Ivana Bacik

SENATOR BACIK WELCOMES REPORT OF THORNTON HALL REVIEW GROUP

Senator Ivana Bacik
Labour Party Seanad leader and Spokesperson on Justice
29th July2011

Speaking today, Senator Ivana Bacik has welcomed the report of the Thornton Hall Review Group, and commended the report for its emphasis on the need to improve conditions in prisons; and to address overcrowding without necessarily building more prison places.

Senator Bacik said: “I am particularly pleased that the Review Group has recommended that ‘step down facilities’ be provided on the Thornton Hall site, to facilitate prisoners in their re-integration to the community following their release. I also greatly welcome the Review Group’s recommendation that a comprehensive review be undertaken of penal policy, including prevention, sentencing policies, alternatives to custody and the issues particular to women prisoners and to young offenders within the system. The Group has also recommended the establishment of an inter-departmental working group to examine issues around mental illness in prisons – a vital focus given the high numbers of persons with psychological difficulties currently incarcerated in our prisons.

“Above all, I warmly welcome the change in penal policy envisaged by this Report. When confronted with the problem of prison overcrowding, previous Ministers for Justice have just built more prison places. This is an overly simplistic response which does not help to reduce crime in the long-term. The more measured approach advocated by the Review Group is to be preferred.”

 ENDS 

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Group Leader
Wednesday 27th  July, 2011

SENATOR BACIK WELCOMES NEW VETTING LEGISLATION DURING CLOYNE DEBATE

Speaking today in the Seanad during the debate on the Report into the Catholic Diocese of Cloyne, Senator Ivana Bacik commended those engaged in the preparation of the report, offered her sympathy to the survivors of sexual abuse in the Cloyne Diocese, and welcomed the publication of the Scheme of the National Vetting Bureau Bill 2011.  Senator Bacik said: 

 “I very much welcome the publication of the Cloyne Report, which exposes many themes with which we have become all too familiar following publication of earlier reports like the Murphy Report into the Dublin Archdiocese and indeed the Ryan Report. Denial of abuse by the Catholic Church authorities, the primary concern of those authorities being to protect abusers, and a lack of concern shown by the Church for victims of abuse and children at risk of abuse; these are all very disturbing features of previous reports and also of this report.

“The two features that mark out this Report, however, are, first, the very recent nature of the allegations; the Report concerns complaints and allegations made concerning the period 1 January 1996 – 1 February 2009. This means that the Report examined actions and failures by Church and State authorities up until just two years ago. The second feature that marks out this Report from the others is the response of the Vatican to the Framework Document (ie the Church’s own procedures for dealing with child sexual abuse) – this response undermined the status of those procedures and gave support to persons like Monsignor O’Callaghan in Cloyne who did not support the policies in the document. This is a very serious matter and I am glad that it has been taken up with the Vatican by the Tanaiste.

“Finally, the Report also deals with the failures in adequately providing for child protection measures by the State. The motion that has cross-party support before the Seanad today lists a number of initiatives that the State is committed to taking in order to address those failures. In that context, I very much welcome the publication today by the Minister for Justice of the heads or general scheme of the ‘vetting’ bill, that is the bill to place the vetting of persons working with children or vulnerable adults on a statutory footing. This very important bill is long overdue and I really welcome the fact that the Minister has today in the Seanad committed to having the bill itself introduced in the autumn with a view to having it passed into law by the end of this year.”

ENDS

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Group Leader
Tuesday 26th July, 2011

SENATOR BACIK WELCOMES TWO CRIMINAL JUSTICE BILLS

Speaking today in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik welcomed the introduction in the Seanad of both the Criminal Justice bill 2011 and the Criminal Justice (Community Service)(Amendment)(No. 2) bill 2011.  Senator Bacik said: 

 “I very much welcome the emphasis on the prosecution of white collar crime. For far too long there has been inadequate attention paid by our criminal justice system to the existence of this type of crime. There is a perception that those engaged in fraudulent practices in banking and financial sectors in recent years have been allowed to get away with criminal behaviour – and that must change. However we must ensure that this legislation is watertight and that the additional powers that it provides for the gardaí when dealing with white collar crime  will not be abused, particularly during investigations into other types of crime.

“I am also delighted to see the new provisions on community service provided for – this will make an important and very welcome change to sentencing practice, by requiring a court to consider imposing a community service order whenever a conviction has been entered for which a sentence of up to one year’s imprisonment would be appropriate. This will go some way towards ensuring that prison really is a sanction of last resort – as it should be in any effective and fair penal system.”

ENDS

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Group Leader
Tuesday 26th July, 2011

SENATOR BACIK WELCOMES RE-NAMING OF SEANAD PUBLIC PETITIONS COMMITTEE

Speaking today in the Seanad, Senator Ivana Bacik welcomed the re-naming of the Seanad Public Petitions Committee as the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. Commending the work of the Seanad Committee on Procedure and Privilege on activating the Seanad Public Petitions Committee, Senator Bacik said : 

 “I very much welcome the activation of the Seanad Public Petitions Committee. The setting-up of this Committee was initiated by former Senator Joanna Tuffy some years ago, and it is provided for in the Seanad Standing Orders, but until now it has never been activated. I am delighted that we have now adopted terms of reference for the Committee so that it can begin work during the term of this Seanad.

“I am also delighted that we have agreed to change the name of the Committee to the Seanad Public Consultation Committee. This name more accurately and appropriately reflects the work that the Committee will be doing in inviting submissions from members of the public and ensuring greater engagement directly between the Seanad and the wider community. I look forward to the work of the Committee commencing in September; I think it will constitute an important addition to the work of the Seanad.”

ENDS

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Group Leader
Wednesday 6th July 2011

SENATOR BACIK CALLS FOR BOYCOTT OF NEWS OF THE WORLD

Speaking in the Seanad today, Senator Ivana Bacik condemned the revelationsthat the tabloid newspaper the News of the World hacked the phones of theteenage murder victim Milly Dowler, and of the families of the victimsof the London bombings of July 2005. Commending reports that Aer Lingusand other companies have cancelled advertising with the News of the Worldas a result, Senator Bacik said:

“I call upon readers of the News of the World to boycott the paper thisSunday. The Irish News of the World boasts that it is one of Ireland’sbiggest selling Sunday tabloids, enjoying a circulation of over 130,000and a readership of over 500,000 every Sunday. I hope that these numberswill fall dramatically as readers show their disgust at the hacking ofthese phones by the newspaper and stop buying it.”

ENDS

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Seanad Éireann Group Leader

Wednesday,  22 June, 2011

SENATOR BACIK EXPRESSES REGRET AT DEATH OF KADER ASMAL

Senator Ivana Bacik today expressed her sadness and regret at the news of the death of Kader Asmal,  the former Trinity College law lecturer and Dean of Arts, and former ANC Minister for Education in South Africa.

Senator Bacik said:  ‘I knew Kader as a lecturer and friend, he was a wonderful man, a greatly revered lecturer and an inspirational politician. He will be sorely missed in Ireland and in South Africa. Sincere sympathies to his wife Louise and his sons and family.’

ENDS

BACIK TO SPEAK AT WORLD ATHEIST CONVENTION IN DUBLIN

Labour Party Seanad Leader

Friday, 3^rd June 2011

Speaking at the World Atheist Convention to be held in Dublin today, Senator Ivana Bacik will congratulate the Atheist Ireland organisation for their work in organising the conference, which will be attended by around 350 international delegates.

Senator Bacik will speak about the ongoing influence of organised religion in public policy in Ireland; and will criticise the ongoing dominance of the Catholic church in the control of national schools across Ireland, and will call for a change in the patronage system to ensure more schools will offer multi-denominational education in accordance with the clearly expressed wishes of many parents.

In calling for the establishment of a more secular society, Senator Bacik will say:

“What we seek as atheists in Ireland is a secular society; not a society that is anti-religion; but a society which is actually full of people practicing different religions or different belief systems, yet in which the state does not support or favour any one religion.”

“The simple Swedish phrase sums it up: ‘In school, you teach; in church, you preach.’ You shouldn’t mix the two. In Ireland and in other countries, there has been too much preaching in schools for far too long. This and other issues will be discussed during this conference – and I know that Atheist Ireland will continue to work to ensure less preaching and greater choice in the Irish education system.”

ENDS                         

Senator Ivana Bacik
Labour Party leader in the Seanad
30th May, 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik today welcomed the announcement of two pieces of legislation aimed at improving the rights of women; the imminent legislation providing sanctions for political parties which do not reach minimum levels of representation for women; and the Government’s bill to ban Female Genital Mutilation, which will be introduced in the Seanad on Thursday 2nd June. Speaking today, Senator Bacik said:
 
“The 2009 report that I produced on women’s participation for the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality and Law Reform clearly shows that positive action measures are necessary in order to increase the levels of women’s participation in politics. The report recommended that political parties should be obliged to take gender balance into account in selecting candidates for local, general and European elections. I am delighted that Minister Phil Hogan has announced that the Government will be introducing this legislation and would call for its implementation as soon as possible, in order to improve the levels of women’s participation in politics.”
 
“I am also delighted that the Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011 will be introduced in the Seanad this Thursday. I have worked with Amnesty, Akidwa, the IFPA and other NGOs on this issue for many years, and first initiated a private member’s bill on FGM in 2010, when it got cross-party support. I am very pleased to see that this important piece of legislation will be the first Government bill to be debated in the term of the new Seanad. Its passing will mark a significant step towards the improvement of the rights of women, particularly migrant women, living in Ireland.”
 
ENDS                  

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK
Labour Senator for Dublin University

Monday 23rd May 2011

BACIK WELCOMES LABOUR NOMINATIONS

Senator Ivana Bacik today welcomed the announcement that the four Labour recommendations for inclusion in Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s Seanad nominees are all women.
 
Welcoming the announcement of Dr Katherine Zappone, Aideen Hayden, Lorraine Higgins and Mary Moran, as Senators, Senator Bacik said:
 
"I am delighted with this announcement, and it will make a real difference to the composition of the Seanad. I know that each of the four nominees will make a really significant contribution to the work of the Seanad.
 
Together with the announcement of the other Taoiseach’s nominees, the appointments mean that the proportion of women in the Seanad will reach 30%, an historic achievement - and double the proportion of women in the Dail. It is time that action was taken to ensure that the proportion of women in the Dail can also be increased at the next election, and I welcome the commitment in the programme for Government to take action on increasing women’s political representation."
 
ENDS

Bacik Opens Global Justice Festival

 
Kilmallock, a small town of 800 people situated in the pastoral landscape of the Golden Vale, Co. Limerick, this week hosts a unique, week long event that includes a gathering of national and international speakers on human rights issues who have all been invited by transition year students from schools in the county.  The Global Justice Festival which commences on Monday May 9th and is officially opened by Senator Ivana Bacik on Tuesday morning at 11.30 is the culmination of a year long programme implemented in 4 post primary school transition years by Friars Gate Theatre, Kilmallock.  The programme which investigates global issues such as Poverty, Human Rights, Gender, HIV and Aids was developed by  Friars Gate’s Education and Outreach Director Fiona  Quinn, who has over 20 years experience working with young people in the drama field.
 
‘The starting point for this development education programme,’ explained Ms. Quinn, ‘was a quote from Julius Nyere, former President of Tanzania when he said “Take every penny you have set aside in aid for Tanzania and spend it explaining to people the facts and causes of poverty.”  With funding support from Irish Aid and Limerick County Council Arts Office,’ continues Fiona,  ‘arts facilitator Kate Hammond and I worked with transition years in Scoil Pol, Kilfinane, John the Baptist Community College, Hospital, Colaiste Iosaf, Kilmallock and St. Mary’s Community College, Charleville.  The school programme included 2 sessions each week in each school, with the first session investigating and fact finding on global issues and in our second session  the young people were engaged in drama to assist with exploring and understanding of these issues.’
 
‘One of the objectives of the course was developing an action with the students on one of the global issues,’ says programme facilitator Kate Hammond, ‘with the aim of empowering the young people to promote change locally and globally as opposed to charitable action.  These actions, some which have been developed collectively or in solidarity, will feature in the Global Justice Festival and include plays, poetry, speakers, exhibits and films.  The week long festival programme,’ continues Ms. Hammond, ‘will highlight and challenge our perspectives on human rights through a mixture of creative and imaginative activities and formal responses to the young peoples’ actions by leading experts in various fields of human rights.’
 
The first event of the Global Justice Festival on Monday 9th is a ‘Skills4Life HIV & AIDS Awareness Workshop running from 12.00 to 5.00 pm in Friars Gate Theatre, which part 2 of the international programme Dance4Life using the power of dance to inspire, educate and mobilise young people to take action against HIV and AIDS.  Over the coming week, other events include the creation of a shanty town; the dramatisation of child labour with pupils from Bulgaden National School, discussion on Child Brides and performance of John B Keane’s Sive, speakers and workshops on child labour, the global drugs trade, inequality and migrant rights, gender equality, human rights, fair trade etc…
 
‘I know all the students are delighted with the positive response to our festival from the organisations working in the various human rights field,’ say Megan Clery, a student of Scoil Pól Kilfinane, who has persuaded her proud father to play the role of the groom in the Child Brides presentation.  ‘During the Global Justice Festival we will have the opportunity to meet and speak, as will the audience with Senator Ivana Bacik who officially opens the festival, Dee Clare from Concern, Detective Garda Sandra Heelan from the Garda Drugs Unit, Jess Angland from ADAPT, Bart Storan from Amnesty International and Anooshah Faraakish who is Equalities Specialist with the trade union UNITE who is travelling from the UK to be part of our festival.  All of our guest speakers are making themselves available free of charge which affirms for us the generosity of the organisations and people working in the human rights field.’
 
All the events of Global Justice Festival Week, Kilmallock which is being hosted from the 9th to 13th May in Friars Gate Theatre, are a subsidised €5 and everyone is welcome.  Global Justice Festival Programme is available on www.friarsgate.ie or by telephone 063 – 98727
 
 
 
For Further Information Contact:
Fiona Quinn
Global Justice Festival – Kilmallock May 9th – 13th
 
We are the first generation ever who is technologically and economically capable of solving global problems, we just lack the will - take action for a more just and equal world!