Results 841-860 of 1,683 for speaker:Derek McDowell

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: It is not parliamentary democracy. One either represents taxpayers or one does not.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: The Senator will tell local councillors throughout the country that he did the business by them when in fact in 45 minutes he will vote to abolish their role on health boards. I cannot see how that can be called democratic.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: It is parliamentary democracy À la Fianna Fáil.

Seanad: Health (Amendment) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: I suspect I have more sympathy with the purpose of the Bill than most of colleagues who have spoken. There are genuine difficulties with local health boards and the way in which they have discharged their duties over the years. I do not lay the blame specifically or exclusively at the health boards' door because they have an impossible job. They have been asked to administer a system and be...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: I concur with Senator O'Toole's remarks regarding compellability legislation, which we are to see tomorrow. There is a clear issue of separation of powers here. We are aware of the reasons why the legislation must be changed but there are possible constitutional implications in that change. While we understand the reason this legislation is being proceeded with fairly quickly, it would not do...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: ——that this is a positive measure even though it is a back-handed acknowledgement of our failure to date to address this issue. That decision also raises an issue worthy of debate in this House, namely, the funding of universities in general as it clearly will have implications in that regard. There have been indications in recent years that some of the colleges have moved to increase...

Seanad: Business of Seanad. (20 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: I refer first to the decision yesterday by EU Commissioner David Byrne to in effect allow the sale of genetically modified foods in Europe, specifically a form of genetically modified sweetcorn. Two issues arise in this area, the first being the decision itself and the second the manner in which it was taken. To put it very mildly, it is unfortunate that the decision was taken by the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: I endorse and support the proposal made by the leader of the Fine Gael Party in the House, Senator Brian Hayes. This is the first opportunity the House has had to discuss, however briefly, the interim report of the Commission on Electronic Voting. It is important that we should give it a good deal more time than that which is proposed. It is clear that we should be told in advance whether the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (5 May 2004)

Derek McDowell: It is unacceptable, frankly, that he chose to treat those who asked reasonable questions almost as technophobes or Neanderthals. We know that he was wrong, so he should pay the price. While there can be a tendency for Opposition Members to ask for resignations and the heads of Ministers more quickly than we should, I think that in a similar instance in any other jurisdiction, the Minister in...

Seanad: Twenty-seventh Amendment of the Constitution Bill 2004: Second Stage (Resumed). (30 Apr 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am interested to hear the Minister's aside about horses being ready to bolt. Some of the comments made today and in the other House seek to convey the impression that somehow or other, there is a tidal wave of immigration or of people looking to exploit our law and our Constitution to gain Irish citizenship for children who will, at some point in the future, exploit it and perhaps come to...

Seanad: Disabilities Bill: Motion. (28 Apr 2004)

Derek McDowell: I agree with much of what Senator Leyden said and I want to address a couple of the points he made. He stated this issue has slipped down the list of political priorities in the sense that it has not been mentioned at any length in either House in recent months. It is approximately one year since my party put down a Private Members' motion in the Lower House on it. The reason is that there...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I endorse what Senator O'Toole said, which makes sense and repeats what we said earlier. I am now more confused than I was ten minutes earlier about the legal structure of the ESOP. Section 7, as I now understand it, allows for a certain power and confirms the power the Minister already thought he had to set up an ESOP. It provides that one or more such scheme may be established. I am not...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is there a separate legal structure with separate membership?

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Does the existing trust continue?

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: One can, if one is a member of the Fianna Fáil Party in County Clare, apparently.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Sadly, this amendment demonstrates the regrettable ambivalence of Fine Gael on the whole issue. The party is effectively saying we can sell off Aer Lingus but should seek to maintain the slots at Heathrow Airport. That argument is not made in the real world. The major assets which, I suspect, any likely purchaser of Aer Lingus would want are the Heathrow Airport slots, which are very...

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Will the Minister of State reassure Senator Dooley about the Shannon stopover if the Government sells off Aer Rianta?

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I am anxious that Fianna Fáil in County Clare should be aware of the situation.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: I understood the Minister of State was of the opinion that this section would have retrospective effect. Is that the case? Can it be clarified that the Minister continues to have the power to issue shares? The wording is not very clear to me.

Seanad: Aer Lingus Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (25 Mar 2004)

Derek McDowell: Is the power provided for the Minister under section 7 intended to be retrospective? I understood from the Minister of State's comments that the section was intended to cure any possible ambiguity about the power of the Minister to create previous ESOPs.