Mullen, RonanTuesday, 11 October 2011 |
Seanad Éireann Debate
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Before making my contribution I may be able to assist the Cathaoirleach on one point arising from Senator O’Brien’s contribution. The sub judice rule applies so as not to prejudice proceedings that m...
This is a point of order as I am explaining a legal point. Other institutions in our society in the past have been rightly criticised for taking a too conservative approach with regard to legal advic...
With due respect, I have taken legal advice on this very point and I am honouring the conventions and requirements of the Seanad.
We could get to the stage where we are both invited to publicise our legal advice and its origins.
Senator Bacik knows him very well. What I believe is appropriate is that the relevant managers of RTE be invited to come before the all-party Oireachtas committee dealing with communications to expla...
——and the structures that may need to be put in place to examine whether an inappropriate bias has crept into RTE’s treatment of——
The public service broadcaster has rightly named and shamed people in the past, in particular where they have failed to exercise their responsibility. It is not sufficient for people who have done wr...
——and taken inappropriate decisions to hide behind an institution. That is what is going on here.
The public service broadcaster has rightly named names in the past and it needs to come forward to explain precisely how the most damaging and humiliating allegation came to be made——
——in circumstances where a person had offered it the means to establish whether the allegation was true or false.
I refer to the seriousness of this issue. If one is accused of the most serious thing imaginable, one should be given every opportunity to protect one’s name.
On a point of order——
On a point of order, this is a completely unacceptable ruling for the following reason. Making a ruling like that simply means that all any party to a dispute needs to do is to prolong a court disput...
It is advice.
So many times in the past the problem has been——
——that people have been too deferential to legal advice.
It is advice. We have a decision and a judgment call to make.
I am sure Senator Bacik will agree with that.
On a point of order, as Senator Paul Coghlan has raised the issue, apart from the merits of the issue that was raised by several Members on the Order of Business, it would be appropriate for the Catha...
—— relevant Standing Order——
—— and also the legal advice.
I intend to raise the issue at the Committee on Procedure and Privilege.
It is important that we do not tie the hands of this House.
Amendment put.
Voted Yes
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