Results 2,321-2,340 of 7,975 for speaker:Joe Higgins

Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: I must point out for the interests of accuracy that what we objected to last week was the principle of the guillotine on legislation.

Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: Guillotines are being increasingly used. We did point out that the Finance (No. 3) Bill was uncontroversial. It was due to the Government's inefficiency that it could not ascertain the number of speakers for the Bill and have other business rostered.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: A Swedish ship that is part of the humanitarian aid flotilla to Gaza lies crippled in Greece by saboteurs acting in the interests of the Israeli Government. An Irish ship, MV Saoirse, funded by thousands of contributions from people in Ireland, is currently delayed in a Mediterranean port waiting to join the flotilla. In an area half the size of Erris, or two thirds the size of the Dingle...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: As the Taoiseach knows, last year an aid flotilla was attacked and several innocents were massacred. In Leaders' Questions just one year ago, the current Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade bluntly demanded safe passage for the Rachel Corrie, which was at that time making its way to Gaza. Yesterday, however, when Deputy Boyd Barrett and I called on the Taoiseach to publicly...

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: Will the Taoiseach, in a supposedly sovereign Irish Parliament, publicly demand that the Irish citizens and all people attempting to assist the people of Gaza are unhindered in bringing their humanitarian aid to the suffering people in Gaza?

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: What has changed since last year, when the now Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs demanded safe passage for an Irish ship that was bringing aid to the people of Gaza? What the Taoiseach has just said is a disgusting and cowardly capitulation-----

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: -----to pressure from the Israeli Government. It is a disgrace that an Irish Taoiseach would stand up and discourage humanitarians from bringing critically needed supplies to a besieged people.

Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: I ask the Taoiseach again to stand and call for the Israeli Government not to hinder in any way this flotilla, which is bringing critical supplies, as it travels to Gaza. I also ask him to demand of his EU counterparts to get some spine in their bodies, in contrast to the lily-livered statement they issued at the end of the summit in which the Taoiseach participated, merely calling for...

State Visits (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: I will be very brief but the lengthy statement that the Ceann Comhairle allowed Deputy Keating calls for supplementary questions.

State Visits (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: The Taoiseach said the 38,000 articles and other items of publicity concerning the recent visits equated with €300 million in advertising for this State. This amounts to €7,894 per item of publicity. Does the Taoiseach concur that the statement made by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, that caused panic among the sharks in the financial markets and was...

Northern Ireland Issues (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: Question 8: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his plans to visit Northern Ireland. [17273/11]

Northern Ireland Issues (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: Question 9: To ask the Taoiseach if he has received a report on the sectarian clashes in the Short Strand area of Belfast on the 21 and 22 June 2011. [17274/11]

Northern Ireland Issues (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: While there is no question that the UVF was responsible for the recent attack on the Short Strand area, is the Taoiseach aware that the traffic is not all one-way, so to speak? Ongoing sectarian clashes are taking place in areas of the North with individuals and groups in both communities responsible for fomenting the trouble. Unfortunately, the individuals and groups in question are able...

Central Bank and Credit Institutions (Resolution) (No.2) Bill 2011: Second Stage (Resumed) (29 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: My first problem with the Bill - I have many - is the Title. The use of the word "Resolution" in this sense is gobbledygook. Why do we not call it "The Bill to Provide for the Bailout of the Private Banking Sector when it gets into Trouble, Potentially at the Taxpayers Expense"? Section 4, at paragraph (f), is much clearer on the purpose of the Bill. It states: [T]o provide a mechanism to...

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: To be helpful to both the Ceann Comhairle and Deputy Murphy, during my first five years as a Member I had occasion to study thoroughly the relevant chapter of Standing Orders. I noted the Ceann Comhairle is not precluded from calling other Members, although preference is given to parties. It is at the Ceann Comhairle's discretion, which he may exercise occasionally.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: The Ceann Comhairle can make an exception.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: I regret that because Deputy Murphy could have been allowed to contribute by the Chair.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: I do wish to make a point in support, which is essentially the same point made by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, that it is incredible the Government which came in promising all kinds of Dáil reform and new ways of doing business is now trying to ram through the management structures of the Houses of the Oireachtas and exclude 57% of the Opposition. It is wrong and disproportionate and it does not...

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: The Minister should not mislead the Dáil.

Order of Business (30 Jun 2011)

Joe Higgins: There is a huge difference between the JLC protection and ordinary legislation, and the Minister knows it. It is not the same protection by any means. The idea that driving down the wages of low paid workers-----