Results 441-460 of 3,550 for speaker:Dominic Hannigan

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I pick up on a point raised by Senators Callely and Leyden on SR Technics. There is a chance we can save jobs in that company and I welcome the fact that the Tánaiste will meet the unions tomorrow. I am also very concerned about the impact it will have not just on people who will lose their jobs but on apprenticeships. Some 15 apprentices who have been training for a number of years are...

Seanad: Order of Business (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: These are trade unionists who have been held there for the past ten years. For the first 17 months they were in solitary confinement and visits by their families are being restricted. The Minister is interested in this case. I spoke to his office this morning requesting that while he is in Cuba he visit the families to show solidarity. I ask the Leader to use his offices to impress on the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I thank Senator Ellis for his contribution. He has done the Oireachtas a great service in the amount of work he obviously has put into this debate. I agree with many of the points he raised. I am especially concerned with some issues, not just areas such as Limerick, Leitrim and elsewhere but also the north east, specifically the constituencies of Louth, Meath East and Meath West. The last...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I appreciate that and thank the Minister of State for the help. Rather than criticise Louth, I merely want to identify the proper approach to take. More respect should have been paid to county boundaries. I have been told by people in Bettystown and Laytown they no longer intend to vote because they feel little allegiance to County Louth. Members of the Minister of State's party,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: Senator Ellis has made a very good point. The north east of the country has seen significant changes since the publication of the report. Much of the population increase was as a result of new arrivals to the country coming to benefit from and add greatly to the economy, which has now taken a turn for the worse. One consequence of the downturn has been the decision of many people to seek...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I may have missed it.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: We all respect the work of the commission. However, we wish to know more about the rationale involved. There should be more transparency, which is the topic of the month in the Houses at present. The publication of the rationale would help and go some way in this regard. I welcome the fact there will be a review of the management of the electoral register and I welcome also the potential...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I agree with Senator Coffey about balanced regional development. He seems to be calling for a system of representation like the Senate system in the United States whereby there are two Senators from every state, regardless of the size of the state. That might be worth considering. I am not from Dublin but I am from within the Pale. There are anomalies at county council level of which the...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: There are probably 28 or 29 councillors.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: In Cavan, 25 councillors represent 60,000 people, while six councillors represent 65,000 people in a part of Dublin, which is four times the ratio of councillor to population. That is probably not the way we should be operating as a democracy, so the Minister and the Minister of State should look at that again. I have been calling for reform of the Senate on numerous occasions, but one of...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: We should look at this again when it comes to reforming the Senate. That is not part of this Bill, so I will not dwell on it, but we need to see movement on the issue of Senate reform. It is something that has been lacking, and I know the Green Party has been keen to see something done on this. I would like to see some legislation on the issue before the beginning of the summer recess.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I thank Senator Coffey for his comments. I agree with him, but I would like to point out that I am not actually an urban representative.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: It is fair to recognise that Dublin is under-represented, even though I do not represent Dublin. My constituency of Meath East is quite rural. Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting many people at their doorsteps. Last Thursday, I was standing in a milking parlour while the farmer milked his cows, and a fine herd of cattle he has. That might only be 25 miles from where we are sitting,...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I just wanted to clarify the situation for Senator Coffey. I agree in essence with what he is saying. Rural councillors, TDs and Senators have a huge post-box——

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: One could learn much from visiting rural dwellers in one's constituency, but one needs to spend proportionately more time there because the issues are so diverse. The issues could be about water, sewerage, education, health and so on. I do not want to take away from Senator Coffey's well made point, which is that we need to make sure every citizen has adequate representation.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I move amendment No. 1: In page 6, line 23, after "members" to insert the following: "and 3 member constituencies shall only be recommended where there are exceptional circumstances requiring 3 members". This amendment proposes that three-member constituencies be allowed in exceptional circumstances only. I am not sure that the current constituency commission has been forced by exceptional...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: I place no credence in opinion polls.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: As someone who studied statistics in college, I would prefer to take the recent poll, roll it up into a ball and throw it into the nearest bin. As we all know, only one poll matters. One will not get any votes if one does not work hard, get out there and do one's job. While I appreciate Senator Coffey's good wishes, I assure him opinion polls do not excite me for one minute. I would like...

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: It is being pressed.

Seanad: Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Remaining Stages (18 Feb 2009)

Dominic Hannigan: Some points were raised regarding the assentors for non-party candidates. I understand that currently, the number of assentors required for a county council election is 15 but that it is higher, possibly 40 or 50, for a Dáil election. That is when one sees busloads of people being brought through the county to county hall. I have a question about the assentors. My understanding from the...