Results 101-120 of 121 for going forward speaker:Paddy Burke

Seanad: Tourism Industry: Statements (25 Mar 2009)

Paddy Burke: ...as Minister with responsibility for tourism. There is great scope for promoting Ireland and for increasing tourism. However, we are falling down in many areas. Many new initiatives could be put forward. I question some aspects of the work of Fáilte Ireland. Some areas which could be promoted are not being promoted. The tourism authority has fallen down in respect of aspects that it...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Dáil]: Second Stage (24 Mar 2009)

Paddy Burke: ...Senator O'Toole said, this is media driven. The kernel of local democracy is the election of ordinary, local people. I agree with Senator Walsh that we must simplify this legislation. This is a golden opportunity to do so. The Bill is not simple; it is very complicated. We have seen much debate over recent weeks about the Seanad and what it does and does not do. There is a good...

Seanad: National Insulation Programme: Motion (18 Feb 2009)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the opportunity to speak briefly on this motion. While I welcome that the Government has decided finally to do something about conserving energy, I cannot congratulate it on what it has done so far. The Government is almost two years in office, almost as long as the Government of 1995-1997 led by the former Deputy John Bruton. When one considers what that Government did compared...

Seanad: Report of Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in the EU: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...know what Europe has meant to us in terms of improvements to our roads and water and sewerage systems throughout the country. Also, through our membership of the EU, we have become much more forward-thinking. I listened with interest to many commentators on this issue, including Mr. Ganley and Mr. Ben Dunne who received great air time on Joe Duffy's "Liveline" and on several other shows....

Seanad: Charities Bill 2007: Second Stage (26 Nov 2008)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House and wish him well with the Bill. This is important legislation and I look forward to an excellent debate on Committee Stage. Senator O'Toole is correct that if it becomes necessary to return the Bill with amendments to the Dáil, it will be the better for it. The charities sector needs to be placed on a proper footing. Senator O'Toole referred...

Seanad: Agriculture Sector: Statements (18 Nov 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...a small amount of money by cutting the retirement pension and taking away the installation aid scheme. Such forms of assistance are badly needed by young farmers who have decided that the best way forward for them is to take a risk by going to agricultural college, or availing of some other form of education, with a view to having a career in agriculture on the family farm or some other...

Seanad: Harbours (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (29 Oct 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...for many years and I have noted during that time something that all politicians, be they local or national public representatives, have in common, namely, their vested interest in the greater good. This cannot be said of all segments of society. Unions have vested interests but their vested interests are in respect of their employees, particular groups and so on. By and large, the...

Seanad: Broadband Infrastructure Bill 2008: Second Stage (22 Oct 2008)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I welcome also the opportunity to contribute to the debate on this Bill. There is no need for me to go over the ground covered in excellent speeches on broadband by various Members of the Seanad. It is not the first time that Members of this House have raised the issue of broadband. Senator Ross has raised it on numerous occasions in recent...

Seanad: Transport 21: Motion (21 May 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...new services will come on stream on the train routes from Castlebar, Westport and Ballina to Dublin late this year or early next year. It has been pointed out to me that the new services will not go directly from Westport and Ballina to Dublin but will have to change in Athlone. If that is the case the people travelling from Ballina will have to change at Manulla and Athlone. While...

Seanad: Twenty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (1 May 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...million people. I recall Senator O'Reilly mentioned he remembers his area in a time before EU involvement and after, which I do myself. We had some very dark days and Europe has been particularly good to this country. Travelling around Europe one can see the hand of the European Parliament and the European Commission. There is no way we can vote against this treaty. My party is having...

Seanad: Electoral Commission: Motion (5 Mar 2008)

Paddy Burke: ...job. When the extra funding was provided by the then Minister, Deputy Roche, prior to the previous election, in some cases people went into urban and rural areas who did not know where they were going or what they were doing. A great deal of money was squandered. A better system must be put in place. More efficient use can be made of revenue collectors because they know exactly where...

Seanad: Broadband Access: Motion (12 Dec 2007)

Paddy Burke: ...in the present debate. I compliment Senator Ross and the Independent Senators on tabling the motion. Senator Ross made the point that a very similar motion had been tabled about 12 months ago, and this shows how little has been done since. I am very disappointed at the Government's response to the motion. It should withdraw the amendment because it is an insult to the motion tabled by...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Strategic Infrastructure) Bill 2006: Second Stage (Resumed). (8 Mar 2006)

Paddy Burke: ...or regional authorities would play a significant part in fast-tracking planning applications. However, that does not appear to be the case. From my reading of this Bill, a planning application will go directly to An Bord Pleanála. In my experience as a local authority member, in some cases when new roads were being designed, the local authority identified three to five potential routes....

Seanad: Railway Safety Bill 2001: Report and Final Stages. (23 Nov 2005)

Paddy Burke: ..., particularly in light of the fact that the entire infrastructure of the railway could be opened up for commercial purposes. We have seen that Iarnród Éireann does not want any responsibility, good, bad or indifferent, regarding commercial freight. The Minister of State should accept the amendment, since many people in the country would like to see lorries taken off the roads so that we...

Seanad: Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) Bill 2005: Second Stage. (27 Oct 2005)

Paddy Burke: ...help to address Europe's worsening air traffic problems. Senators are familiar with the delays which are often encountered at this country's airports. We have not been helped in that regard by the Government's delay in making a decision on the construction of a second terminal at Dublin Airport. Air traffic delays are a tiresome burden for passengers, frustrate the expansion and efficient...

Seanad: State Airports: Motion. (20 Apr 2005)

Paddy Burke: I move: That Seanad Éireann —deplores the failure of the Government to take a decision on the development of a second terminal at Dublin Airport; —condemns the Government for its failure to choose a site with optimum capacity for the Airport's future growth; and —notes the failure of the Dublin Airport Authority to provide adequate security protection to the travelling public and to...

Seanad: Water and Sewerage Schemes. (2 Feb 2005)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, to the House, although I thought the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government might have attended the House to take this important matter. I have raised this matter on the Adjournment because it is an important one for the country as a whole, and in particular for towns that are affected by waste water management...

Seanad: Road Network: Motion. (24 Nov 2004)

Paddy Burke: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Killeen, to the House. I support in principle the motion moved by Senator O'Toole. I believe agreement can be found and I hope the Government will allow that to happen by accepting a way forward. The daily capacity of the N3 as originally envisaged was approximately 11,600 cars, but approximately 21,700 cars are travelling on it each day and that will...

Seanad: National Car Testing Service: Motion. (3 Nov 2004)

Paddy Burke: ...made to them by angry people who have been let down by inconsistencies in the system. In most cases, they pertain to small matters. If the Minister of State were to accept the motion being put forward by this side of the House, it would help in this regard. I have come across a few cases that I have not had time to outline in my proposal. The owner of a car whose number plate bulb is not...

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)

Paddy Burke: I, too, welcome the Minister of State. The Government is losing the run of itself in terms of this legislation. The Government has, over the past number of years, completely changed how local authorities perform and should take a closer look at what happened in that regard. The new systems introduced were to make local authorities transparent and more accountable. I do not believe they are...