Results 441-460 of 5,294 for speaker:Michael McCarthy

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: It is a good example. If the project had backfired in the election, it would probably have been classed as something else. I feel strongly about this amendment. If the dual mandate is to be abolished at one level, the policy should be applicable across the board regardless of the type of dual mandate. Obviously, it is more high profile when it occurs in politics but there are also the...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I second the amendment. Question, "That the words proposed to be deleted stand", put and declared carried.

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Report and Final Stages. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I too would like to thank the Minister of State and his officials. It has been a demanding week for him since the Minister, Deputy Cullen, was away in the Far East on European business. Who would have known when he was leaving what brouhaha would be caused here on a number of issues? It is important to note the excellent work done by our MEPs. All politicians moan but MEPs can justifiably...

Seanad: European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2003: Motion for Earlier Signature. (25 Feb 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Is this motion being dealt with in the same manner as the previous motion dealing with earlier signature? Has the Order of Business been amended to allow this motion?

Seanad: Order of Business. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I concur with Senator Finucane on the issue of mortgage interest. If mortgage companies were to forego the charge to mortgage holders of interest for 29 February, it would cost them some €400,000, not a lot when one considers the profits they make. On electronic voting, the report of the commission is due to be published on 1 May, which is very late. Will the Leader assure the House that if...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Hear, hear.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister of State. The Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Cullen, is out of the country.

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Second Stage. (3 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: That is according to the radio today. The Bill gives effect to the budgetary increases in motor taxation in December's budget. An increase in motor taxation is no surprise, but it is disappointing that there is no benefit from such an increase, aside from a temporary improvement in the Government's fiscal situation. I accept, as does the vast majority of reasonable people, that we must pay...

Seanad: Order of Business. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I wish to raise two issues with the Leader. The first issue relates to advertising. There were two cases recently where two companies used psychiatric illnesses in a derogatory way to promote the sale of their goods. One was a television company and the other was a telephone company. The television company advertised plastic surgery as a way of overcoming depression and the telephone company...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: A number of people think they should not pay taxes, no matter what tax is involved. Senator Bannon referred to declarations signed in Garda stations. When a declaration is signed that a car has been off the road, the garda witnesses the signature of the car owner and, therefore, he or she makes the declaration, not the garda. Penalties are in place to deal with car owners who knowingly enter...

Seanad: Motor Vehicle (Duties and Licences) Bill 2004: Committee and Remaining Stages. (4 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I too would like to thank the Minister of State and his officials for dealing with this Bill over the past two days. The Minister of State has spent a considerable amount of time in the House recently and that is appreciated. I may not agree with all of what he says but we are here to legislate and we have completed a legislative task. I add my words of acknowledgement to the Minister of...

Seanad: Order of Business. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Regarding the INO debate which has been taken over the last few days, I ask the Leader for a debate with the Minister for Health and Children regarding the very serious shortfall in nurses. We now have more non-European nationals working for us in the nursing professions than we have Irish people. The vast majority of graduates leave the profession after two or three years. The report of the...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I welcome the Minister, Deputy Cullen, and I want to record my appreciation to the Leader for organising this debate.

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I requested this debate last Thursday, although that should not be construed to mean I support Government policy in any way. Like some people in this House I was elected to a local authority five years ago and one of the overriding issues at that time was the difficulties people were facing in terms of the planning system. It appeared to me that the typical cases ran into difficulty for a...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: In the south, and other Members may articulate on this aspect later, we have special areas of conservation and areas zoned for particular usage in terms of the inhabitants of the area, which poses difficulties for the people outside of those zones. There are also the coastal areas which are extremely sensitive and undergo rigid procedures in terms of planning. That is understandable in some...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I appreciate the Minister's reply. Another point of interest concerns conditions attached to a planning permission as issued by a local authority. Time and again, if a planning application was for the benefit of a family member with a housing need, in the majority of cases I have dealt with a residency clause was attached to the permission, preventing the sale or use of the dwelling by anyone...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: Of course. I am referring to the current planning system as regards the role of outside bodies, which has a direct impact on rural housing. I have qualified my remarks by saying there are implications in terms of the roles of outside bodies. As regards the guidelines, the public consultation process will close on 30 April. That is close to 11 June and we are all aware-——

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I understand that. It is 12 weeks from Friday next to the local and European elections. This issue has been around for much longer than the last six or 12 months. I want to put forward a reasonable argument and debate in terms of my own experience of the planning system. I believe it smacks of political opportunism. I have always pursued the case for genuine applicants who have a housing...

Seanad: Draft Guidelines on Rural Housing: Statements. (10 Mar 2004)

Michael McCarthy: I hope on behalf of the many thousands of young people around the country that this is not another cynical attempt to assuage the electorate before an election. We have seen enough of that. This is an issue that is too close to people's hearts. Nobody in this room can say, with hand on heart, that he or she has not witnessed the difficulties such people go through when they apply for planning...