Results 341-360 of 784 for speaker:Jimmy Harte

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I wish to send our condolences to the family of the young Irish supporter, James Nolan, on his sad death in Poland. As a fan I experienced the highs and lows of Euro 2012 but the low for most people was the untimely death of James Nolan. I stayed in the city of Bydgoszcz and the people there were very friendly. They appreciated the arrival of Irish people there. I wish to put on record...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: He referred also to the constituency review.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I propose that the report of the Constituency Commission would be discussed at some stage, especially as it pertains Donegal. Perhaps I misunderstood Senator Barrett. In Donegal the area of St. Johnston is adjacent to Derry city, yet electorally it is in the south west of the county. The nearest Deputy is approximately 60 or 70 miles away. A debate on this aspect would be welcome in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: Unfortunately, Letterkenny is in the middle of it.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: The Senator would be watching the constituency himself.

Seanad: Order of Business (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: Which side of the road is he coming up on?

Seanad: European Stability Mechanism Bill 2012: Second Stage (26 Jun 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I welcome the Minister of State for this important business. During the referendum campaign many people to whom I spoke while canvassing asked what the ESM proposal meant. The best way I could describe it was based on my own insurance business. Let us imagine someone comes into my office and says, "I am not going to insure my house next year because it probably will not burn down and even...

Seanad: Order of Business (3 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: Along with other Senators, I note the Orange Order's contribution to the Seanad today. I grew up in Raphoe in east Donegal and the Orange Order was, and still is, very prominent in the town in which there was 50:50 breakdown in terms of religion. The Orange Order was part of the community. As Senator Bacik said earlier, before 1968 or 1969 the bands played music. The Ancient Order of...

Seanad: Credit Guarantee Bill 2012: Report and Final Stages (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I thank the Minister of State for the support he has shown to the small business environment. It is important for those who want to start businesses that credit is made available. Businesses that wish to expand also require credit. We must help the small business sector to maintain the 700,000 jobs it provides at present if it is to generate further employment. This Government is giving...

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I may be missing something but we are discussing political reform in the Údarás area. We spoke about selecting people from the county councils to act in this regard, yet we are in a Chamber whose Members are selected in the same manner by councillors. The Minister's point is that it would be wrong to say that Senators are not democratically accountable to anyone because they are not...

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: Senator Ó Clochartaigh can say there is a bias towards Fine Gael but that is democracy. There is a bias towards Fine Gael in this Chamber but that is democracy. There was a bias towards Fianna Fáil when it had a majority.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: That is the point I want to make. It is the responsibility of the county councillors, and if they do not do it responsibly the electorate of Donegal or Galway can remove them at the next election but in my experience Donegal County Council will-----

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: There will be county council elections.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I will conclude. I accept that Donegal County Council, like any other council in the Gaeltacht areas, will appoint councillors who will fulfil that role. Councillors appoint us as Senators because they have the experience. That is my point.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: Listening to the Minister of State on the reason so many people do not speak Irish in the country, 60 or 70 years of bad language, I am a victim of that, I am the classic case, coming from an area in Donegal.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I went through national school and secondary school and had an Irish class every day for 15 years. I am embarrassed to say that I have more French than Irish, and I do not speak French very well. We should be in a situation where I could speak Irish comfortably because I spent 15 years learning it at school. If we continue to do this, the next generation will have the same Irish ability as...

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I am making a valid point.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: I want to reiterate the Minister of State's remarks that the previous Administrations' policies, even the previous Fine Gael-Labour Governments in the 1970s and 1980s, did not deliver the Irish language tuition all children in this country should have. I spoke recently to a Polish person in Poland, and I was told they learn Russian first.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: It is relevant because they were not taught Polish, they had to learn Russian.

Seanad: Gaeltacht Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (5 Jul 2012)

Jimmy Harte: That is an insult to councillors.