Results 4,501-4,520 of 25,799 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Who was the Senator canvassing for?

Seanad: Order of Business (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Yes.

Seanad: Valuation (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2012: Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Was the vote not on amendment No. 58?

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: I move: That Seanad Éireann---- recognising the significant contribution that a vibrant arts and culture sector makes to the Irish nation; - acknowledging the positive impact on the economy and employment of our wider arts sector, contributing €4.7 billion to the economy and directly and indirectly supporting 79,000 jobs; - noting that in the period 2005 to 2010 alone more than...

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: That is what Fine Gael has done. Let us deal with the facts that we still do not know the answers to.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Here is one fact: the board of IMMA was increased from nine to 11. Who decided that? The Minister decided that. She appointed two Fine Gael members to the board of IMMA, breaching that party's cap and bringing the membership from nine to 11. That is what the Minister has done, and that is a fact. Senator O'Donnell may dispute it if she wishes.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: This may be uncomfortable for Fine Gael, but the independence of the sector is important regardless of the stroke that Fine Gael tried to pull. I am entitled as a citizen and as an Oireachtas Member to know what happened. Members of Fine Gael are not entitled to assert that the issue of who told the Minister to appoint Mr. McNulty to the board of IMMA is a party matter. The Taoiseach says...

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: The Senator can say that if she likes.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: It is actually not unbelievable.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: All of us here deserve an answer with regard to what happened. Listen to the commentary over the last couple of weeks from people in this sector. See how they feel. Forget about Mr. McNulty for a minute and the Fine Gael stroke to get him into this House, which may happen on Friday. I do not care whether he is in the House or not at this stage.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Look at what has happened in this sector since 2011. I am asking the Minister - because she has not been able to do it up to now - to tell us what she is going to do in this area. I do not think the Minister can move on from this in any way, shape or form until she is honest with people. She has not been honest with people. The Taoiseach has not been honest with people.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: It is not acceptable for the Minister, the Taoiseach or the Government to say this has nothing to do with the Irish people and that it is an internal Fine Gael matter. It is not. Her party is funded to the tune of €4.2 million every year by the taxpayer. If the paid official in Mount Street in Fine Gael told the Minister to appoint the two individuals to the board and, more...

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: -----that the Minister put belt and braces on this individual's candidacy for the by-election, we are entitled to know-----

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: -----if the Minister did that without the say-so from the Taoiseach. No one believes that.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: I can read all of that on the Fine Gael website if I want to.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: The track record shows it.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: So have we.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: That is not true. It is not what the Bill says.

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: Rubbish. If the Senator had attended the meeting at City Hall, he would know-----

Seanad: Arts and Culture Sector: Motion (8 Oct 2014)

Darragh O'Brien: I welcome the Minister. This has been a worthwhile debate. To those who criticised the motion as being a Trojan horse I say that if my colleague, Senator Thomas Byrne, had not questioned the relevant appointment a couple of weeks ago, we might not even be discussing it. I hope we will all learn from this matter. I certainly hope the Minister will learn from it. She has stated she has...