Results 341-360 of 1,591 for speaker:Eugene Regan

Seanad: Legal Practitioners (Irish Language) Bill 2007: Committee and Remaining Stages (25 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: I appreciate that the Minister, Deputy Ó Cuív, has responded to concerns raised at the previous reading of the Bill. The amendments put forward have neatly resolved the concerns of all parties and I appreciate the efforts of the Minister in that regard.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: The penny seems to have dropped with the Taoiseach regarding the economy. One reads of corrective action now being taken. In managing the economy, those responsible must understand it and must have experience of managing an economy in different economic circumstances. However, the Government only has experience of managing the boom. It even has failed at that, to judge from the evidence...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: While I appreciate——

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: I have only started, but I will be brief. I appreciate we will be having a debate on the issue, but I would like to make a point to the Leader about the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance. Where is their experience of managing an economy in difficult economic circumstances? Do these people have qualifications in economics? Do they have experience in business, banking,...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: How can we have confidence in the Taoiseach or his Minister for Finance to manage the recession if they have failed to manage the boom? There is a contrast between the current Government and those of Garret FitzGerald, Alan Dukes and John Bruton, who had the qualifications and the experience of managing an economy in the kind of circumstances which exist today.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: This Government has a lack of experience and qualifications and has a very poor track record over the past ten years. How can we have confidence that it will manage the economy in this recession?

Seanad: Prison Development (Confirmation of Resolutions) Bill 2008: Second and Subsequent Stages (26 Jun 2008)

Eugene Regan: I thank the Minister for his presentation and welcome him to the House. It is the first time I have had an opportunity to discuss a policy issue with him. There is no question a new prison is needed and it must be of the highest standard. I appreciate that the process which has gone through the Oireachtas on Thornton Hall essentially has been a planning one. I have difficulties, however,...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I refer to a statement made by the Leader, Senator Donie Cassidy, last Thursday, when he referred to the new Senators in the House. He complained about certain interruptions from these benches. We have been very patient with the Leader in his replies each week to the Order of Business and the questions raised. Indeed, we have been more patient than Senators on the Fianna Fáil benches, who...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I ask that the Leader would desist from talking down in that fashion. The Leader also has a tendency to avoid the specific questions raised in the debate. I asked last week if he would comment on the lack of experience and qualifications, whether in the economic, commercial, banking or financial spheres, of the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister for Finance to manage the economy. I got no...

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——that are designed to distract from the points that are made and the failures of the Government which are highlighted by Members on this side of the House. I find his replies tedious, tiresome and long-winded and I ask that the Leader would not talk down to new Senators in this House ——

Seanad: Order of Business (1 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: ——and I ask that he would bear that in mind. If we are to have constructive debates, new Senators should not be denigrated in the manner in which they have been. On the basis of treating people equally, I wish to refer to a case to be heard in the European Court tomorrow relating to mandatory retirement ages. The case has been referred from the United Kingdom and centres on the...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Taoiseach and Minister for Finance, in building up as a major event today's presentation of the Department of Finance Exchequer figures, are playing for time on the economy. It is not a unique event. The Department of Finance produces Exchequer figures every month and they have shown, since the beginning of the year, a deterioration in tax receipts. Talk of corrective action and mini...

Seanad: Order of Business (2 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I have a question for the Leader. On foot of that property bubble, taxes on construction and housing related economic activities rose from 6% in 2001 to 20% in 2006. That was unsustainable. The Taoiseach, as Minister for Finance in 2006, said property prices were anchored on sound fundamentals in the Irish economy. If we do not analyse and diagnose, and if the Taoiseach and Minister for...

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The Government is pulling a stunt in rushing through the House this week the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. The Dáil is dealing with Committee and Report Stages of the Bill today. The Seanad will tomorrow take Second Stage of the Bill and will take Committee and Report Stages on Thursday. Adequate time should be provided for public consultation in regard to the tabling of appropriate...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I support the Leader of the Opposition, Senator Fitzgerald, regarding the amendment to the Order of Business. Yesterday I questioned the time allowed to consider the Intoxicating Liquor Bill. The Bill was discussed in the Dáil yesterday and there were 56 amendments, categorised in a number of groups. The first three amendments, which were fairly technical, were discussed together, as was...

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: The main objective of the legislation is to address the public order issue. Since the legislation is rushed, it will fail. It will provide for common, rather than sequential, closing of late-night drinking premises. The very objective of the Bill is being undermined by its own provisions. That there is inadequate time for consideration of this and other issues discredits the work we are...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I add my voice to the expressions of sympathy on the death of former Minister, Deputy Seamus Brennan. I recall his courage in dealing with difficulties within his party and the stance he took in terms of standards in public life. That is my abiding memory of the man. I thank the Minister of State for his presentation of this Bill. However, I disagree with the point made by him that we...

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: On a point of order, the Minister should not interrupt the Senator's contribution.

Seanad: Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008: Second Stage (Resumed) (9 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I oppose the Bill on Second Stage on the basis that the procedure and the Bill is flawed. Question put.

Seanad: Order of Business (10 Jul 2008)

Eugene Regan: I am disappointed the Leader did not respond positively to the requests made during the past three days by Senator Fitzgerald and others in regard to the time allowed to debate the Intoxicating Liquor Bill 2008. The position is that no extra time will be allowed for adequate discussion on amendments. This is the situation with which we are faced in this House. In commenting on the Bill, we...