Results 501-520 of 1,253 for speaker:John Crown

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Is it systematic? Are there hospitals which will not deal with the health issues of transgender people?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Transgender Health Issues: Discussion (4 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I have been told there is one hospital which has a blanket policy that it will not deal with people who have health issues related to it.

Seanad: Order of Business (9 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I associate myself with some of the comments of Senator Mullen, those which called for an increase in investment in hospice beds. Some of us have the sad duty sometimes of giving people very bad news. The hospice provides a wonderful source of comfort and solace for people, which some, but not all, patients will choose in the final phase of life's journey. What is fairly horrific is if a...

Seanad: Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Bill 2013: Second Stage (9 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Kathleen Lynch, to the House. I have always found it a great pleasure to deal with her as she is helpful, co-operative and respectful to us here. I will say a few words about the Bill and ask the Minister of State to go on the record with her opinions in this House as to whether in her various visits here, she has felt that legislation, motions and...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. There is something seriously wrong with our system of government. The evidence for this has been apparent for the past several years. Those of us who have a visceral, emotional and fanatical devotion to the concept of absolute democracy will freely admit that, to paraphrase the old adage, democracy is a terrible system of government but it beats...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: The Seanad became one of two highly dysfunctional Chambers which we have now in the Oireachtas. The catastrophe which befell the country in 2008 was due partly to the builders and partly to the property boom.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Are we quorate?

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Perry, to the House and thank my colleagues for returning and making up a quorum. For the sake of attribution, I called for the quorum. While many sections of the press and commentariat have already had a mini-referendum on the Seanad and abolished it, it is as yet one of the two Chambers of our democracy, which is one of the longest continuously...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Okay. I do not want the Senator to get repetitive strain injury but I must inform her that she may be waiting a little while for me to conclude.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I have a few more points to make. Will abolition of the Seanad address the democratic deficit? Effectively, there will still be a second level of scrutineers fulfilling the role set aside for this House, namely, examining legislation in a more dispassionate, non-partisan, technocratic, expert and contemplative fashion. We will not get the latter, however. Instead, what will happen is that...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Senator Norris's pardon is accepted. We have a bizarre situation. I have no wish to trivialise any issue but perhaps some of the old political heads in the House who know more about this stuff than me could explain something to me. How it is a more crucial and fundamental constitutional question, that needed all the huffing and puffing of a weekend in Malahide, to determine whether the...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Although I am not a member of his party, it is no secret that I took the view at the time of the last election that a change of government was necessary. I was vocal in my support of the alternative government with the implicit understanding that Deputy Kenny he would be the Taoiseach. I do not buy in to the theory that he is some kind of incipient autocrat or some of the somewhat...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: I thank the Minister of State. He may be on the 9.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. shift as well. We may get to meet again.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: If the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, prefers I can begin my speech at the beginning.

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Naturally, the famous monitor. The accusation that the Seanad deserved an unpardonable death sentence, with no possibility of a plea-bargain, in expiation for its great crime in inflating the Celtic tiger would have been extraordinary coming from anyone, but it was particularly extraordinary coming from our current Taoiseach, a former Leader of the Opposition, who, in truth, for reasons known...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: The other essential element in our reform was that not only would we democratise the election process, but we would totally "de-elitify" it. I may be making up a new word, which has a medical name, neologism. People with various illnesses sometimes make up new words. I hope I am not going to be diagnosed by any of the tens of thousands watching us right now. In an attempt to remove...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: How does one compete with that? It would have given them expanded access into the halls of Parliament. If we vote for section 1, I am afraid all those opportunities are cut off at the knees and we will not be able to pursue that any further. Why is this political nirvana so important? I believe the real political problem in the country is the composition of and the electoral system used...

Seanad: An Bille um an Dara Leasú is Tríocha ar an mBunreacht (Deireadh a Chur le Seanad Éireann) 2013: Céim an Choiste (Atógáil) - Thirty-second Amendment of the Constitution (Abolition of Seanad Éireann) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (Resumed) (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: That is correct.

Seanad: Business of Seanad (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: A Chathaoirligh----

Seanad: Business of Seanad (10 Jul 2013)

John Crown: Can I take my seat while this is being dealt with?