Results 1,421-1,440 of 1,714 for speaker:John Dardis

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: I am in broad agreement with what is in the legislation. First, it relates to a conviction and second, it specifies the sections in which this may apply – sections 4, 7 and 17. The only place where the sanction may be questionable is section 15, which amends the 1988 Act and states that the holder of a licence shall not allow a person under the age of 21 years to be in a bar if the person...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: It could fall on Good Friday.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The intention behind the Bill is laudable and I do not think anyone would dispute it. It is undesirable for young people to be exploited or be unduly exposed to the drinks trade at an impressionable age. I take the point the Minister has made, which is an important one. In any business, irrespective of whether it is the licensed trade or otherwise, it is important for young people to come...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: —and a young man, whom I suspect was 15 or 16 years old, cleaned the place, set the fire and did all the work that many people might not be inclined to do. He served me a cup of coffee and was extremely courteous. It would be wrong, notwithstanding Senator McDowell's laudable intentions, if that type of introduction to the trade were to be lost, which could be the effect of such an amendment.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: This is relevant to the discussion we had on section 10 in regard to special exemption orders and closing hours. Again, thinking about rural Ireland, it struck me that the argument as to whether closing time should be 10.30 p.m. or 11.30 p.m. was somewhat academic, particularly at weekends. If one holidays in the west of Ireland, on the route from Dublin to, say Newport, County Mayo, there is...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The Senator is misrepresenting me.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The Minister is to be commended for introducing this amendment. I agree that it would be unnecessarily complicated and burdensome to make distinctions among the various age groups. However, I am still concerned about the issue of hotels. The Minister made a distinction yesterday between a bar and eating area and said that if children were in an eating area it was a different matter.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2003: Committee Stage. (19 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: No.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: I agree with much that Senator Ryan had to say but he made some conjunctions which he was not entitled to make or which required a leap of imagination on his part. At this stage everybody on all sides of both House recognises the need for electoral Acts, the Ethics in Public Office Act, that there must be regulation and that we need to know where money comes from and how it is spent. We also...

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The commission kindly wrote to me to advise me about the assigned money. I have not heard from it since, which means that was perhaps the final item of correspondence. I would go much of the way towards agreeing with Senator Ross. What is required is full disclosure of everything contributed. The imposition of an upper limit is problematic, especially for the larger parties which have a...

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The Minister raised several questions in his contribution. I am glad that there is to be a review of legislation. Questions were also asked about the donation disclosure limits and I have dealt with the matter. It is reasonable as a minimum that spending limits on elections reflect inflation. They should not be left at a certain level over a number of years and the legislation should address...

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: It is not right to say that everybody gets their money from large businesses. I accept Senator Ryan's point that all business acts in its own interest purely and simply. Philanthropy does not come into it.

Seanad: Election Expenses: Motion. (18 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: I saw some lovely Fine Gael newspapers.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: We said there should be good access. It is the nature of the access that is at issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (12 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The debate was last night.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The Order of Business today is No. 1, statements on the humanitarian situation in post-war Iraq, to be taken at the conclusion of the Order of Business and to conclude not later than 2 p.m., with the contributions of spokespersons not to exceed 15 minutes and those of all other Senators not to exceed ten minutes, and on which Members may share time, the Minister to be called to reply not...

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: The Progressive Democrats have achieved 50% female participation.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: I will deal with that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: How long do you think this will take, a Chathaoirligh?

Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Jun 2003)

John Dardis: I thank all the Senators for their interventions this morning. Senator Brian Hayes, the leader of the Opposition, moved an amendment which was seconded by Senator O'Toole. Senators Ryan, Bannon, Dooley and Coghlan also spoke about the same issue, the reduction in interest rates by the ECB and the tardiness of the banks in passing on the reduction. There is a important competition issue here....