Results 3,401-3,420 of 20,831 for speaker:David Norris

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (20 Feb 2007)

David Norris: So were the ground rents.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (20 Feb 2007)

David Norris: The Minister is very optimistic. I sincerely hope I will be here.

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (20 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I do not accept everything the Minister said but I will put up with it. The privatisation stunt went against the interests, in some cases, of the subscribers. When the Minister said they paid €8 billion for the lines, I do not think that was for lines. Was it not for the whole company?

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (20 Feb 2007)

David Norris: There was not any particular discretionary payment of X amount for the lines, and I do not believe it was €8 billion. I would like to leave the matter open and ask the Minister to examine it because as a recurring charge one is never finished with it. The Government may have done well in getting €8 billion but the taxpayer, the individual telephone subscriber, did not. I will leave it...

Seanad: Communications Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee Stage (20 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I will withdraw it but I will be pestiferous on Report Stage.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I have already dealt with that.

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: Rubbish. So we support religion in England if it is Irish? That is a very good idea.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I commiserate with you, a Chathaoirligh, because like Senator Quinn when I hear the M50 being impotently rattled by vote-hungry politicians from various sides, I can smell an election in the air.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: On the issue of the tricolour in Trinity, yesterday the question of the rugby match at Croke Park was raised. Without going over that too much, all national anthems can be contentious. The British is a comparatively mild one. The tunes are usually fairly nice. Our own could do with being reviewed, including the line "Le gunnaí-scréach faoi lámhach na bpiléar". It comforts me that...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I have a question for the Leader. Perhaps we should have some slight discussion on the matter. Having listened to Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, I found him judicious in everything he said.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: He was reasonable, decent, understanding and sophisticated.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: When the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr. Hain, visits Croke Park it would have been gracious for him to lay a wreath at the memorial, which would have healed many wounds. I am very sorry he decided not to do it.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I am sure the Cathaoirleach will pity me as I pitied him. Last week I was compelled by logic to agree with Senator Mansergh. Today I am discharged from that duty because of the utter rubbish he spoke about an attempt to get Ireland to intervene in Britain's internal affairs to get it to shore up prejudice simply because it was a Roman Catholic prejudice.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: The British Cabinet gave the answer to that one when it clearly stated it is not possible to have a little bit of discrimination. It would have been much better had Senator Mansergh asked, as I now ask the Leader, to consider this situation in Ireland, where despite his paeans of the past 25 years, his Government needed to be pushed, kicking and screaming, into this area. Let us have a...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: ——while they were simultaneously getting exemption from equality legislation to which they were not entitled. It is a disgrace and the English are 100% right.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: Taxpayers' money must not be used to promote a particular ethos.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: Let there be open exemptions for the churches here as well while we are at it.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: No, it is not. Rubbish.

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Mental Capacity and Guardianship Bill 2007: Second Stage (21 Feb 2007)

David Norris: I agree with Senator Glynn on most things but I do not think Senator Henry will return to the Seanad because she does not intend to stand for election.