Results 21-40 of 4,849 for speaker:Diarmuid Wilson

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister of State to the House. It is great to see a fellow Ulsterman here—

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: —defending an excellent record by an excellent Government over a long period.

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I also welcome the Minister's officials. I congratulate Senator Quinn and his colleagues on the Independent benches for proposing this very worthy and well-timed motion. It is worth debating sensibly. I welcome the initiatives brought forward by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan. The introduction of the penalty points system has brought a revolution in the thought processes of all...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I do not wish to use the lives of unfortunate people killed on the road as statistics. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that if 378 unfortunate people had been killed on our roads last year instead of 379, we would have achieved our target of 20%. I hate having to quote statistics in that way but as Opposition Senators chose to raise the matter I must point out the facts. Fear of being caught...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Senator Quinn's suggestion that retired members of the Garda should form a traffic corps is excellent and I am glad to see the Minister took note of it. In the past few days we have listened to discussions about the Army being used as an aid to the civil power. I would also like to investigate the possibility of establishing a Garda reserve or auxiliary part-time force. This works in other...

Seanad: Road Safety: Motion. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: The signing, lighting and cats' eyes programme announced by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government will also play a major role in the road safety initiative. I am aware that the Minister is considering the metrication of speed limit signs. I ask him to give consideration to additional warning signs in the Border counties. Drivers from Northern Ireland can become confused when...

Seanad: Adjournment Matters. - Public Transport. (5 Feb 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister, who is having a busy evening. In recent years there has been increased use of the public transport services provided by Bus Éireann and private operators. More people are travelling longer distances to work and commuting daily. During the years private bus operators have provided a valuable service and initiated new routes where CIE was not providing a service. In...

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: We are not looking 30 years ahead.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: We are looking ten, not 30, years ahead.

Seanad: Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (4 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am about to address the House.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I welcome the Minister to the House. In 1999 I was honoured by the people of the Cavan electoral area in my native county of Cavan to have been elected to serve them on Cavan County Council. Having failed by a narrow margin in 1991 I worked hard for the following eight years and used as a model the way Senator Brian Hayes, the leader of the Fine Gael group in the Seanad, campaigned to get...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I will reluctantly vote for it .

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Unlike the Fine Gael Party, there is discipline in our party and the country has benefited from it and will continue to do so.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I understand from the Minister's speech that the Barrington report of 1990 recommended the abolition of the dual mandate. I welcome Senator Coonan to the House. He is not here that often. He had to sleep in because he kept us all up late last night.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I understand the Commission on the Status of Women and the National Youth Council have also called for the abolition of the dual mandate. Contrary to reports from Members on all sides, the General Council of County Councils called for the abolition of the dual mandate for Deputies, not for Senators. As a member of the General Council of County Councils I clarify that. On behalf of the GCCC I...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: Senators will no longer be entitled to sit on local councils.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: We in the General Council of County Councils believe that one way of ensuring communication between national and local policymakers is maintained at a vibrant level is for the channels of communication provided by the General Council of County Councils to be used to the full. The general council, with its representation from each of the county and city councils, is well placed to channel...

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I am pleased Senator Bannon can read. I welcome the fact that the Minister will introduce regulations to compel county councils and health boards and so on to respond to the queries of Deputies and Senators. Neither I nor my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, has any difficulty in dealing with our manager, whom I believe to be the best manager in the country, or his staff.

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: I agree with Senator McCarthy in relation to time off for PAYE workers. Regulations should be put in place to allow these workers time off to attend council meetings. The term of the council should be extended from five to seven years. As one who was elected only in 1999 it took time to get to grips with council business. When I became a Member of the Seanad it became even more difficult....

Seanad: Local Government Bill 2003: Second Stage (Resumed). (5 Mar 2003)

Diarmuid Wilson: He has also claimed that his "ears are red" from all the Fianna Fáil Deputies and Senators telephoning him to give him the €500 he needs.