Norris, David P.B.Tuesday, 11 March 2008 |
Seanad Eireann Debate
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Order of Business.
I wish to raise an issue on which the Chair allowed Senator Harris to make a lengthy intervention a week or so ago. It is a matter of great importance to standards of honesty, decency and justice in ...
Such a broadcast must be illegal. Calls have been made for Mr. Ó Searcaigh’s poetry to be removed from——
——the academic syllabus, the local authority grant for his house to be withdrawn and for him to be removed from Aosdána.
It is relevant. I will make it clear how relevant it is.
Gloriously, the artists of Ireland have supported Cathal Ó Searcaigh as they previously did in the case of Oscar Wilde. This is because they have a unique insight into the processes of works of creat...
I call for this film to be referred to the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources so that the truth can be established with the assistance of experts.
The illegality is possibly a matter for this House. Communications is an appropriate matter for the committee established by both Houses of the Oireachtas to examine such matters.
I accept your ruling but I ask the Leader to ensure this matter is referred.
It is to identify the truth.
Here or in Cheltenham?
I thank the Leader but I think there was a misunderstanding because I did not want the Committee to ban anything.
Death of Former Member: Expressions of Sympathy.
I did not have the pleasure of being in the House when Ms Ahern was a Member and subsequently Cathaoirleach, but I met her on three occasions, widely separated by years. The first was when, as Cathao...
Defamation Bill 2006: Report and Final Stages.
I move amendment No. 6: In page 10, to delete lines 21 to 25.
This refers to the troubled business of the corporate body. I do not propose to take up a huge amount of time on this but it is odd that a corporate body is assumed to have feelings. I have said thi...
I indicated that we would have to get on with the business today. Some of my passion has been diluted by the decision in the Sunday World case. I had thought of testing the waters with a bit of a ga...
I move amendment No. 8: In page 12, to delete lines 3 and 4. I thank the Minister for graciously acknowledging the work previously done in the Seanad on this matter. The amendment concerns judges and...
I very much welcome the Minister’s indications regarding the progress of the other Bill and the response that he received. In those circumstances I will not press the amendment.
I move amendment No 11: In pages 14, 15 and 16, in page 14 to delete lines 40 to 43, in page 15 to delete lines 1 to 42 and in page 16 to delete lines 1 to 9. This is the matter of the defence of hone...
Deputy? I resist that demotion to the Lower House.
I did not defame the Minister. He is not a dog.
Read Senator “Mansewerage”.
Three journalists.
It was worth tabling the amendment to have provoked so vigorous an assertion of the freedom of the press from Senator Harris. He did it with his usual flair and panache. On the dog licences, if the ...
It is an honest opinion.
I apologise for my accent.
It is not. If Senator Walsh checks the record he will find that I made that initial mispronunciation some years ago and I continued it in the House. It had nothing whatever to do with what happened ...
Check the record and find it. I gave Senator Walsh a wonderful opportunity to align himself with those views. There we are. I am all in favour of free speech and I welcome the fact that I was able ...
Now let us get back to the Bill.
In that case I shall make sure to amend my pronunciation in future. I regret if it caused considerable distress to Senator Walsh, but I do not believe that for a minute.
I have discussed this on the air with the person involved and it did not bother him at all.
Senator Walsh is just a squall of hot air.
Getting back to the matter at hand, with the permission of Senator Walsh, one of the matters about which I was worried was that it seemed it was possible that someone might preface their words by sayi...
I will not go any further than coffee. I will explain to the Senator the feelings of the two principal participants, which are of reasonably good humour.
I welcome the movements the Minister has made in this matter. The provisions regarding the prominence of the apology are important and significant. It is a positive move by the Minister.
I move amendment No. 22: In page 18, line 24, after “not” to insert “automatically”. We had this debate on Committee Stage. Section 22(3) states: (3) In a defamation action, an apology made by or on ...
The Minister is correct. The lack of normality would not distress me in the slightest. However, my lack of normality has led to a resounding silence throughout the House. As I appear to have no sec...
Yes, they are.
Senator Mullen made some effective points, especially when he referred to the previous debate. I do not want to rehearse the whole debate because that would be tedious and it is already on the record...
I know, but it is the directional trend which is worrying. Senator Alex White said that people in public life should be subject to robust and rigorous examination. I completely agree with him. Who ...
The wording of this section is insane and unconstitutional, but I doubt if it will soon emerge that someone will take a case. I am astonished that people, especially those to the left, would support ...
I do not want to attack Senator Alex White. He is a decent person and his party has not yet made the jump and done what Tony Blair did. He was happy to dine with Rupert Murdoch in Australia and that...
I did not say that.
Question again put.
Voted No
I have a substantial point of order to make. Arising from what Senator Boyle said, earlier in the day the Government lost a vote on one of the most important aspects of the Bill. It was a voice vote...
I knew perfectly well that the Government would call an ambulatory vote if we did not and that it would be a waste of time. If the Senator wants the Official Report to show Fine Gael’s embarrassment,...
I second the amendment. If I am right, and Senator Alex White will correct me when he has collected himself, this amendment gives a person a fair opportunity to respond to a potentially damaging arti...
No.
I move amendment No. 41: In page 22, line 37, to delete “shall give directions” and substitute “may advise”. This is the question of the judge “shall give directions” to the jury in the matter of dama...
It may be common, but I am tempted to say it is very vulgar, too. This is a clear case where the specialised language used by lawyers confuses the public and I am concerned this might happen with reg...
No, there was not. However, the law needs to be looked at and we should try to make legislation that is accessible to the citizen. Words should mean in law what they mean to ordinary people so that ...
I move amendment No. 43: In page 23, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following subsection: “(5) In the case of a successful defamation action, the Editor and Proprietor of the newspaper which p...
I do not see why not; they are the ones with the money.
I move amendment No. 49: In page 24, between lines 3 and 4, to insert the following subsection: “(7) In a defamation action the Press Council may make a recommendation regarding the reasonable paramet...
I hope the Minister’s comments will be drawn to the attention of the Press Council which may come up with some ideas. Obviously, the Minister has not scotched it or ruled it out entirely. Perhaps it...
I echo the sentiments of Senator O’Toole. This is a significant move on criminal, seditious and obscene libel. Somebody raised the question of whether blasphemy should be also looked at in terms of ...
I second the amendment. I am happy to support my colleague, Senator Mullen. This seems to be a very sensible thing. Most organisations and groups, including this House, have provision for a quorum....
On behalf of the Independents I also thank the Minister for his courtesy and good-humoured informing of the Seanad on a series of matters. It is very appropriate that it should be this Minister, beca...
I am afraid that is Senator Mullen’s problem. The Minister has done a good job. I do not agree with everything — that is the way legislation goes. I very much welcome that he has paid tribute to th...
Very unexpected.
Criminal Law (Human Trafficking) Bill 2007: Report and Final Stages.
Amendment put.
Voted No
| Last Updated: 18/11/2010 19:46:53 |
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