Results 361-380 of 405 for speaker:John Ellis

Seanad: Social Welfare Benefits (30 Jun 2010)

John Ellis: We are going more up-market.

Seanad: Compulsory Purchase Orders (Extension of Time Limits) Bill 2010: Order for Second Stage (7 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: I move: "That Second Stage be taken now."

Seanad: Compulsory Purchase Orders (Extension of Time Limits) Bill 2010: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: I also welcome the Minister of State, even in an express role to deal with an urgent problem. Senator Coffey says the Government is at fault. The fault lies with the administrative staff of various organisations who do not do their job in time.

Seanad: Compulsory Purchase Orders (Extension of Time Limits) Bill 2010: Second and Subsequent Stages (7 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: Local authorities are to blame. We are all running into this problem. Compulsory purchase orders are issued and left lying so nothing is done for an age. On top of that, the authorities do not even fulfil the payment terms and everything ends up in a mess. Some local authorities, and the NRA, end up paying people years after roads have been completed. This is not acceptable. This is...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: All Members welcome this Bill because the planning system probably needed to be tidied up to an extent. One or two items may give rise to conflict. Amendment No. 3, which inserts section 4, includes the words "consisting of land reclamation or reclamation of estuarine marsh land and of callows, referred to in section 2 of that Act' after 'the works are commenced'". However, it may be...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: I am. We are all aware also that some development plans were crazy. I say this in the context of what was allowed to happen in residential areas where no provision was made for back-up facilities. That was the most serious crime committed during the years. We see articles in the newspapers every day about 1,000 houses being built with no provision being made for a community centre,...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: When it comes to development plans, common sense should prevail. I know that for the bulk of county councillors it does. I put in almost 30 years on a local authority and in the early days there were very few planning problems because there was nobody there to live in a place or look for planning. The number of planning applications was minimal. Then we saw the big drive. We also saw...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: Everyone of us is aware of this. Senator Ó Brolcháin spoke about new councillors. In many cases new councillors are intimidated by some of the officials and led to take decisions that are not in the best interests of the community. If we are to have proper regional development, everybody living in a rural area should have the right to continue to live there if they wish; they should not...

Seanad: Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2009 [Seanad Bill amended by the Dáil]: Report and Final Stages (14 Jul 2010)

John Ellis: One does not want that.

Seanad: Common Agricultural Policy: Statements (12 Oct 2010)

John Ellis: I welcome the Minister to the House in an effort to keep us up to date regarding the forthcoming talks on the CAP. I wish him well in those negotiations as he will have an uphill battle if he is to maintain Ireland's level of funding. He should be fully supported by the farming bodies and all Members of the Oireachtas because the negotiations will not be simple. We come to this debate in...

Seanad: National Spatial Strategy Report: Statements (14 Oct 2010)

John Ellis: I welcome the opportunity of saying a few words on the national spatial strategy which has been in place for a number of years. The National Development Plan 2007 to 2013 proposed a number of major developments around the country. Many of these developments have been put on hold due to financial or other reasons. People often forget the changes that have taken place in Ireland in the past...

Seanad: National Spatial Strategy Report: Statements (14 Oct 2010)

John Ellis: At 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, 19 October 2010.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)

John Ellis: On a point of order, they will meet civil servants. I expect the civil servants will give them the proper information.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)

John Ellis: We are all talking doom and gloom and it might be time we took a positive look at some of what is happening. When I became a Member of this House 30 years ago, 800,000 people were in employment in this country. There are now 1.8 million people employed. We should debate how we can come up with ideas which will help to create further employment. Employment is needed as much as anything...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

John Ellis: We all are disgusted by some of the negative publicity, much of it unfounded, that has been cast on this country by the international media over recent weeks. It should be remembered that we are playing against a different agenda. Certain of the stronger European countries believe Ireland is probably the weakest link in the chain of the financial position of the euro.

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

John Ellis: That is part of the reason we are being targeted. The one question I want to put to the Leader, which he probably will not be able to answer but which should be put——

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

John Ellis: We must be clear on something in this regard. If we are to save our banking institutions and get a functioning banking system in this country, we must get money made available in our economy at the same rate as it is being made available by the ECB to the stronger member states within the EU. There is not much sense in us paying the penalties that are killing our economy. We joined the...

Seanad: Order of Business (16 Nov 2010)

John Ellis: ——or do something about getting the same rates available in this country as there are in Germany.

Seanad: Death of Member: Expressions of Sympathy (17 Nov 2010)

John Ellis: As with all my colleagues, I would like to be associated with the vote of sympathy to Kieran's wife Mary, in addition to his mother, brothers, sisters, daughters, son and grandson. Kieran Phelan could have been nothing other than a gentleman because his mother was a lady. When I rapped on her door in the early 1980s looking for a Seanad vote, she brought me in and made me the cup of tea....

Seanad: Tributes to Member of Staff (2 Dec 2010)

John Ellis: Like other Members I wish to be associated with the good wishes expressed to Shay, with whom I have shared time in the Houses for 33 years. Both of us have a little more colour in our hair than we had when I arrived in 1977. The one thing I have always found about Shay, as I have found with every member of staff of this House, is the courtesy shown to every Member. If anyone had a...