Results 241-260 of 34,019 for speaker:Pearse Doherty

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: Let Senator Leyden vote with us to save the local hospitals tonight.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: He should press the green button.

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: There has been much discussion about the economy and how it is going into recession. When we face difficult times, we need to invest in our infrastructure. I have called for numerous debates and numerous Senators have called for a debate on what is happening in respect of the national development plan, particularly the areas which have not seen the benefit of the Celtic tiger over the past...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: We need a debate on it. Members of the Labour Party previously raised the topic during Private Members' business but we need a debate, in particular because an international advisory committee has been set up to deal with next generation networks. Countries like Japan are not even looking at next generation, they are looking at next-next generation. We need to catch up fast. There is a...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I am sorry I do not have enough time to go through the issues. However, I reject the Minister's efforts and those of Professor Drumm and other Ministers and colleagues. They are trying to induce a guilt trip in public representatives and local communities when they suggest we are irresponsible in seeking the retention of services at Sligo and Mayo. In the motion we are calling for safe...

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: Okay, but the Minister referred to him many times.

Seanad: Cancer Services: Motion (2 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: He is implementing a Government strategy. That strategy calls for eight centres of excellence. Nobody is arguing for radio-oncology and everything that goes with it in all these centres but eight centres is too few. I attended a public meeting on this which was packed with cancer patients and people who have gone through the system. They are demanding that these centres are kept open. I...

Seanad: Third Level Charges. (3 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I call on the Minister for Education and Science to ensure the proper dispersion of the student services charge by higher education institutions throughout Ireland and to guarantee all the moneys collected through the charge are invested in student services and not used to pay off institutional debt. Almost €1,000 is collected from every third...

Seanad: Third Level Charges. (3 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I acknowledge he mentioned the charge is in place to support students. Can he do anything about the university to which I referred taking more than €3.8 million under this charge during this academic year because of the reduction in the HEA grant, thereby forcing it to use the students' money? Is he prepared to do anything other than ask the...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Leas Cheannaire. An gcuirfidh sé ceist ar an Taoiseach agus ar an Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha an rachfaidh siad i ngleic leis an cheist ó thaobh na himircigh atá sna Stáit Aontaithe, Meiriceá? The Deputy Leader may be aware that, in recent months, there has been an intensification of the imprisonment of undocumented Irish in the United States and of...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I support the amendment to the Order of Business to facilitate inviting the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the House. We are having a debate on the economy tomorrow, which will probably last two hours. We will then head off on our sabbatical, or whatever one wants to call it, for 13 weeks.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: There will be no debate in the Chambers of the Oireachtas.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I ask that the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment be invited to the House today in order that we can debate the subject the rest of the country will be talking about over the summer.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: We will not have an opportunity to have it.

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: Let us have a debate on unemployment today.

Seanad: Housing Market: Statements (8 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: Gabhaim buíochas le Seanadóir Bacik as ucht am a roinnt liom. Tá mé iontach sásta deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an ábhar seo, cúrsaí tithíochta, sa Seanad inniu. The issue of housing is one of the most basic and essential living requirements and a core human right, which has been consistently neglected by the Government. The Government admits good housing is a bedrock of...

Seanad: Economic Policy: Statements (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: It is particularly disappointing that yesterday's much-hyped announcements do not deal with the wider problems the economy faces. Instead, the Government has outlined an extremely limited plan which will not go very far in addressing the unprecedented shortfall in the public finances. Little detail was provided with regard to the Government's announcement that it is seeking to achieve...

Seanad: Hospital Services (10 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I have sought a number of times to have this matter discussed on the Adjournment. I am glad I will today, the last sitting day of the Seanad this session, receive a response from the Department and the Minister's office on the matter. Last week, the people of Donegal heard on a local radio station that Letterkenny General Hospital, owing to budgetary constraints, is to close a 20-bed ward,...

Seanad: Hospital Services (10 Jul 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I thank the Minister of State for his response, which contained nothing new to us. The Minister of State outlined the areas that would not be affected, but the reality is that 20 beds are to be lost from Letterkenny General Hospital and patients who want to avail of treatment as day cases will not be able to do so. The Minister for Health and Children always said that these cutbacks would...

Seanad: Order of Business (30 Sep 2008)

Pearse Doherty: I echo Senator Fitzgerald's call for a proper debate with a question and answer session. All Senators, regardless of their political affiliation or outlook, want to work together to get the economy back on track. While all parties should welcome the Minister's intervention early this morning, its purpose is to protect the banks. We need information on how he intends to protect the citizens...