael McDowell speaks.
• Has used three-word alliterative phrases (e.g. "public-private partnership") 1555 times in debates — well above average among Senators.
  (Yes, this is a silly statistic. We include it to draw your attention to why you should read more than just these numbers when forming opinions.)