Results 20,321-20,340 of 24,350 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Seanad: Confidence in Government: Motion (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: The Leader should not heckle.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2011: Statements (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit, an Teachta Mansergh. When I speak in this House, I always seem to get into trouble with some Members. I decided, therefore, not to interject during Senator Butler's contribution.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2011: Statements (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Neither did I want to embarrass my good friend, Senator Coghlan, in the Chair. The calamitous 13 year reign of this Fianna Fáil-led Government is about to end. Senator Alex White referred to this budget as the bookend. The Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, of whom I must say I have become fond, has been an elected and non-elected partner in this roller coaster reign.

Seanad: Budget Statement 2011: Statements (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: I meant as an adviser. To paraphrase the bible, shouts of glee will go up with trumpet blasts when the Taoiseach calls time on this Government. Ireland's current economic position has been greeted with amazement and incredulity abroad. Friends of mine from across the world have e-mailed me wondering if we will be okay in this crisis. It is hard when one sees a great nation reduced as such...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator should not blame the Minister for this. He may be a bad Minister but it is not his fault entirely.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Deputy Gormley may be a bad Minister but he is not alone.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: The truest words uttered by the Cathaoirleach were that Senator Leyden's time is up and that applies to Fianna Fáil as well.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: I join Senators Fitzgerald, O'Toole, Bacik and Hannigan in seeking a debate on education. The OECD report is a damning indictment of the Government's policy and it is important we have a debate. Senator Boyle referred to the pupil-teacher ratio. As bad as it is, it is not the problem. The problem is the Government-----

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: If the Senator listened for a while, he might learn something. The Government has taken away the support structures in schools. When I started out as a teacher, there were 30 students in a class but while I welcomed the attempt to make education all-inclusive with children with intellectual disabilities, Traveller children and children of visitors to our country being added to the mix, the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Senator O'Toole is correct. The support structures are failing and the Government has taken it away.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Members opposite are embarrassed and disappointed by the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Will the Leader facilitate a debate on the failure to implement the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs, EPSEN, Act, the abolition of the rights of individual students and the failure to honour the commitment to the pupil-teacher ratio in the programme for Government?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: The Senator is not back in the Dáil yet.

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: Will the Leader arrange a debate before Christmas on parliamentary democracy?

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: The events of the initial bank recapitalisation underline the fact that the Government has lost the trust and confidence of the people and cannot be believed. The issue is not whether the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, was asleep or what the Government did prior to the weekend before the guarantee was given. It is why it indicated to the people...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: They misled the people and broke trust again. Budget day will bring to an end the argument and the notion that the bill for the recapitalisation of the banks is the cheapest in world history. Instead, it will be the most expensive. It is the people – the gnáth duine, the ordinary man and woman – who will pay for the Government's failure, dereliction of duty, abdication of...

Seanad: Order of Business (7 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: I am asking him questions. I do not want to hear mealy-mouthed platitudes from Members on the other side of the House. We need to see a budget that is fair, equitable and aimed at those who can afford to pay most. That means an awful lot more than just cutting ministerial pay, even though that would be a start. That debate needs to begin out on the hustings with a general election because...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: I join others in calling for a debate on the Central Bank report published yesterday. It is extraordinary that a Government that can cut the minimum wage can allow excessive pay, higher remuneration and bonuses to be given to bankers. That is some indictment of the Leader's Government. Senator Ross was right in saying that we should not be shocked or surprised by that. The bank culture...

Seanad: Tributes to Member of Staff (2 Dec 2010)

Jerry Buttimer: I join my colleagues in paying tribute to Shay Byrne, not only for his work but also for his pleasantness, good manners, good humour and the generous spirit he has shown to all of us. We should also express our appreciation of the good work done by Liam Lynch who will also retire this week. As Senator O'Reilly stated, Liam's pleasantness and good humour are well known. Given the weather...