Results 241-260 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

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

Michael McCarthy: And Deputy Bertie Ahern.

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

Michael McCarthy: Senator Norris's contribution is akin to saying theft should not be theft because robbers will always steal.

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

Michael McCarthy: This motion is about retaining the current election spending limits. It also asks the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to introduce legislation to regulate expenditure in the period leading up to the calling of an election. There is nothing unfair about this. A reasonable person would not disagree with it. The reason there is so much opposition to the motion on the...

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

Michael McCarthy: Let us look at some of the points raised by the statistics from the election campaign. Fianna Fáil spent more than €3.5 million in the formal three weeks of the campaign.

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

Michael McCarthy: It is fair to assume that at least €1 million was spent prior to it. Every time one went into a town or city there were pictures of the Taoiseach draped on buildings.

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

Michael McCarthy: There was massive newspaper advertising. It is incorrect to assert there was minimal or no newspaper advertising. On the Easter weekend prior to the election the Irish Independent carried a big, thick supplement which was a Fianna Fáil publication. That is massive investment in newspaper promotion of Fianna Fáil.

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

Michael McCarthy: Of course. The point is that not one cent of that expenditure was accounted for. The Government was aware of this and took advantage of the situation.

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

Michael McCarthy: Market research is probably the most expensive part of an election campaign. Fianna Fáil deployed massive resources in this area. It is not unreasonable to suggest that for the year prior to the election Fianna Fáil was campaigning holus-bolus.

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

Michael McCarthy: In case Senators are hard of hearing or missed the point, not one brown cent was accounted for. Where is the accountability and transparency? Let us not forget that it was the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, who said spending at election time was not important. It is crucial. In many cases it can influence the result, about which there is no doubt....

Seanad: Order of Business. (19 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: Yesterday, having perused the Brennan and Prospectus reports on the reform of the health service, I was taken aback at the level of accountancy they contain. I ask the Leader to obtain an assurance from the Minister for Health and Children that this will not impact on hospitals in peripheral areas.

Seanad: Council Regulation on Procedures for amending the Sirene Manual: Referral to Joint Committee. - Health Service Reform: Statements (Resumed). (25 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: I wish to share time with Senator Norris.

Seanad: Council Regulation on Procedures for amending the Sirene Manual: Referral to Joint Committee. - Health Service Reform: Statements (Resumed). (25 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the fact that we have been given an opportunity to discuss these important reports. It is a sign of the way in which the House has evolved that it is the first Chamber in which they are being debated.

Seanad: Military Neutrality: Motion. (25 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Roche. The Convention on the Future of Europe is an extremely complex undertaking. The main issues in the constitutional treaty will be defence and the section dealing with the social economy, as opposed to a neo-liberal model masked under proposals for labour market flexibilities. The Government, in the Intergovernmental Conference, may well roll back...

Seanad: Military Neutrality: Motion. (25 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: While I respect everybody's point of view in this regard, this is not the way to go about it.

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: I want to raise the issue of the two reports published yesterday dealing with the financing of long-term care for the elderly, that is, the expenditure review of the nursing home subvention scheme, and the study of future financing of long-term care. These are comprehensive reports which point to a number of issues and technicalities relating to this area. One indicates that the number who...

Seanad: Order of Business. (26 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: That is outrageous.

Seanad: Opticians (Amendment) Bill 2002 [ Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil ] : Report and Final Stages. (26 Jun 2003)

Michael McCarthy: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Lenihan, for coming to the House. I commend him for his far-sighted vision on this Bill.

Seanad: Order of Business. (2 Jul 2003)

Michael McCarthy: In the light of recent announcements regarding job losses and the alarming rate at which we learn of companies and organisations going to the wall, I ask the Leader to bring the Tánaiste into the House to explain the situation. In recent days 50 jobs were lost in Macroom, County Cork when a well established bakery unfortunately ceased operations. We want the Tánaiste to tell us the reason...

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements. (2 Jul 2003)

Michael McCarthy: A bruising first half.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements. (2 Jul 2003)

Michael McCarthy: Who was that?