Results 3,721-3,740 of 4,465 for speaker:Jim Walsh

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: -----to ensure a Government majority in the House. I was not a Senator at the time, but my colleague, Senator Mooney, was when a Government came to power without an election in 1994. For the three following years, it functioned effectively without a majority in this House. That Seanad responded responsibly to all legislation and debates. Now, when Opposition Members raise issues,...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is very relevant. It is about the removal of the Whip in its current form.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is also about removing the system of Taoiseach's nominees. Groupthink does not serve us well. It happens in respect of economic issues when, due to party loyalties, people do not oppose something. Many Members in the Minister of State's party will regret that they did not show Deputy Walsh's levels of courage and conviction. It will not happen under this Government, but I suggest that a...

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: He would be put in the ha'penny place by some of the things this Government has done since getting into power.

Seanad: Seanad Electoral (Panel Members) (Amendment) Bill 2014: Second Stage (14 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: If the Minister of State doubts this, he will discover that I am correct if he does a little bit of canvassing between now and Friday week. The people of Drogheda will inform him.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: I refer to the report on maternity services. I read it thanks to Senator Marc MacSharry making it available to me. While it deals with the western and north-western region, the principles that underpin it refer to units with fewer than 2,500 births.

Seanad: Order of Business (15 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is looking for rationalisation of the maternity hospitals in the north west. That is clear from the report. By extension, this feeds into a national survey of maternity hospitals and my concern is our local hospital in Wexford. Over the years, there has been tremendous investment and it has a very good maternity unit. There have been discussions in the past and the unit was under...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: I second Senator Leyden's amendment, although I am surprised at his optimism if he expects the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly, to come to the House and know what is going on in Roscommon or any part of the HSE or health services. That has become evident to everybody, including those in his own party, at this stage. I concur with Senator Bacik's comments about the Tánaiste, as he...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: He was ranting.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Nigeria: Ambassador of Nigeria (28 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: I thank the ambassador for coming to share his insights with us on this matter. Obviously, all of our minds have been concentrated on the abduction of those unfortunate girls and, of course, we would wish that everything possible be done in order to get their safe release. It is something of a reflection on the UN and the Western media that the huge focus has only now arisen on this issue...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Nigeria: Ambassador of Nigeria (28 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: Excuse me. Have the perpetrators of the murder of Mohammed Yusuf been brought to justice? It would appear the police were involved in that, given that he was in custody. Such issues breed the kind of radicalism we have seen arising-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: Situation in Nigeria: Ambassador of Nigeria (28 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: The issue of Boko Haram came up on the doorstep of a Nigerian national in New Ross during canvassing for the recent elections. Mr. Pwol mentioned the availability of arms to Boko Haram. Has Nigeria ratified the arms trade treaty which went through the UN last summer?

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: I agree with Senator Terry Brennan that there has been a lot of muscle-flexing by unions with regard to strikes. It is a pity that the very precarious position of the economy and the slim chance of recovery is being put at risk because of people trying to extract more from what is not there. Trade unions should be thinking about the people who are unemployed. Without the job creation that...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: I ask that the Minister would come into the House to clarify such comments. If it is the case that these reports were carried out by the hospital groups and are politically motivated, that raises serious questions about the capacity of the CEO of the HSE. There are already questions hanging over him and the Minister. I ask the Minister to come to the House to clarify the position. The...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: Surely that confirms everything that Senator MacSharry has been saying in this House over the last few weeks. The Minister started by dismissing it and then went on to confirm it. That is not the way for a Minister to act. The parties opposite did so poorly in the recent election because the people do not trust what they are saying to them. We need transparency, straight talking and...

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: We do not want our hospitals closed.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: We did not close any maternity hospitals.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is all obfuscation.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: It is not false information.

Seanad: Order of Business (29 May 2014)

Jim Walsh: We did not take the medical card off people.