Results 61-80 of 1,596 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Mick Wallace

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: That is allowed. I do not have a problem with that.

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I have not been at one of those for a while. Last night the Minister, Deputy Howlin, seemed to have a problem with the divergence of opinion on these benches as to what we should do with the Seanad. He criticised us for not thinking the same way. It is a strange notion that we should all behave like sheep or sing of the same hymn sheet even though we were elected as Independent Deputies....

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I completely agree with Deputy Stagg that it is outrageous to take power away from Parliament by appointing unelected members to quangos and paying them too much money, although we probably would not agree on much else. Most of us will agree that the House is in need of reform. The general consensus is that it does not function like a Parliament and it would be healthier if it was reformed....

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: God bless us, is that all?

Government and Oireachtas Reform: Motion (Resumed) (1 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: The people who are elected to local government should be given decision making powers so they can be responsible to voters. The way local government is funded is madness. Insufficient funds are made available and we have one of the weakest systems of local government and the most centralised government in western Europe, which is to the detriment of society. I agree with the proposal to...

Order of Business (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: For the record, Deputy Ellis will be delighted to hear that the grouping with the highest percentage of females in this Parliament is the Technical Group, with a figure of 25%.

Dáil Reform: Statements (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I wish to comment on what Deputies Tuffy and Anne Ferris said. The HSE and the National Roads Authority have grown into monsters and are out of control. The Government cannot tell them what to do anymore; they are not answerable. It would be great if this Government brought power back to the House. I agree with what Deputy Stagg said about quangos, as I did last night. This notion of...

Dáil Reform: Statements (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I was constantly pushed towards consultants who were required to do this and that. The decision-makers are reneging on their responsibilities. In case there is trouble later on they want to be able to say they made the decision on the basis of a report by such and such a consultant. Local authorities must take power back into their own hands and make the decisions in these matters. A...

Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: Question 3: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views that the shooting dead by Israeli security forces of at least 13 civilians during the Nakba Day protests was heavy-handed; if he will be raising the issue with the Israeli Ambassador in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14103/11]

Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: The human rights organisations, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have called on Israel to launch a thorough and independent inquiry into the killings of the protestors. The Middle East director for Human Rights Watch, Sarah Lee Whitson, stated: "In a too-familiar pattern, Israeli troops responded to stone-throwing youths with live bullets, with predictably deadly consequences......

Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: The notion that kids who throw stones could end up dead is unacceptable. If riots in Dublin resulted in two deaths, the reports would be all over the world's media and there would be uproar. Does the Tánaiste not think he should express to the Israeli ambassador his disquiet over the death of 13 or 14 people?

Human Rights Issues (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: Ireland has been famous for its neutrality for a long time. We were right to agree with the imposition of sanctions against Syria, even though some people might think I would not favour that. However, I still do not understand why the Israeli ambassador has not been spoken to by the Government to express our disquiet because what happened is unacceptable.

Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: Does the Tánaiste agree that the attack on Libya has gone on much longer than anticipated? President Obama said it would be a matter of days but it is now into months. Imposing sanctions on Syria is surely a better approach than bombing, as they are doing with Libya. We would all like to see the end of the Gadaffi regime, as we would with many leaders in that region. I am not convinced...

Foreign Conflicts (2 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: Can I go too?

Commemorative Events (7 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: With regard to history, there is a good chance that the planning permission for the Carlton project will run out before the project is financially viable again. In the case of this happening, would the Government consider putting a preservation order on the area and thereby force a scaling back of the Carlton project, which was a little on the grotesque side in the first place?

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I agree very much with some of the points made by Deputy Ross with regard to abuses of the system in place, and there is little doubt there has been a culture of abuses in this country for a long time. However, some interesting research carried out in Britain last year showed for 2009 that social welfare fraud amounted to between £1.5 billion and £2 billion, which is a lot of money, but it...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: It is easier to lift blocks at six than at 60.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: I hope the Deputy will defend him again at that stage.

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: No.

Spent Convictions Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (8 Jun 2011)

Mick Wallace: The Bill is definitely welcome and will certainly improve how we run the country. The idea that the Irish will embrace the notion of forgiveness is to be welcomed also because, at the moment, it does appear that we are a pretty unforgiving lot. If a person commits a crime we punish him, but the principle behind such a punishment was, first, to deter reoffending and, second, to rehabilitate...