Results 8,221-8,240 of 9,393 for speaker:Alex White

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I am not criticising the Minister for that as he was reading the Bill. I merely suggest that if he did not follow that particular point, it might have been because his mind was on something else. The issue is this. We cannot always expect people, particularly in this modern era, to simply believe Ministers when they say "Trust us".

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Committee Stage (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: What if it were an Independent?

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I did not hear Senator O'Reilly earlier but I am sure he was as lucid and persuasive as ever. I heard and agree with other colleagues' calls for some means by which this House could involve itself in a deeper, more meaningful and useful level of debate, especially with regard to current economic difficulties. Not wanting to be the party pooper, however, I must remind the House that we have...

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Nov 2009)

Alex White: We must get on and just do that. Perhaps the best way to deal with it is to have an all-party motion on the procedures of the House which can be disposed of in Private Members' business or elsewhere and let people put their money where their mouths are on this issue.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Both Nobel prize winners.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Is the Minister five eighths in favour of nationalisation?

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Of course there is an exit route.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: That is the point.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I wish to share time with Senator Ivana Bacik.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: It is true there are no certainties in this matter. There can be no certainty on anybody's part. In particular, the Minister cannot be certain that what he hopes will occur will actually transpire. There can be no certainty associated with the assertion - Senator Boyle spoke about this with some confidence - that matters will come right. None of us can be certain with regard to what is...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: At that time my party argued, in trenchant terms, that there was no requirement to amend the Constitution in order to implement the principal recommendations made in the Kenny report which was published 35 years ago. These issues were canvassed and debated during the lifetime of the last two or three Administrations. It is not satisfactory for those opposite to simply state they are not to...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: -----in respect of how he perceived the position, what he thought would occur in the future, what was the strength and robustness of the banks etc. It was also stated the Government would never nationalise any institution because such a policy would be completely wrong-headed. However, Anglo Irish Bank was then nationalised. Is someone from the Minister's Department already working on the...

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Perhaps that is the case.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: That is interesting. The Minister has anticipated the point I was going to make. We will have the argument on another day as to whether NAMA constitutes a bailout for developers. A good argument can be made to the effect that it does constitute such a bailout, even if only in the context of the delay of which developers will be able to avail.

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I welcome the Minister of State. Prior to the sos, the Minister for Finance was close to agreeing with me. Whereas he certainly would not be prepared to accept that this measure constituted a bailout for developers - a debate we can have another day - he was less concerned, annoyed or irritated with the suggestion made by Senator Ross that it clearly constituted a bailout for the banks....

Seanad: National Asset Management Agency Bill 2009: Second Stage (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: We are entitled to have a Second Stage debate here too.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I am afraid it is not credible to say that by his statement at the weekend the Taoiseach has got himself into the driving seat. The Taoiseach has been in the driving seat for 18 months in this country.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Prior to that, he was in the seat beside the driver as he was in the Department of Finance for an extended period. I am not prepared to go along with the notion that the Taoiseach now has credibility on public sector reform. He just does not have that credibility. There is a cabinet sub-committee that is supposed to be meeting on this issue for the last year and a half, but the Taoiseach...

Seanad: Mortgage and Debt Support Measures: Motion (4 Nov 2009)

Alex White: Even in circumstances where a mistake is made surely the telephone can be switched off. There has been a response on the banking issue. When we talk about people who face or are trapped in negative equity, it is not merely rhetorical for us to point out they cannot sell their house with the benefit of long-term economic value. A person stuck in negative equity who looks to sell to get out...

Seanad: Mortgage and Debt Support Measures: Motion (4 Nov 2009)

Alex White: I welcome the Fine Gael initiative and this motion which my party will support, in content and intention. Senator Boyle said he seeks to minimise the level of disagreement that exists. However, when we look at the amendment we do not see a real engagement with what was tabled by Fine Gael Members. Instead we see this tried and trusted formula, namely, to delete the entirety of what was...