Results 2,861-2,880 of 4,810 for speaker:Liam Twomey

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Our first responsibility is to the people, both young and old, not to international bondholders and meeting their concerns. That is the reason we are moving towards a consensus approach. Some 440,000 people are unemployed and our fastest growing export is our well educated young people.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Members on the Government side of the House will have been well informed that the public finances are in a parlous state. We have to ask who put us here and what will be the outcome. However, we have to look forward also. If we do not take radical action quickly, we will put the future pensions of the elderly and retired civil servants at stake. The salaries of public servants will also...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: It took three years to write the letter.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Before the Green Party letter was sent last week.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: He will not even get a letter back.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: He should explain it or justify it.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: That is not a justification for his remark.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: If the Green Party had not bounced the Taoiseach into seeking consensus, when was the Minister for Finance going to tell the people about the savage cuts coming down the tracks? The real political challenge for the Green Party and Fianna Fáil in the next seven weeks is to be as honest as possible with the public. For this reason, the Leader must arrange for the Minister and the Taoiseach...

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Bailing out the toxic banks will cost the country at least €1.5 billion every year for the rest of my working life. That is also the cost of keeping accident and emergency departments open.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: I might be working for longer than the Senator thinks. These economic matters have serious consequences for the people. We need to bring to an end the phoney games and begin to offer real figures and have proper discussions on the savage cuts coming down the line.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: I was providing an explanation of where the Government's policies are taking us.

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Does Senator Walsh not recall assertions by those in government that the bank guarantee would cost nothing?

Seanad: Order of Business (19 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Deputy Healy Rae is a great man.

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: The Acting Chairman is very tight.

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: I note the Acting Chairman likes to stick to time so I will do my best to finish on time. I was quite taken by the bloodthirsty suggestions of the Minister of State for dealing with errant financiers. I doubt if it will come to pass but the Minister of State should also bear in mind that it was not just financiers who had difficulty holding on to their heads during the French Revolution....

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: -----and like-minded thinking individuals at the time who also suffered the same fate as the financiers to which the Minister of State referred. I hope he will not be actively encouraging it because his former party leader will be the first person who will be led up to see the blade of the guillotine if that day comes.

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: We have to get him out of the cupboard. That is the way life goes. The economic and banking policy of the Government over recent years has been a combination of wishful thinking and hoping tomorrow will be different. It was not too long after the last general election that we realised dark clouds were forming on the economic front domestically and internationally. It reached its...

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: I am not just referring to the former Taoiseach before he came out of the closet. I am also referring to senior bankers and officials. It angers people when they read reports that because an individual had discussions with a person in the position of Financial Regulator whose competence has been completely discredited, it allows him or her to be immune from prosecution. There is also the...

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: Thank God we are having talks on the economy regularly because I was only getting into my stride. I will take direction from the Chair.

Seanad: Announcement on Banking by the Minister for Finance: Statements (20 Oct 2010)

Liam Twomey: We have a great history of promoting freedom of information and freedom in the media, as the Minister of State well understands.