Results 341-360 of 996 for speaker:John Gerard Hanafin
- Seanad: Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill 2007: Second Stage (3 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I also support the Personal Injuries Assessment Board (Amendment) Bill. As a member of the Joint Committee on Enterprise and Small Business, I was proud to have been part of the group that took submissions and played some part in the establishment of the PIAB. I remember those submissions and I remember jobs being lost at the beginning of the last Dáil and this Seanad because people could...
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I welcome the Minister back to the House and wish him well in his new capacity. I support the proposal in the Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007 that the Government may, on the nomination of the Taoiseach, appoint not more than 20 persons who are Members of either House of the Oireachtas to be Ministers of State at Departments of State and may, at any time, on the...
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I am not blaming Senator Finucane.
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: Only when what I say relates to the Senator.
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I have referred to the Senator on numerous occasions but not in this particular instance. You raised the caseââ
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: The issue about the Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle was raised in the House this morning.
- Seanad: Ministers and Secretaries (Ministers of State) Bill 2007: Second Stage (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: The reality is, though I know it is hard to get over, that the Opposition would not have supported this Government. We know that. The Opposition lost and should move on. We must accept those appointed to the position of Ceann Comhairle and Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I do not believe it is good for such matters to be raised in that context. We are all aware of what happened last week. It is...
- Seanad: Ethics In Public Office (Amendment) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (4 Jul 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: It is entirely reasonable in a case where a near relation or lifelong friend would allow somebody to stay in an apartment, rather than finding oneself on the wrong foot at the start and trying to explain away the relationship and trying to row back. This legislation ensures that does not happen. It is useful and gratifying that the legislation has provided that level of comfort to people...
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I wish the Cathaoirleach well in what I am sure will be an excellent term of office. I call for a debate on the Middle East, particularly in view of events in recent weeks in Lebanon where a Member of Parliament was assassinated. The Israeli Government, moreover, has discovered that Syria is in possession of nuclear material from North Korea. The French President, Mr. Sarkozy, is clear that...
- Seanad: Order of Business (26 Sep 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: This is not a maiden speech.
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I refer to the debate we had on the commencement of the new Seanad regarding reform of the House. This issue should be examined and debated within the House. The impression might be given of how democratic is the House. A proposal was put before the people in 1937, which was voted on in 1938. Almost 700,000 voted so that we could be elected in the manner we are â six from the university...
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I was thinking of something fairer. The additional seats should be distributed on a pro rata basis.
- Seanad: Order of Business (3 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: It would make sense. Looking back, we should take pride in this House being the forerunner on debates on stem cell research during the previous Seanad and on abortion during the 1980s and 1990s. A President was elected who was a former Senator while other former Members, such as Ken Whitaker, have become Ministers and MEPs and have done great things in other areas. I commend to the House...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: Again I ask the Leader for a debate on reform of the Seanad. The reason for asking for the debate is the inadequate suggestions made prior to this. It is for this Seanad to come forward with suggestions and that is why I have asked for a debate. It is no harm to remind ourselves because it was suggested in certain parts that it was a less than democratic method of election. Some people...
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: The 1938 Constitution was voted on by 1.2 million people, almost 700,000 of whom voted for the Seanad in its current form.
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: The reality is that the Seanad has worked exceptionally well. We have asked for a moderate proposal, an increase of ten Senators, when the Dáil has gone from 120 to 166 Members, which is a 33% increase. We have asked for only ten extra Senators in a system that has served the country well.
- Seanad: Order of Business (4 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: That is our mandate.
- Seanad: Order of Business (11 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I support Senator Mullen's call for a debate on the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and its refusal to fund Cura. This is entirely inappropriate, particularly as Cura was established with a particular ethos and mandate. It is expected to give out details of Positive Options, abortion referral agencies in other words, which is entirely inappropriate. There is nothing positive about that at all. It...
- Seanad: Burma: Motion (11 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I wish to share time with Senator Mark Daly.
- Seanad: Burma: Motion (11 Oct 2007)
John Gerard Hanafin: I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe, to the House. The Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Michael P. Kitt, was obliged to attend another meeting but it is encouraging to see that should a Senator depart this House the next logical step is to become a Minister. In 1990 the...