Results 121-140 of 302 for speaker:Noel Harrington in 'Dáil debates'

An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: An Dara Céim (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (19 Jun 2013)

Noel Harrington: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion. Everyone is agreed across party lines and across society that the Seanad is broken. It is not democratic, it is elitist and it has problems. It has required work, decisions and reform throughout the decades. It required an overhaul almost every decade but it got none. Calls for reform got no response despite trying, speaking and...

Hundredth Anniversary of 1913 Lock-out: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (19 Jun 2013)

Noel Harrington: I welcome the opportunity to speak and thank Deputy Higgins and the other signatories for putting down this motion. The 100th anniversary of the 1913 Lock-out is an appropriate opportunity to reflect on a tumultuous period in our history, which could be tied to many historic events, culminating with the end of hostilities in the Civil War in 1922. It could be argued that we still live with...

Fines (Payment and Recovery) Bill 2013: Second Stage (25 Sep 2013)

Noel Harrington: I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak on this Bill. The main provision of this Bill is to allow the courts - not the Government, the Dáil or any Department - to attach a fine handed down to the convicted person's pay cheque. Typically, that should be a wage. It will also provide more accountability to the fines process. We have listened for years about how we continue to...

Freedom of Information Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I very much welcome the opportunity to speak on the Freedom of Information Bill 2013. As we are all aware, it seeks to reverse much of the regressive, sinister legislation that was introduced by the former Minister, Charlie McCreevy, in 2003 which restricted the 1997 legislation that had been introduced by the rainbow Government. It is interesting to note that, internationally, the very...

Road Traffic (No. 2) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (3 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I wish to share time with Deputies O'Mahony and Walsh. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I recognise that the Bill is part of a progression building on successful legislation introduced in recent years, which has led to a dramatic reduction in fatalities on our roads. The greatest challenge the Government and the Road Safety Authority, RSA, face is complacency. It...

Topical Issue Debate: Dáil Reform (8 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this issue. I acknowledge and thank the Taoiseach and his Government for laying an important referendum on fundamental Oireachtas reform before the people. Our first action in the Chamber should be to respect the people's decision fully. We should also acknowledge that the referendum debate opened up issues other than that which was on the...

Topical Issue Debate: Dáil Reform (8 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I welcome the Taoiseach's comments and, in particular, his words about the presentation of heads of a Bill before committees. That alone would provide an invaluable opportunity to Deputies and Senators on all sides, and civic society, to be free to express their ideas on the heads of a Bill. It would ultimately lead to a more consultative, less adversarial approach to legislation. It would...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I apologise to the Minister of State for stopping him in such a flow. Everything he says is correct. I am pleased to have a chance to speak for four minutes on budget 2014. The three main objectives of this budget are: to continue to correct the public finances, to continue to create more jobs, and to support hard-working families on average incomes which have given the most since this...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: We are creating 3,000 jobs per month when not that long ago we were losing 7,000 jobs. There are progressive measures within this budget that, I believe, will help constituencies such as mine, Cork South-West-----

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: -----and south Kerry, and they should be supported.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: There are measures that will help tourism. The retention of the 9% VAT rate should have the-----

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: Absolutely.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: There is also the abolition of the tax on flights. This afternoon Ryanair confirmed that it hopes to create 1,000 jobs in the airports around the country. That must be welcomed. Equally, there is a need to welcome the progressive measures that will help the small construction players. Those in every part of the country will derive benefit from the tax rebates on small renovation jobs of...

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: It was a national pyramid scheme and Deputy Mattie McGrath did not even know he was in it.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: He did not even know he was in it. All they could do was pump more money into it. They saw a problem, threw taxpayers' money at it and walked away as happy as Larry.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: It does not work anymore. It cannot work like that. The economy Fianna Fáil inherited in 1997 was one that was functioning based on production, based on work, and based on initiative and reward, and the party blew it. We must get back there again. It gives nobody any pleasure to take €2.5 billion but one does it in the fairest way.

Financial Resolutions 2014 - Financial Resolution No. 8: General (Resumed) (16 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: We have had enough of the mock outrage.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I wish to share time with Deputy Deasy.

Local Government Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: It is an honour to speak on the Second Stage of the Local Government Bill. I was a member of Cork County Council from 1999 to 2011. I served as a member of the Southern Health Board until its dissolution. I served on the South West Regional Authority and also chaired that body. While I accept much of what Deputy Calleary has said, it is predicated on the idea that local government...

Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (24 Oct 2013)

Noel Harrington: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013 and in addressing the Bill it is important to provide at least some elements of context. In a budget adjustment of greater than €2.5 billion, it is clear that for a spending Department such as the Department of Social Protection, which has an annual expenditure of approximately €20 billion, the idea...