Results 2,261-2,280 of 6,030 for speaker:Brendan Ryan

Seanad: Order of Business. (15 Dec 2005)

Brendan Ryan: It is Christmas.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I support my colleagues on the issue of Oireachtas privilege. Perhaps in a partisan fashion I will put on the record my admiration for my colleague Deputy Howlin on his courage in pursuing, at considerable hazard to himself, the rights of Members of both Houses.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Senator Higgins withdrew at an earlier stage. I do not want to start the new session on a rancorous note but——

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: We submitted our Private Members' motion last Thursday and I was handed an amendment at 2.30 p.m. today.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: It is a matter for the Cathaoirleach to accept late amendments and I will not argue with his judgment on the matter. I wish amendments we received made sense. The current amendment——

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: On a matter of procedure, the amendment calls on the Government to note the commitment of the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Haste makes for poor drafting and does not facilitate the Opposition. I have no idea why this took so long and simply want to put my view on the record. When we return after a recess, some things change and others do not. Marie Therese O'Loughlin is still outside the gate. Since this matter was last raised, we have learned that contrary to the assertion of the Minister for Education and...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The Department of Education and Science received that letter in April 2005 yet in December 2005 the Minister for Education and Science told us that the Department knew nothing about it. The fundamental issue is that the woman outside the gates of Leinster House was right and the Department of Education and Science was wrong, as it has been wrong consistently on this issue.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: It has delayed and obfuscated over and over again. Either we should have a debate on this issue or the Leader should ask the Minister for Education and Science to accede to the reasonable request of Marie Therese O'Loughlin and include her case in the provisions and brief of the Residential Institutions Redress Board. Otherwise, the Department of Education and Science will be guilty of the...

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: Some 40% are afraid to join a trade union as we saw last week. They would represent 70% if employers did not discriminate against trade unionists.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The Cabinet runs the Seanad.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: There is no independence.

Seanad: Order of Business. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I had a motion down last week to facilitate a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. It is not my fault if the Cabinet decides not to meet until Wednesday.

Seanad: Strategy for Men's Health: Statements. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I rushed up here because I did not realise that I was contributing so soon, but I am a bad example of how men should look after their health. I should probably have proceeded at a more leisurely pace but I was afraid that we would have no speakers. I had not seen that Senator Feeney was present. When it comes to health matters, there is no doubt that men are a dreadful bunch of cowards. They...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I move: That Seanad Éireann calls on the Government to: —develop and extend the registered employment agreements model which gives binding status to agreements reached at sectoral and employment level; —devote increased resources to the labour inspectorate with more effective enforcement and prosecution of offences; —ensure enforcement and Revenue inspection of the sub-contractor and...

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I have another meeting to attend.

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I always know that the Labour Party has raised an issue that makes life uncomfortable when Senator Leyden starts accusing us of playing politics.

Seanad: Employment Issues: Motion. (25 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: The Government had our support in allowing free access to this country for citizens of the accession states. However, we did not support it when it decided to load the dice against them by telling them that they would have no access to social assistance until they had been here for two years, therefore putting them in a non-negotiating position with employers. Happily, and not for the first...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: I second Senator Brian Hayes's amendment to the Order of Business. It is extraordinary that the Government has got the notion that this is the way to deal with the issue. This is not the way we have dealt with the issue of the appointment of an ombudsman in the past. An hour is a reasonable time for debate on the issue. Why will it take 12 months for these three well-qualified people to get...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jan 2006)

Brendan Ryan: There was a report in this morning's newspaper about a person who was arrested and brought to Mountjoy Prison for non-payment of a traffic fine. This involved six gardaí arriving at the house at 6 a.m. I wonder how our police force is organised if a 6 a.m. invasion of somebody's house by six gardaí is the appropriate way to deal with the non-payment of a parking or speeding fine. We need to...