Results 261-280 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask that the Minister be specific on these issues. It is only by his doing so that we can persuade farmers there is no link between the Lisbon treaty and the WTO round and that the Government will act in their interest in the negotiations.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: Last week I spoke about the latest round of trade negotiations at the World Trade Organisation, especially regarding agriculture. I stated that Ireland currently has a veto and that it will continue to have one after the Lisbon treaty referendum. The European Commission has since confirmed that position, even though the Government has been slow to state its position and whether it would use...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I quoted from the Libertas press release "Government and Commission lying over WTO veto". I stated that if anyone is lying it is Libertas which has given out misinformation on abortion and the 12.5% tax rate. It is an organisation which has serious question marks over its sinister nature when we read The Irish Times today. Declan Ganley is in no position to interpret the Lisbon treaty for...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I accept this. The word was provoked by the wording of the Libertas press release. We can talk about misinformation or misleading information and this is the essence of my statement.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I wish to follow up on the point made by Senator O'Toole with regard to the request by Deputy Finian McGrath for the President to intervene in the ——

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: He is an Independent Deputy. The basis of that request is to identify the constitutional implications of the Lisbon treaty. It will not be passed by the Oireachtas but by the people in a referendum. As constitutional issues are decided by the people, it is a ludicrous request in some respects and should be dismissed with the contempt it deserves. Senator O'Toole's point that no...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——Viking, Rüffert and other cases. Many of these cases turn on the facts particular to them. Citing them ignores the fact that the majority of workers' rights have emanated from Europe, and many from the European courts. These include equal pay and opportunity, health and safety at work, protection of workers in insolvency situations and the rights of part-time workers. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: There is a social clause in the Lisbon treaty and, as I have mentioned, there is a protocol on services of general economic interest. In international agreements unanimity is still required for any of those services concerning health, education or social matters. The situation is covered in the Lisbon treaty and where that argument is drummed up to support the "No" vote it is not well-founded.

Seanad: WTO Negotiations: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I congratulate the Minister on his appointment. I look forward to working with him in this House. The Minister's outline of the existing position regarding the WTO ignores the questions raised in this House and the issue signalled to the Leader that Members required to be addressed. It is not a question of vetoing the WTO as it stands; it is a question of backing up one's words about...

Seanad: Order of Business (22 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Leader agreed last week to a request that we would have clarification on the WTO agreement, on whether the Government accepted it had a veto and whether it was prepared to use it in the case of the farm sector not being adequately safeguarded and protected in the World Trade talks. He assured the House that the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food would give a clarification and...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I second Senator Coghlan's proposal to amend the Order of Business to discuss consumer issues. This is a highly important matter both in respect of consumer protection and of the competitiveness of our economy. I also refer to the Civil Partnership Bill because I was involved in the debate in this House attended by the then Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan....

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I question whether the Government can be trusted on this and other issues. I wish to make one point on the statement made by the Taoiseach on the failure of Fine Gael and the Labour Party to pull their weight on the Lisbon treaty. This was a most unfortunate comment. The Taoiseach had an opportunity to be a statesman in respect of the Lisbon treaty. For some months, Deputies Enda Kenny and...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: Are amendments being taken in groups?

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: Senator Alex White has made a strong case in regard to this provision. If digital recording is being introduced and the District Court represents phase three of its roll out, a case can be made at that juncture to delete the provision. However, the requirement could provide for a healthy level of discipline given that most aspects of the law are administered in the District Court. It is...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: It would be useful if the Minister of State could indicate the motivation behind these amendments.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: On the same issue, the current provisions in the Landlord and Tenant Acts are designed to provide for renunciation of a long-term lease prior to a lease for offices would be entered into. That provision has worked well and it is intended that it be extended to all commercial lettings, if I understand the motivation for the amendment, but we are deleting the words "prior to entering into a...

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: This aspect must be looked into further and I reserve the right to table an amendment on Report Stage. I accept that the explanation is helpful. Where it is a relieving provision I do not see any problem with retrospective legislation in this connection but it requires more examination and we will deal with it on Report Stage.

Seanad: Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2006: Committee Stage (27 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I welcome the Minister of State's proposal to replace the words "severe hardship" with "undue hardship". It was one of the main concerns raised on Second Stage in the discussions in this and the Lower House. There is still concern that the board does not have the discretion that the Minister of State suggests it has. This may be resolved through the relevant statutory instrument. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I wish to express my surprise at the Leader's outburst yesterday following an appeal from this side of the House that Members avoid criticising each other for what they are doing in the referendum campaign on the Lisbon treaty. It was similar to the Taoiseach's response when Deputy Enda Kenny made a similar appeal. He remarked that Fine Gael and the Labour Party should crank up their...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2008)

Eugene Regan: I wish to follow up on what has been said regarding the Lisbon treaty. A new element has been introduced by an organisation, Cóir, relating to the primacy of EU law. Reference has been made by this organisation to a declaration 17 of the Lisbon treaty, which reiterates the existing position on the primacy of EU law. This is what we signed up to when we joined the European Union in 1973....