Results 281-300 of 947 for speaker:Aidan Davitt

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I acknowledge the Leader is here to toe the party line and represent his party. I am sure he is delighted to be still sitting where he is after a change of leader and so on and rightly so, because he has been a good and fair performer. Without fear of contradiction, the biggest problem facing our country at present is Brexit and the fallout therefrom. I would be very surprised if anybody...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I have given the Leader leeway by acknowledging he had to toe a certain party line but there was no man like Enda. He was the man, he had to deal with it because he had the contacts and nobody else in this country could look after it by-----

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I am talking through the Chair and I would not interrupt anybody, particularly those in Fine Gael.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I have to be honest about it. The argument was that nobody but the ex-leader of our country could look after the Brexit portfolio because he had the connections in Europe. It was rehashed here on three or four occasions as if it had to be written in stone. When he departed as leader, I waited for the Cabinet reshuffle after which I thought we would have a Brexit Minister, Deputy Enda...

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: It is fully relevant.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I am finishing. I am getting there. If I had not been interrupted I would be long finished.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I am only at the-----

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I will just continue.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Deputy Simon Coveney is now dealing with Northern issues, which is an extremely important portfolio.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: One of the most important issues is Brexit.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: There was a reshuffle. We have now appointed a new Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I am extremely surprised that we could not have made one for Brexit. It was a no-brainer, and it is a missed opportunity.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I ask the Leader to go back to his party leader and discuss it post-haste.

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Like my colleague, I wish to raise a care issue. I appeal to the Leader's compassionate side because we have already gone through all possible channels with the Minister. We know there are problems with the hospitals but this seems to be a very simple issue which is currently causing great distress to a patient. My local Teachta Dála, Deputy Robert Troy, and myself have been working...

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: It would be more in line for Sinn Féin to focus on fixing the problems in the North.

Seanad: National Housing Co-operative Bill 2017: Second Stage (28 Jun 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Sinn Féin has enough on its plate up North.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Atypical Work Permit Scheme: Discussion (4 Jul 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I would also like to thank Ms McGinley, Ms Ryan, Mr. Fleming and the chaps who are present for giving their presentation today. Some of this is really eye-opening. I am from the middle of Ireland and I suppose one could call me a landlubber. We have quite a lot of part-time and seasonal workers in farming and related industries. My general experience is that most of them are treated as...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Aidan Davitt: I wish to raise the same issue raised by Senator Byrne. She made the point quite well. We had a submission this morning from Retail Excellence Ireland on VAT. Irish retailers operate 45,000 business nationwide, employing 300,000 people directly in retail. That is the largest private industry employer in the country. As a consequence, €4 billion of VAT and €1.7 billion of...

Seanad: Order of Business (5 Jul 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Scandalous.

Seanad: Declaration of Independence Day Bill 2017: Second Stage (5 Jul 2017)

Aidan Davitt: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. I commend Senator Swanick on this simple and relevant Bill. I also commend Senator Wilson who was instrumental in bringing it forward. I support the Bill. I listened to Senator Ó Donnghaile and, in fairness, he is always very proactive. It would be a nice idea if we could run with this Fianna Fáil Bill on both sides of the Border. When the...