Results 401-420 of 566 for speaker:Niall Ó Brolcháin

Seanad: Electricity Prices: Motion (6 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The motion is a good one and raises an important point. The point made by Senator Coffey is valid. However, we need to come up with imaginative ways to deal with the issues involved.

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the words of Senator Bradford, especially coming from a member of the Fine Gael Party. This is something we need to consider on all sides of the House. It would be good to have a debate on the need for consensus. In this regard, I pay tribute to two brave men: Mr. Alan Dukes and Mr. John Hume. Mr. Dukes came up with the Tallaght strategy in the 1980s, when I was growing up, and...

Seanad: Order of Business (12 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: When we were bankrupt.

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

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The Senator should keep going. He is doing well.

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

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Cuffe. I recognise Deputy Cuffe and it is quite clear that he is not Deputy Sargent.

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

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The consensus that is emerging here is quite important. It is crucial that we all support the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to obtain the maximum for this country from any discussions at a European level. I have heard various Senators discussing the wearing of the green jersey in the negotiations, and it is not a great difficulty for me to do that. The CAP developed as a...

Seanad: Services for People with Disabilities: Motion (13 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Áine Brady, and I am delighted she is present for this important debate. I also welcome the national advocacy service which will be introduced in January 2011. It is important to recognise that it will be a step forward, but nevertheless we should not get carried away. It is no more than a step in the right direction. It will not solve all of the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I also support the remarks made on the cystic fibrosis centre and call for a debate on the matter. I call for a debate on the issue of fuel poverty. There have been many reports in the media on rising energy prices, but many do not have the financial capability to deal with high heating costs, particularly if we have a difficult winter. Approximately 25,000 houses have been covered by the...

Seanad: Order of Business (Resumed) (14 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: Per week.

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Haughey. I also welcome this initiative. Reducing the number of VECs from 33 to 16 is a good move. I support what Senator Norris said with regard to a university being established in Waterford. Members on all sides would support any initiative in this regard because we would all like to see a university being set up in Waterford. Galway city and...

Seanad: Restructuring of Vocational Education Committees: Statements (19 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: We are all showing our age.

Seanad: Order of Business (20 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I seek a debate on the world economic environment because in reading today's edition of the Financial Times it struck me that the British Government was seeking cuts of £83 billion or approximately €94 billion. It is seeking to cut approximately €1,600 per person in its next budget, whereas the Government here is seeking to cut approximately €1,000 per person in its budget, which is...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I very much welcome the positive comments of some of the Opposition Senators. What happened yesterday in terms of consensus was unprecedented and I would very much welcome further debates on the economy. We will be having them regardless. During the boom period there was a danger of overemphasising the positive - perhaps in that sense we talked ourselves into a bit of a black hole - but...

Seanad: Order of Business (21 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The Government has increased our wind capacity in the past three years from 7% to more than 15%. That is fact and the Opposition should check out those facts. There are many positive aspects in this economy. It is wrong to have debates where we switch off the light at the end of the tunnel. We need to look at stimulus packages. When we are dealing with the public finances, we are very...

Seanad: Order of Business (27 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: Last week I called for a debate on the international economic situation and I repeat my call now. For example, during the weekend there were discussions about the riots which had taken place in France related to the French Senate holding a debate on increasing the retirement age to 62 years. We could do with holding a debate on bringing the retirement age here to 62 years, which many would...

Seanad: Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister and commend him on his use of the word "green" which appeared throughout his speech. The Government has become used to using the words "smart", "green" and "growth". I very much welcome the Food Harvest 2020 report, the latest of the ten-year strategies the Government has introduced. It is a good strategy and there was great academic back-up from Harvard University....

Seanad: Food Harvest 2020 Report: Statements (27 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: The strategy addresses the €3 billion increase in added value. Branding in the food sector is very important. I would not share Senator Quinn's food on GM foods. We have a unique selling point in Ireland in being a green, clean, food producing island. There is a major marketing factor in having grass-based, organic agricultural production which gives us something unique to sell. We...

Seanad: Diabetes Treatment and Management: Motion. (27 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State. She is a regular visitor to this House and is always very welcome. Listening to Senator Twomey, I find it difficult to disagree with much of what he said. There is absolutely no question that prevention is better than cure. Indeed, the national diabetes programme 2010 has five major points to it, the fourth of which is to facilitate integration of diabetic...

Seanad: Order of Business (28 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I am a proud Member of Seanad Éireann today. In the middle of the difficult economic times in which we find ourselves, it is right and proper that Senators from all sides of the House would highlight the issue of child care in the manner they are doing. It is a much more important issue than the economy and is fundamental to the bedrock of our society. I commend Senator O'Donovan on his...

Seanad: Child Care Inquiry Report: Statements (28 Oct 2010)

Niall Ó Brolcháin: I welcome the Minister of State to debate this difficult issue. This is an important debate which should not be overshadowed by any of the other issues going on currently. I welcome the report and would like to read part of the first paragraph of the conclusion: The Inquiry team concludes that the six children of the A family were neglected and emotionally abused by their parents until...