Results 3,601-3,620 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2013: Fifth Stage (7 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I will not take an economics lesson from Sinn Féin.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: On many occasions in this House I have raised the issue of private health insurance and its costs, not just after the most recent budget with the reduction in tax relief on policies that the Minister for Finance, Deputy Noonan, called "gold plated". Last week his Department confirmed these changes will affect 1.1 million policies not the 500,000 originally estimated. That was a major hit...

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: It is because we are all subsidising VHI and there is no competition because it is being run by the Government.

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: What is Senator Harte's point?

Seanad: Order of Business (13 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Electricity Transmission Network: Motion (13 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: He would have to declare it.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: We discussed this issue last week, that not every item brought before the House be debated. The Leader has mentioned that Nos. 1 and 2 were debated at the joint committee yesterday, following which they are being before us to be passed. Does the House have access to the minutes of the meetings held yesterday, or have they been published yet?

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: They are already on the website. If they were debated yesterday, they are being brought before the House for us to rubber stamp them. Without seeing the minutes, I do not know what the level of debate and scrutiny was. In the coming weeks we should look at the level of scrutiny that takes place at the joint committees. In some instances, it may be sufficient, while in others, I am certain...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I have not put forward an amendment. I have just said I oppose each of the items that are to be taken without debate.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I can oppose them after the Order of Business when the Leader puts it to the House that they be taken without debate. I am just putting the House on notice that I intend to oppose them. I welcome the debate we had yesterday about EirGrid and I welcome the fact that the Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, was here for the full debate, which was useful. In the main, the debate was carried out in the...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: We will revisit that. The Minister, Deputy Rabbitte, took on board some of the points made yesterday. My colleague Senator Byrne raised our concerns yesterday regarding the process that resulted in the appointment of Mr. John O'Connor. Our debate yesterday was useful, but it is a terrible shame that the Sinn Féin Members who are so exercised about this could not ensure-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: No need to worry. It is important to put this on the record. Will the Leader find out from the Government when the pyrite resolution board legislation will be published? This will put the board on a statutory footing and enable it to accept applications for compensation. This House has done a good job-----

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to make a final point on an issue about which Senator Coghlan is always concerned. I welcome the ECB rate reduction of 0.25%, giving a base rate of 0.25%, announced by Mario Draghi the week before last. This is good news for those on tracker mortgages, but the State effectively either owns or has a stake in three main retail banks here, AIB, Permanent TSB and Bank of Ireland. Has...

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: When were the minutes published?

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: On a point of order, the area of justice and home affairs is not to do with EU scrutiny, but with primary legislation by the Seanad and the Dáil. These motions cannot be passed without our approval. This is not to do with scrutiny of decisions made by Ministers or by Brussels. It is a function of the Seanad and the Dáil equally.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree we need to debate that. We need to set time aside to do that.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: I do not intend to that.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: She should put the lid on her bin.

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: What about badgers?

Seanad: Order of Business (14 Nov 2013)

Darragh O'Brien: On the backs of people who are paying-----