Results 2,721-2,740 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: Did it set off the volcano?

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: There is a need for a debate on banking because it is going to take the equivalent of the extra interest being paid by 500 householders this year to give Mr. Boucher his pension top-up. Small to medium-sized enterprises across the country are being destabilised because of bank lending policy. Elderly shareholders in the two major banks bought shares to protect their pension incomes in their...

Seanad: Order of Business. (20 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: We know the Senator is not God.

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: There is unanimity in this House that we need to bring forward legislation as quickly as possible to prohibit female genital mutilation. The only issue is that the Minister of State, in the course of her speech, did not seem to hit on the problems preventing this legislation from being passed urgently in the way we expected. She spoke of culturally sensitive issues that we must discuss...

Seanad: Female Genital Mutilation Bill 2010: Second Stage (21 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: The message must not go out that we are somehow approaching this as a culturally sensitive issue. This is mutilation of young women and it is nothing more than a barbaric practice that must not be accepted in this country. The message must go out from these Houses that it is unacceptable and if there is any reason for a delay in dealing with it, it is because there are some complications...

Seanad: Order of Business. (22 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: While we should all welcome the fact that Mr. Boucher has responded to public anger in regard to his pension by saying he will not now exercise the option of retiring at the age of 55 years, we should have in the House a serious debate on the issue, in respect of which the Government has fared very badly. It is clear that the Taoiseach said he could do nothing about the matter legally and...

Seanad: Death of President of Poland: Expressions of Sympathy. (22 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: It was a great tragedy for the Polish people to lose their President in such a sad manner. On behalf of Fine Gael, I extend our sympathy to the families and friends of the late President, Mr. Lech Kaczynski; his wife, Maria, and all of the officials, military leaders and dignitaries who were on board the flight on that fateful day. It is made more poignant by the fact that they were due to...

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I wish to share time with Senator O'Toole.

Seanad: Women's Participation in Politics: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach for allowing me to speak. I wish to make a few brief comments. Some 30 years ago medicine, the profession in which I am involved, was as male dominated, as macho and with as long hours as politics today. Some aspects of medicine have changed quite radically. Surgery is still very much male dominated with long hours and with the same macho culture but other...

Seanad: Banking: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: It is interesting that when the Minister of State came off script he mentioned the issue of moral hazard. He clearly started to play the man rather than the ball. In his comments, the Minister of State was clearly referring to Senator Regan and Goldman Sachs. That is rather unfortunate considering that in the speech he has just delivered, the Minister of State made no reference to the...

Seanad: Banking: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: There is a big difference between tax on a tractor and the €54 billion mess about which we are talking.

Seanad: Banking: Statements. (27 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: The Senator could have used a better example than that.

Seanad: Order of Business. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: The news that a eurozone country has seen its rating, regarding the repayment of loans, reduced to junk bond status is incredibly serious for eurozone economies. Following from what Senator Donohoe said yesterday, I call for an urgent debate on the euro. We must look at the future of the currency and the impact it will have on the economy, events outside our control and our ability to...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I move amendment No. 1: In page 15, subsection (4)(b), line 24, after "Minister" to insert the following: "following consultation with the relevant all party Oireachtas Committee". This is a fairly straightforward amendment, which should be accepted by the Minister. It broadens the democratic process in that a joint Oireachtas committee would have a say in what goes on.

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I move amendment No. 2: In page 17, lines 29 to 44, to delete subsections (2) and (3). Section 9(1) sets out how this will operate while section (2) basically states the Minister can change his mind in this regard. It is a rather unusual way for legislation to be enacted.

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I move amendment No. 4: In page 24, subsection (2), line 9, to delete paragraph (b). The section states that a member of the board of Inland Fisheries Ireland shall cease to hold office, or is disqualified from office, if he or she makes an arrangement with creditors. That seems to be fairly harsh. Does that mean that if somebody is unable to pay his or her mortgage and his or her house is...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: The Minister of State's explanation shows that I have a poor understanding of the Bankruptcy Act as I still do not have the foggiest notion who is covered by the provision.

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I hope we will not have to give a broader opinion on it. According to the Minister of State, the provision will not apply to individuals who may have to renegotiate their mortgages but are not deemed to be bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Act.

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: I move amendment No. 5: In page 24, subsection (1), line 26, after "Minister" to insert ", with the approval of Dáil Éireann,". The amendment proposes to improve accountability to the Oireachtas in respect of the legislation by providing that the Minister secure the approval of the Dáil or relevant Oireachtas committee before removing a member from the board. This will allow people to...

Seanad: Inland Fisheries Bill 2009: Committee Stage. (28 Apr 2010)

Liam Twomey: Notwithstanding the Minister of State's positive aspirations for my future, legislation should improve accountability to the Oireachtas, rather than increasing the powers of the Executive. Since the foundation of the State, the Executive has wielded all power. Even if the Fine Gael Party is in power following the next general election, we would like powers over legislation and its...