Results 3,581-3,600 of 21,514 for speaker:Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Order of Business (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Again, I must oppose the imposition of a guillotine. I agree with the arguments presented by Deputy Stagg. It is unacceptable that this practice of guillotining continues. It always applies to the run-up to a recess or the dissolution of the Dáil. It is time to have a proper debate on the measures contained in this important Bill. It should be left open to the House to fully debate it.

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Sinn Féin broadly welcomes this Bill that, if passed, would allow a general election to be held on a weekend day rather than on a Thursday. I would also point out at the outset that we would have preferred for this Bill to have gone further and allow for elections to be held either on a Saturday or over two days as is the case in many of the continental elections. Our European counterparts...

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: There is no misconception about it.

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: My time is being taken up, the Minister of State should allow me to finish.

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Maybe the Minister of State will make the point in his summation instead of using up my time.

Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2007: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I would like to ask, with the co-operation of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, if the Minister of State or, preferably, someone who knows why, such as the Taoiseach, would explain to us in detail why what was good enough five years ago is not good enough today. That is the critical point and the statistical information exists to support the arguments made by the Opposition. The CSO survey on...

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: The passage of the proposed motion will have far-reaching implications for health funding in the State and for the many people who contribute to personal health insurance, be it through the VHI or any of its competitors. This amounts to a complete farce and represents an insult to the Dáil and to the people who elected us. The provision of 25 minutes to address a matter of such import is...

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It is not agreed. The Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 has already passed through the Seanad and has gone through Second and Committee Stages, yet the Minister has brought forward very substantive amendments which in our view fundamentally alter the nature and purpose of the Bill. These amendments do not relate to the very specific and narrow original purpose of the Bill, which was to...

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am well aware of what we are discussing.

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Make no mistake about it——

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: That is a bit disingenuous, with all respect. The reality is what this motion is preparing for with regard to Report and Final Stages, which are coming immediately afterwards. This motion is integral to what is intended and the introduction of the amendments I have already spoken of shows that the whole nature of this Bill has changed. This is a facilitation of that process and it is...

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: It was indicated last autumn that the adoption (Hague Convention, adoption authority) Bill would be published during the spring session. I am not sure whether the spring session has concluded or is still ongoing. The current programme of promised legislation states that the Bill will be published in 2007. The publication of this important Bill, which relates to a matter that needs to be...

Order of Business (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Does the Minister think so?

Risk Equalisation (Amendment) Scheme 2007: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I propose to share time with Deputy Joe Higgins.

Risk Equalisation (Amendment) Scheme 2007: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: As I said this morning, the passage of this motion will have far-reaching implications for health funding in the State and the health insurance of hundreds of thousands of people. The 25 minutes provided for this debate represents an outrageous insult to this House and to the people. The Government is presiding over a shambles in our health services. Its fundamentally flawed policies and...

Risk Equalisation (Amendment) Scheme 2007: Motion (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: What about developing the health service and never mind the market?

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Instruction to Committee (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I was a lone objector on the Order of Business——

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Instruction to Committee (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: ——to the allocation of time. That was the sole focus of my disagreement with the provision to address this motion. I welcome the Minister of State's introduction to this morning's discussion and the detail presented in regard to the effects of all the new amendments now presented. Recalling the Taoiseach's declaration of embarrassment yesterday, I will not add to the Minister of State's...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Instruction to Committee (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I am not a member of the committee and it is impossible. However, I am working on it and in the coming weeks, I hope to solve the problem. I believe the Minister of State knows the answer to that. At the end of the day, this is all about implementation. The key to all of that is resources. I refer briefly to a number of points in the Minister of State's preamble, including the reference...

Child Care (Amendment) Bill 2006 [Seanad]: Instruction to Committee (26 Apr 2007)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: I apologise. It is after-school care, but it is a mix of three pre-school children and five children in total. My understanding heretofore — perhaps the Minister of State will clarify whether this is correct — is that this represents a change on the current situation. The Minister of State will appreciate I have only had sight of this detail while sitting in the Chamber. My...