Results 2,121-2,140 of 5,754 for speaker:Gerard Craughwell

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I was forced. I took a pay cut of €8,000 a year to take my seat in the Seanad. I took it. We need to look at our own terms and conditions of employment.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: We need to be brave. I make no apology whatsoever to the public for the job I do. Nobody in the public, apart from the extremely rich, pays class K PRSI contributions. My court case was settled a couple of weeks ago and the councillors that took that case with me were looked after. Ultimately, however, we did not succeed in having class K PRSI banned. It is all very well for us sitting...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I am not afraid to speak on our terms and conditions of employment and if the Leader is brave enough to call a debate on it, I will take it on head on.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: A town in the Leader's good county has decided to remain dry.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: None of us would.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: In fairness, the reporting of the trial that has just ended will deter many young women from coming forward, and that is really sad.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I welcome the Minister of State. Before I get into what I have to say-----

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: -----I have to say the Minister of State's commitment to this issue is honourable. I am not sure where the logjam is, but I believe that the Minister of State wants to solve it. It is important to put this debate on councillors' pay, terms, conditions and employment, or the lack thereof, in context. There is no master-servant relationship. They are not employees. It is the same with the...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: In the same debate, the then Minister of State acknowledged that the annual representational payment was not fully commensurate with the workload of councillors. Having been a local authority member, I am sure that the current Minister of State would agree with that. Indeed, we could not pay them. As my colleague just pointed out, it is a 24-7 job. One councillor told me that he could not...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I realise that the Minister of State, as a Kilkennyman, might have a difficulty kicking a ball. However, what he can do is learn how to kick a ball. If he is not able to kick a ball, then we will give him a hurley and he can play the ball but, for God's sake, he must play the game and start to look after the people who get him elected. In a couple of months' time, when the Minister of...

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I would hate that to happen.

Seanad: Councillors' Conditions: Statements (29 Mar 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: I have placed the Minister of State on the spot. He knows where he stands and what is expected from him. I wish him well as he goes forward.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: Like my colleague, Senator Mark Daly, I would like to mark the passing of Big Tom. I remember him packing dance halls in Seapoint in Galway when I was a boy and later on when I was a man he was still packing them. Now I am a grandfather and he was packing them up until fairly recently. That is some achievement and he will be sadly missed by many people in Ireland. The time has come to...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: In respect of recruitment in the Naval Service, at the moment there are fewer than 20 recruits training out of thousands of applicants. What is wrong? Anecdotal evidence suggests that EU and nationally mandated patrols in Irish waters, which are funded through the EU and the taxpayer, are not taking place because there simply are not crews to man the ships. In the Air Corps, four pilots...

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: That is not true.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: Why are there only five officers running a battalion?

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: It is a disaster.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: It is a disaster.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: We are failing, failing, failing.

Seanad: Order of Business (17 Apr 2018)

Gerard Craughwell: Come on now.