Results 601-620 of 891 for speaker:John Minihan
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Be it in business or appointing directors to companies, there is a system whereby people apply according to their knowledge, experience and suitability. People approach them and ask if they would serve on the boards of various companies. That is how it should be vis-Ã-vis an executive authority, that is the Government, making the same types of approaches, and that is how it must be. If we go...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: ââwe will reduce the quality of people serving on State boards. I believe that efforts are made to make sure that people have the knowledge and experience and are suitably qualified. Should people be appointed who do not meet those criteria? Senators can and should question such appointments.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: What about all the interruptions?
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Senators made points about prison visiting committees. It is not long since we debated a Fine Gael motion and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, clearly outlined the changes he was making in selections for those committees. I challenge the other side of the House on this matter. The Minister has made changes and he has not subscribed to the Fine Gael notion of...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I thank those people from business and commercial enterprise who have made themselves available to serve in the interest of the country on State boards. We owe them a dept of gratitude. The motion is a disservice to the many decent people who serve on State boards. We should all be careful about what we say about them. For that reason I am happy to support the amendment tabled by the...
- Seanad: Garda Síochána Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I join previous speakers in welcoming the Minister, Deputy McDowell, to the House and thanking him for introducing the Bill here. He has spent a lot of time approaching the Bill in an open and consultative manner, and the fruits of those endeavours are seen in the cross-party support for the initiative he has taken. Two main objectives of the Bill are to reform the legislative structure...
- Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I might join the Senator on his side.
- Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Seanad and placing on record the views of the Department of Education and Science. It is interesting that some of the previous speakers were critical that there was not going to be a speech from the Minister of State, and I hope they will take time to read it, as it might address some of their concerns.
- Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: The motion was tabled in the hope that it would afford Members of the House an opportunity to make known their views, which, it is to be hoped, the OECD review group would consider and take on board. I welcome the fact that the motion has not been opposed, but I am somewhat disappointed that many Members, particularly in the Opposition, did not avail themselves of the opportunity to speak to...
- Seanad: Higher Education: Motion. (3 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I move: That Seanad Ãireann: ânoting that the aim of the Lisbon Agenda is to make Europe the world's most dynamic knowledge based economy, âconscious of Ireland's objective of placing the Irish education system in the top rank of the OECD in terms of both quality and level of participation, and âanxious to maintain quality, responsiveness and competitiveness as a priority in higher...
- Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. There appears to be much rhetoric and hot air tonightââ
- Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: Senator Higgins was quite good at it too.
- Seanad: Dormant Accounts: Motion. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: There were also some nice comments about my party and I heard them with interest. In the course of this debate, phrases such as status quo were used and it was suggested that the status quo should be maintained. However, the status quo has changed. When this fund was established, people thought it would amount to approximately â¬30 million. While I can understand the political concerns of...
- Seanad: Competition Authority Report: Statements. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: He still is.
- Seanad: Competition Authority Report: Statements. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: I join previous speakers in welcoming the Minister of State to the House. It is nice to be following Senator Ross and his admission to being a former stockbroker and parasite.
- Seanad: Competition Authority Report: Statements. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: I presume that open confession is the main comment that will emerge from this debate.
- Seanad: Competition Authority Report: Statements. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: We should read the full title of this report and acknowledge that it is a preliminary report and consultative document which is the start of period of consultation. I hope we will not be carried away by the contents of this report and the negativity in certain parts of it. Instead we should use it as a platform from which to move forward in an effort to improve the insurance industry. I am...
- Seanad: Competition Authority Report: Statements. (25 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: I am worried now.
- Seanad: Civil Registration Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: Before we proceed, I would like to say something about section 19 in general, in light of what previous speakers have said. Section 19 imposes the primary obligation to register on the parents, but in many instances involving assisted reproduction or surrogacy there is a problem defining who are the parents of the legal entity. The Bill, in various sections, refers to "the mother". What...
- Seanad: Civil Registration Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (18 Feb 2004)
John Minihan: If we are to take on board the statistics given out earlier regarding one third of births, this reality must be faced up to. Many inquiries and investigations will be set up to establish who is who. Would it not be simpler if in the registration documentation it was covered by starting with the genetic mother and moving on to the gestational or intended social mother? If that was signed off...