Ivana Bacik

STATEMENT BY SENATOR IVANA BACIK

Labour Senator for Dublin University Panel

Tuesday 2^nd February 2010

SENATOR BACIK PARTICIPATES IN TRINITY PANEL AT HEARING OF JOINT OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE

Speaking as a panel guest on the evening of Tuesday 2^nd February 2010 in the Exam Hall at Trinity College Dublin on the historic occasion of the sitting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution at Trinity College, Senator Ivana Bacik will discuss the findings of the Oireachtas Justice Committee’s Report on Women’s Participation in Politics, saying:

“I was appointed as the Rapporteur to the Sub-Committee, which reported in October 2009. I am honoured to be present on the panel discussion following the first sitting of a Joint Oireachtas Committee in Trinity College Dublin, and I am delighted to be able to discuss the findings of our Sub-Committee’s Report here tonight. I am delighted that our Report achieved unanimous cross-Party support from all those on the Justice Committee. The key findings we made are that women’s representation rates in Irish politics have got worse in recent years, and that Ireland now ranks at 84th place in the world tables of women’s representation, with only 23 women out of 166 TDs (13.8%). Urgent action must be taken to change this.”

Speaking about the need for legislative reforms to ensure greater participation of women in politics, Senator Bacik referred to the Report’s key recommendation that legislation should be introduced to require political parties to select a minimum proportion of women candidates to put before the electorate at local, national and European elections, saying:

“A package of measures is necessary to address the five key challenges that women face on attempting to enter politics: Lack of childcare; lack of cash; lack of confidence; a culture that does not accept women politicians easily; and candidate selection procedures that are often murky and that tend to favour men. We need legislation to require gender balance in the selection of election candidates; and we also need to take steps to change our political culture to make it more woman-friendly.”

ENDS

Order of Business

Senator Ivana Bacik: I ask the Leader for a debate on cycling. I join with a previous speaker who commended the dublinbikes scheme which has been a resounding success. However, it is rather extraordinary to hear Fianna Fáil members attempting to claim credit for it, given that it was the initiative of Labour Party councillors, particularly Councillor Andrew Montague on Dublin City Council— who brought about this scheme. It would be ridiculous for the Green Party to seek to claim credit for it, given it has no councillors on Dublin City Council. We should commend the dublinbikes scheme and I hope we see it extended and I congratulate Dublin City Council. It is notable that Senator Alex White and myself are the two Senators, to my knowledge, who cycle to Leinster House every day and we do not use dublinbikes but rather we use our own bicycles— but I am sure others do too. My apologies to Senator O’Malley.

I also ask for a debate on the university sector. In the past week some issues of great concern which deserve more thorough and comprehensive debate in this House have been raised. I refer in particular to the announcement of the abolition of the National University of Ireland, NUI. This is a rather extraordinary announcement and we need to hear more about the rationale behind it and the justification for it.

I refer to the comments of Peter Sutherland widely reported last week that there should be fewer universities and that university heads should be paid more. I could not agree with this view and I ask for a debate on it. We are seeing a real undermining of the research activity in universities with the announcement by Science Foundation Ireland that it can no longer fund on-line journal access. This is a vital resource for academic research and teaching. I will be writing to Science Foundation Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and the Minister asking for an answer. Academics in Trinity College and librarians across the universities have raised this issue with all the university Senators because it is such a serious matter. A denial of access to on-line journals will have a crippling impact on the ability to research effectively. I am aware that librarians are in negotiation with publishers about this but we need an answer from the Minister on this issue.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) and the Law School, Trinity College jointly hosted a conference entitled “Rape Law: Victims on Trial?” in Dublin Castle on Saturday January 16th 2010. The conference marked the 30th anniversary of the DRCC.

To access the powerpoint version of my paper "Separate Legal Representation in Rape Trials", which was given at the conference, please click on the following link:

www.ivanabacik.com/wp-content/uploads/Bacik_Rapelaw_ppt_16jan10[1][1].ppt

To read the report in full, please click on the following link:

http://www.oireachtas.ie/viewdoc.asp?fn=/documents/Committees30thDail/J-JusticeEDWR/Reports_2008/20091105.pdf

 Press Release

Independent Senators David Norris and Ivana Bacik today held a well-attended press conference at 11.00am on Thursday 16th April 2009 in the Earl of Kildare Hotel, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

The purpose of this press conference was to confirm their support for the principle that embryonic stem cell research should be permitted, subject to legislation and regulations which would protect clinicians, researchers, donors, patients and the embryo and the economy.

The two Independent Senators have issued a joint statement saying that while they welcome recent advances in the experimental use of adult stem cells they also agree with the overwhelming consensus among the medical and scientific community which is that embryonic stem cell research offers immense potential for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders in particular, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Ireland needs legislation to regulate the carrying out of this research, in line with the recommendations of the Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction in 2005 and the Irish Council for Bioethics in 2008. Both expert bodies recommended a robust legal framework within which embryonic stem cell research would be permitted. They also feel strongly that vulnerable people should be protected from exploitation by the promotion of unrealistic “cures”.

Also in attendance to support the Senators’ press conference were Professor Orla Hardiman, Consultant Neurologist from Trinity College Dublin and Dr. Gavin Davey of the Neuroscience Institute at Trinity College Dublin.