Results 301-320 of 891 for speaker:John Minihan
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I know it is but an idle dream for Fine Gael to sit on this side of the House but the party should not give up on it.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: No, because I did my job as a councillor and I filled all my potholes.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: A maiden speech. Senator Brian Hayes is obviously deaf as well as blind.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Who have I named?
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Did the Chair say "to defend themselves"?
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I have not engaged in a character assassination of anybody. I have complimented appointments made of people who were suitably qualified.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I have said nothing against which people would want to defend themselves. This motion does some disservice to the body politic and to all of us as politicians. We must realise that we are elected.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: We are elected. The Opposition Senators had their opportunity in the Seanad reform process to change that system had they wished. The Executive is elected to govern and if we continue to erode the body politic by handing over executive functions to a computerised system we do it a disservice.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I fully accept the points made about the suitability, knowledge and expertise of people being appointed to State boards and I suggest to the Opposition Members and the Independent Members who put down this motion that there is ample opportunity for them to challenge any such appointment, to raise the matter and to ask the Government to account for such an appointment. However, we also must be...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: We must be very careful. If we had a system whereby suitable people could apply to put themselves through a process of assessment and interview with regard to their suitability for a post which is additional to their professions, we would be very short of suitable applicants for State boards.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Be it in business or appointing directors to companies, there is a system whereby people apply according to their knowledge, experience and suitability. People approach them and ask if they would serve on the boards of various companies. That is how it should be vis-Ã-vis an executive authority, that is the Government, making the same types of approaches, and that is how it must be. If we go...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: ââwe will reduce the quality of people serving on State boards. I believe that efforts are made to make sure that people have the knowledge and experience and are suitably qualified. Should people be appointed who do not meet those criteria? Senators can and should question such appointments.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: What about all the interruptions?
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Senators made points about prison visiting committees. It is not long since we debated a Fine Gael motion and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, clearly outlined the changes he was making in selections for those committees. I challenge the other side of the House on this matter. The Minister has made changes and he has not subscribed to the Fine Gael notion of...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I thank those people from business and commercial enterprise who have made themselves available to serve in the interest of the country on State boards. We owe them a dept of gratitude. The motion is a disservice to the many decent people who serve on State boards. We should all be careful about what we say about them. For that reason I am happy to support the amendment tabled by the...
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: Does Senator Hayes have a copy of Deputy O'Keeffe's letter with him? We could get it copied for him.
- Seanad: Appointments to Semi-State Bodies: Motion. (10 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: This is the Senator's maiden speech.
- Seanad: Order of Business. (11 Mar 2004)
John Minihan: I join previous speakers in referring to the tragic events in Spain this morning. I endorse the comments that we should pass on our condolences. A certain so-called democratic political party has an association with the elements committing such atrocities in Spain. Inviting their political representatives to attend the party's Ard-Fheis in Dublin flies in the face of everything we are trying...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Apr 2004)
John Minihan: I join with previous speakers in congratulating the sub-committee on its report on the Barron inquiry. It proved that committees of the Houses of the Oireachtas could work effectively and produce a detailed report in a short timeframe. I wish to briefly refer to the situation in Iraq and the horrific images we saw on television last evening. We have called for an ongoing debate on this...
- Seanad: Order of Business. (1 Apr 2004)
John Minihan: I hope the Leader will facilitate a debate on an ongoing basis.