Results 381-400 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Is there such a thing as a semi-final in Munster?

Seanad: Housing Market: Motion (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: A parliamentary party meeting is on at the moment but they will be here presently.

Seanad: Housing Market: Motion (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Lean ar aghaidh.

Seanad: Housing Market: Motion (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We will.

Seanad: Housing Market: Motion (22 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Brian Hayes, back to the House. I know he enjoyed his time as a Senator but he is nearly becoming a permanent fixture here. While Senator Aideen Hayden can tut all she likes, I assure her we will keep party politics out of this which is why we have not tabled an amendment to the motion. It is an important motion but a broad stroke on debt forgiveness...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Some information became public this morning about AIB's sale of a Bulgarian commercial lending institution that it purchased three and a half years ago for €216 million and off-loaded last month for €100,000. AIB, as we know and regret, is 93% State-owned. What really worries me is that this information, from what I have read, had to be dragged out of AIB, which was not willing to...

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It is €2,500 a day.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Order of Business (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It is unfair to make such a remark. Senator Walsh is entitled to make his point.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Opposition stated it was not enough.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I wish to share two minutes with Senator Thomas Byrne.

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Burton, to the House and congratulate her on her appointment. We have crossed swords many times in my previous life but I genuinely wish her well in her portfolio which is very crucial, given the level of spending, if we are to bridge the budget deficit. I watched with interest some of the debate earlier which was misconstrued when Senator Mooney said the...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: -----I assume Senator John Kelly is firmly on the right wing of the Labour Party in that regard. I wish to raise the issue of how we are paying for some of these initiatives, such as the cut in employers' PRSI. In the debate on the Finance (No. 2) Bill we discussed the introduction of the pensions levy of 0.6% on some pension funds but not all. The members of my party and I regard this as...

Seanad: Social Welfare and Pensions Bill 2011: Second Stage (23 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The Minister also said she would protect pensions and increase pension provisions. I will not go over the 100 days and the 100 U-turns yet because I actually hope this Government does well. The provisions of this Bill are being paid for by a raid on the private pension funds of people who were prudent and did what consecutive Governments asked, which was to save for retirement.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Leader for outlining the business but we have a fundamental problem with the Order of Business, which must be addressed. There have been at least three and possibly four or five changes to the order in the past couple of days, the most recent change received half an hour or 40 minutes ago. That was to include statements on transport at 5.15 p.m., which I know was highlighted...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: It is a request. Will the Leader bring to the attention of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, the Committee of Public Accounts report produced across parties, including by members of his own party, the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Róisín Shortall, Deputy Tommy Broughan and members of his own party? It would be very helpful were the Leader...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: We did not know that. We appreciate that the Leader had good reason.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: The requests in that regard are from the Government side. I am aware that the Minister for Health will come into the House on 7 July.

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Jun 2011)

Darragh O'Brien: Hear, hear.